the Author of the classic books about Leo Tolstoy Pavel Basinsky in an interview with “MK” talked about how today he looks at the dramatic events associated with the departure of the great writer from Yasnaya Polyana, what he thinks about cinematic versions of the life of Tolstoy, Russian feminism, family drama, profanities and his new novel, fall into the category of 18+.
ten years have Passed since the release of your book “Leo Tolstoy: flight from Paradise”. However, it still is a success. Over the years changed your perspective on the events described in the book? And, maybe, on the book itself?
— Yes, this is probably my only book, which became not only a bestseller, but also “longsellers”. It warms me, because it means that suitable generation of readers of the book, which at the time of its first release was, say, 10-15 years, and then the theme of the departure of Tolstoy from Yasnaya Polyana, they were definitely purple.
But if I were writing this book today, it would have been quite different. I began to look differently at many circumstances in the life of Leo Tolstoy, Sophia Andreevna, “demon” Vladimir Chertkov, and the whole entourage thick. It’s like “Anna Karenina”… Every time I read a novel like it again. Suddenly I notice that Vronsky… I grew a beard, and before it seemed to be no. Suddenly you realize that the problem of Anna and Vronsky was the fact that in the Orthodox state to divorce my husband was almost impossible. Well, and more.
So with the plot of the departure of Tolstoy. Much I ten years ago I understood correctly, even kind of opened some things. But a lot of writing blind. For example, just now I realize how desperate was the situation of the conflict of Sophia Andreevny and Chertkov. Both gave Tolstoy his life. Both after his death could not acquire some other life. Could not the Countess Natalya Pushkin, to marry a second time. Could not Chertkov to do something else besides heritage Tolstoy. Here and tore the man to pieces, as he himself wrote in his secret diary. Whether he is guilty in this? Whether he is guilty that is too large for this world, for ordinary people? I don’t know…
— How to maintain impartiality when writing about the life of the classics?
— and not have to keep her! I have not kept. I was honest both in terms of coverage of the facts, but the book came quite emotional. Actually, this was her thing. This is not another “monument” thick, but a living story about a living person. English writer VIV Groskop, the author of a very curious book, “Self-development according to Tolstoy”, translated into Russian language, acknowledges in the Preface to my book, told her that this is about the Thickest you can write just about a living person! For her it was a discovery.
Likely��, it was a revelation for our readers. They were bullied at school a Great and Terrible man with a huge beard. He cried constantly, fell into hysterics, suffered from liver problems… And this does not negate his greatness as a writer and philosopher.
You were the writer of the film Avdotya Smirnova “the Story of a destination”, which is one of the main characters became Thick. Every time there have been fierce debates about the film adaptations of his works and biographical films about him. What do you think about this?
— Avdotya Smirnova gave me a year of happiness work on the script, which was one story from my second book on Tolstoy, “the Holy against Leo”. It was the happiness of being with Avdotia and Anna Parmas, with whom we wrote the script. And I will say without any coquetry: I like this movie. I like directing the work of Smirnova, I like all the actors: Yevgeny Kharitonov (Thick), she (the Countess), Alexei Smirnov (Lieutenant bells), Sergey umanoff (ensign Stasyulevich), Philip Gourevitch (the soldiers said), Anna Mikhalkov (“she was a nihilist”) and, of course, a wonderful Polish actor Lucas Simlet (captain Yatsevich). Many times I have watched this movie in different rooms — and I swear, after watching some women left the hall with tears.
as for the other “biopic” and adaptations of the works of Tolstoy, I absolutely do not like only one film — “Care of the great elder” Jacob Protazanov, 1912, where Tolstoy’s wife depicts a greedy, predatory woman who thinks only about money. Tolstoy was no longer alive (he would have called Protazanov to a duel!), but the Countess, then died in 1919. What were her!
