September 11, 1974 – the day when the issues of the children’s humorous magazine “Yeralash” were broadcast for the first time in cinemas. His permanent artistic director Boris Grachevsky these 45 years amuse not only children, but also clowns, a collection of which flaunts in his office at the Gorky Film Studio.
5 September 2019
“I had no intention of communicating with the clowns, but then in Venice I saw this clown, from whom the collection began, with such a riot of colors, laughter and fun that I could not refuse him. It was 18 years ago, and I had it alone for a while. “
“Then I ended up in Venice again and bought it again. Three times I have been to Venice and bought three times. And they are expensive! This is Murano glass, all originals. And every time I found myself in Venice, I bought myself a clown, although it is expensive.
Venetian clowns are the most expensive. I have these works of authorship. Venice is a separate country within Italy, unlike anything else. Probably, it is impossible to live there among all this water, but it is very beautiful, and Venetian masks and clowns remain in the memory.
And the last clown they brought to me was from my beloved niece. Her daughter is like a granddaughter to me. He’s completely different. Everyone grabs it, breaks something, but we restore it. He is alive
And then the collection went on and on. I practically did not buy, they gave me a gift. There are clowns-toys, a clown-statuette, a clown-philosopher, a clown, and I got Chaplin at some festival for my work with humor ”.
“Although clowns are now portrayed as villains in Western films, Fellini’s are cute and kind. In French films, they were creepy killer robbers disguised as clowns. But I don’t have those. All my clowns are ready to give their lives to make you smile.
This is a real living collection, they are all neat, tidy, my assistants are watching them, they regularly wipe them. All my clowns are like me in soulfulness, although outwardly we are different.
Clowns periodically appear in “Yeralash”. For example, disguised grandparents who are trying to force their grandson to eat porridge. Children love the circus, the circus loves clowns. They are funny and joyful, only in creepy films they are nasty. And in normal life, they are primitive, but kind creatures, who are very happy when children are having fun. There is one gratitude for clowns – laughter. Now my daughter is little (Vasilisa, the director’s daughter from her second marriage, will be 19 years old on September 7. – Approx. “Antennas”), so I’m going to the circus with her. “
“I was friends with Yuri Nikulin, we had a wonderful relationship, we always exchanged anecdotes. He was a great clown with a huge philosophical amplitude. Everyone loved him – from academicians to drunks. It’s so cool! He made a very vivid impression on me, which I will remember for a lifetime.
I also talked with the kings of humor Ryazanov, Gaidai, Danelia, who were happy to talk to. In life, they are not at all hohmachi, they will be remembered as saints even in 100 years. “