Each subsequent era adapted Tsar Ivan IV to its needs. Either he was a necessary evil for Eisenstein, or a comically domestic evil for Gaidai. Pavel Lungin, a director with a keen sense of the «problem areas» of our time, also turned to the image of Ivan the Terrible in the film «Tsar». And willingly explains why.
Each subsequent era adapted Tsar Ivan IV to its needs. Either he was a necessary evil for Eisenstein, or a comically domestic evil for Gaidai. Pavel Lungin, a director with a keen sense of the «problem areas» of our time, also turned to the image of Ivan the Terrible in the film «Tsar». And willingly explains why.
Grozny was the first to formulate the fundamental idea for Russian life: «Power comes from God.» And since the time of Ivan the Terrible in Russia, only two. Two gods: the god of power, the god of evil, and the god of the people, the good god, the god of St. Philip. There are two truths: the truth of power and the truth in general.
Psychologies: Don’t you think that the Russian people were not only a victim, but also an accomplice in the crimes of Tsar Ivan?
You know, absolute and unrighteous power removes responsibility from the individual. According to the philosopher Fedotov, if the government is harsh and unjust, then my hands are untied. Power takes over the function of your conscience. Anyone has observed more than once: a line of cars is lining up in front of the traffic light, but there will definitely be someone who will climb around — along the sidewalk, over their heads, knocking down unconcerned pedestrians. This quality — absolute permissiveness, the desire to go to the goal over their heads — formed the power in the Russian people, the beginning of which was laid by Grozny. A government that does not trust those it controls. And the reaction is any televised debate: the more actively a person calls for planting and pulling up, the more willingly they vote for him. As if they are saying: you punish us, you are already stricter with us, we are bad, we are thievish. An anarchist people who do not recognize self-restraint and at the same time cry out for a strong hand and firm power. The combination of unrighteousness at the top and thieving guilt at the bottom — isn’t this the main problem of Russia?
Is it because Stalin and Grozny are so popular because they tried to find a goal that would unite the nation?
Their achievements are a myth. The Time of Troubles and the Pole on the throne are a direct consequence of the reign of Ivan the Terrible. People should unite not on hatred for strangers, but on love for the country and for themselves. In Russia, it amazes me how little charity we have. How few hospices, aid funds. In France, in the house of my acquaintances — quite selfish, cynical modern people — live Afghans, refugees. I can’t imagine that, for example, a Tajik would settle with one of my Moscow acquaintances. I myself do not feel ready for such a step… France has cast aside its notorious selfishness and is actively engaged in good deeds in order to survive in the new conditions! And with us … From Varlam Shalamov: the main law of life in the camp is «You die today, and I — tomorrow.» There is no way we can give up the camp morality that has ingrained in us. We have very few people who say: «Let’s live together for at least another half a day.»
«Tsar»
Cast: Pyotr Mamonov, Oleg Yankovsky, Yuri Kuznetsov, Ivan Okhlobystin, Alexander Domogarov, Ville Haapasalo.
Available from November 4th.