All other versions can be discussed. A film by Sergei Gerasimov “Leo Tolstoy” in 1984 — is in General a decent work very large Director and actor. Although Thick it sometimes behaves as… Lenin, says sarcastically and with a kind of squint. The film of Michael Hoffman “the Last station” 2009 is also good in its own right, although without the “cranberry” there is, of course, has not done. The best role in this film is the last of Tolstoy’s Secretary, Valentin Bulgakov, played by an actor I love very much is James McAvoy. And the endless adaptations of “War and peace” and “Anna Karenina” in General, one can endlessly talk and argue. The latest film version of “War and peace”, made by the BBC, I liked it. Amazingly beautiful movie!
did You write a kind of biography of Lisa Dyakonova, which can be called one of the first Russian feminists. What was most interesting in its history and what do you think about feminism?
— I was wondering: why is it found in the mountains of Tyrol dead and naked? With this fact, I began to study her life, spending the kind of investigated��e, as in the TV series “twin Peaks”, which I think is brilliant. There are in fact a similar story with Laura Palmer. The girl was found dead, and what happened is unclear. But, of course, spinning this story, I delved into deeper themes: feminism Russian, Russian merchants, students and even the history of the formation of the world of psychiatry. And there was this book.
feminism I am sympathetic. I “hear” the voices of women unhappy that the world is organized on Patriarchal principles. I just don’t know what feminism is today. Before it was the women’s rights movement. They received them on equal terms with men. Today this movement for what, against what? They’re among themselves can not agree. But, unlike many men, I do not believe that feminists — it’s just ugly girls who can’t get married. This is a serious movement, but very colorful.
the Heroes of your books, whether such titans as Tolstoy and Gorky, or tragically lost Lisa Dyakonov, have experienced a serious family drama. Exploring their destiny, have you found any patterns? And whether the rights of Tolstoy, claiming that “all happy families resemble one another, each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way”?
— If the woman or man who has experienced a family drama — so he or she has never been married. I know only one happy family in Russian literature: “old world landowners” Gogol. I only wish to live those old men long. Family is always drama, drama, role play, do not you understand?
as for the sentences of Tolstoy, which he begins Anna Karenina, Tolstoy… for me is a literary God. But if I was the editor of his novel, I would have deleted this phrase in the first place. It’s such a meaningless “meme”, which disseminate with a straight face for half a century. Not like a happy family to each other, and unhappy, on the contrary, have a common typology. Forgive me Leo, but it’s not the smartest thing he wrote.
You recently completed a novel about a writer who wanted to write a romance novel. What is it?
— It is a literary game and not a game. The novel is called “Love fiction” (just don’t remind me about the stupid song Timur Shaova, which is crazy Housewives!), and in a few scenes. One of them — Yes, about how “serious” and a very famous writer trying to work in the mass genre and fails, and at this time in his life is a true romance novel with a very confusing and almost a detective intrigue, I will not reveal. In my novel, a lot of parody element, I hope that sometimes it’s pretty funny. At the same time it is quite serious psychological prose about love, loyalty, jealousy, hatred, fathers and children… and the list goes on.
Allow myself to have samanco ��La readers. One of the main characters of the novel is… a dog, an Irish Spitz. Today, the wildly popular rock!
Now, with modern writers say about “the language of brutality”. How do you know?
— Let’s not beat around the Bush. We are talking about profanities, which in Soviet times, literature was banned. I’m against it, if it can be avoided. When I say: well, because in life-the mother, — I say, we have a great prose about the great Patriotic war, where no word of the Mat. And the war mothers, and how! But at some point I gave up, I confess. Mate, if he is attached to literature and film a kind of energy. But in the theater I hear mate don’t know why.
In my novel the obscene language is minimal, I it literally on Apothecary scales weighed. But, alas, on the cover of the book, which is already preparing to leave, and the sacramental will be 18+, and “contains obscene abuse”. Maybe I shouldn’t have done. But after my innocence the book “the lion in the shadow of the Lion”, the third son of Tolstoy, set fingerboard 16+, sealed the book in plastic and have not sold my student of the Literary Institute, because she didn’t have a passport… I realized that it is already possible to indulge in all serious. A joke!
