Western Literati on the Caspian
Humphrey Hawksley, my BBC colleague during the Philippines days, has a new novel keyed on a break-in in the Kazakhstan Embassy in Washington. "The History Book," Humphrey's seventh novel, is the latest in a fistful of works from Western novelists and filmmakers set in the Caspian region.
Borat, of course, has attracted the most attention, but all have been big. Before that, there was "Syriana," in which a James Giffen character and the Tengiz oilfield were principal to the script, and, in Baku, the James Bond film, "The World is Not Enough." There also was, "Nomad."
No doubt readers will cite others. But one wonders when something of the caliber of "Ali and Nino" will be produced from a setting on the Caspian or the Slavic countries.
Borat, of course, has attracted the most attention, but all have been big. Before that, there was "Syriana," in which a James Giffen character and the Tengiz oilfield were principal to the script, and, in Baku, the James Bond film, "The World is Not Enough." There also was, "Nomad."
No doubt readers will cite others. But one wonders when something of the caliber of "Ali and Nino" will be produced from a setting on the Caspian or the Slavic countries.
7 Comments:
Kazakh director Satybaldy Narymbetov is making a film about Mustafa Chokay . He says he wants to dispel the Soviet propaganda myth which portrayed the Kazakh political figure in purely negative terms. This is an excellent opportunity to make an epic historical drama. The rumor has it that it enjoys government funding. Which could be a blessing (filmmakers always need support) or a curse (it could turn out to be a B-movie, much like Nomad). Slated for release in 2008. Let's see.
Michael Winterbottom is shooting "Murder in Samarkand" based on Craig Murray's memoirs. Coming to a theater near you in 2008:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0770788/
Hmmm ... Peter my impression from living in Kazakhstan was that the Kazakhs have done an excellent job at reviving the positive legends of their past, starting with that wonderful monument on Republic Square. Interested like you in seeing the film.
I'm a fan of Craig Murray and Winterbottom. He plans a comedic, farcical treatment of a serious subject, I understand.
I wonder about an adaptation of Ali and Nino -- am I wrong or is that being done as well?
Steve,
"Nomad" serves a good purpose: it helps revive the national identity, which the Kazakhs almost lost due to the Tsarist and Soviet policies. But the way it's done leaves much to be desired.
First, the choice of actors: the main roles are played by a Mexican, Mexican-American, Hawaiian-Chinese-American. None of them looks Kazakh. Undoubtedly, there are talented actors in Kazakhstan who could have played in the film.
Also, the film should have been done in Kazakh with English subtitles. If Mel Gibson can make a successful film with subtitles in dead languages, surely, the Kazakh language qualifies.
Finally, the film is too much of a sentimental action cum melodrama and is void of a historical basis. That's seems the hallmark of the movies directed by Sergei Bodrov. He just finished an equally silly film about Genghis Khan. He simply wastes an incredibly rich historical material.
Not surprisingly, Nomad was a flop internationally, even though its budget ($40 mln) far exceeds that of Volver ($9.4 mln), which was quite successful.
The Mustafa Chokay film has a good chance of being successful. The director is Kazakh who seems to have much respect for the historical figure. The main roles are played by Kazakh and Kyrgyz actor.
It will be interesting to see the reaction to the movie across the ex-USSR. Soviet propaganda lumped Chokay together with such people as Andrey Vlasov, a Soviet general who fought on the German side. It was also insinuated that Chokay was the founder of the Turkestan Legion, a German unit made up of Central Asian POWs.
It seems that with the Chokay film Kazakhstan might be parting ways with Russia in how it sees its Soviet past. It's probably moving closer to Ukraine, Georgia and the Baltics.
Chokay's life and work encapsulate s Kazakhstan's history and culture: it's a nation that has suffered much from its two big neighbors and yet remains open, welcoming and tolerant. Let's hope the films is successful.
P.S. The Chokay film should be done with English subtitles in Kazakh, Uzbek, Tatar, Russian, French and German. That's how much the guy moved around.
Totally agree on Nomad -- I found it embarrassingly amateurish. Not ready for prime time. You are making the Chokay film sound interesting. Thanks, Steve
I have mixed hopes about the Chokay film (which I thought was to be a two-parter). The government sponsorship could be the kiss of mediocrity. The first part stars singer Karina Abdullina of Musicola, and I believe her (younger) Uzbek (or is he Kyrgyz?) husband as Chokay. We'll see.
Another novel set in the Caspian oil-country -- Anthony Olcott's 1992 Rough Beast, set in and around Aktau. It's a crime/mystery thriller. Olcott is a Soviet scholar, and husband to Martha Brill Olcott.
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