Valery Uskov is a director who needs no introduction. The audience remembers him from such cult TV projects as "Eternal Call", "Shadows Disappear at Noon", created in creative tandem with his friend Vladimir Krasnopolsky. The master also has more modern paintings, thanks to which his popularity remains unchanged. So, what interesting details are known about the biography of the master, which of his films and television series should be watched first of all?
Valery Uskov: biographical information
The birthplace of the famous director is Yekaterinburg (formerly Sverdlovsk) - it was there that he was born in 1933 in the family of an agronomist and a doctor. The boy's childhood passed in a creative atmosphere, his mother and father were seriously interested in theater. All school years, Valery Uskov sat at the same desk with his cousin Vladimir, who became his best friend. We can say that his fruitful duet with Krasnopolsky took shape precisely then. In addition to school, the guys attended a drama club, together they created a puppet theater that was popular with children.
Valery Uskov became a student at VGIK in 1957. By that time he alreadyI had a diploma in journalism and little experience in the speci alty, but the desire to become a director that appeared in childhood won out. Vladimir entered VGIK in the same year and at the same faculty (documentary film). The director's graduation work was the film "The Slowest Train", which he filmed together with Krasnopolsky.
The filmography of this man is not so small. Valery Uskov has about 30 paintings in his piggy bank, most of them are the fruits of a creative tandem with his cousin. The director's most successful films and series deserve special consideration.
"Shadows Disappear at Noon" (1972)
The plot of the saga, which includes seven episodes, was taken from the work of Anatoly Ivanov. The action takes place in the small village of Zeleny Dol, located in the Siberian wilderness. A we althy family hides here from the Soviet authorities, hiding their origin. The saga covers a 70-year period, showing typical human tragedies of that time, considering historically significant issues. Interestingly, Valery Ivanovich Uskov “copied” the characters of some characters from his own parents.
The picture, which was released in 1972, became a grandiose event, made a huge impression on the audience. The original version was not censored, the creators had to save their brainchild from some scenes, mainly related to arrests and interrogations. The cut pieces were seen only by close friends of the directors.
Eternal Call (1973)
The television series, which turned out to be much larger,than the previous project, includes two seasons. This work is recognized by critics as the best of all that Valery Uskov has ever created. The director, as always, in collaboration with Krasnopolsky, shot the story of a 60-year historical period, placing an ordinary family at the center of events. The Savelievs were forced to endure three devastating wars, a coup d'état and its aftermath. The characters were required to constantly balance between hatred and love, to make vital decisions.
In 1996, the creators edited a new version of the series, supplementing it with deleted episodes. Like "Shadows Disappear at Noon", the picture was a great success with the public, repeatedly awarded prestigious awards.
Wolf Messing: A Look Through Time (2009)
The protagonist of the telenovela is a real-life character, ranked among the most mysterious personalities of the last century. Messing was born into a poor Jewish family, learned independence as a child, worked as a laborer until his telepathic talent was discovered. This man went down in history as a predictor of the fate of Nazi Germany, Stalin's personal stargazer.
Valery Uskov's films were not always warmly received by critics, this happened with this picture. The main claim that was made to the television series is to work with unproven facts, of which half of Messing's biography consists. However, the TV project has gained popularity among viewers.
Whatsee more
Uskov and Krasnopolsky in 2002 launched the series "Two Fates", which included 4 seasons. The action begins in the 60s, the plot is centered on the life of two friends who are not similar to each other. The plot twist is quite predictable - the friendship ends when a man stands between the girls. In 2008, the filming of the series was stopped, due to falling ratings.
Uskov's latest work at the moment is the telenovela "Funny Life". The main character is a pensioner, forced to move from the village to the capital to her son. The mother-in-law's move categorically does not suit the son's wife.
These are the most famous film projects of Valery Uskov, shot by him in tandem with Vladimir Krasnopolsky. Fans of the master can only hope for new exciting films and TV series.
