TV series “Chernobyl”: peaceful atom in the service of the entertainment industry

Chamber mini-project for 5 episodes caused a real surge of spectator activity. There is talk of the decline of the serial era, “Chernobyl” has become a kind of small TV reactor, where a minimum of fuel releases a giant amount of energy.

Atomic Affairs are always the twilight element. Recall that the processes in RBMK-1000 went out of control at the minimum power of the reactor. When I started reviewing the now-super-famous HBO production, I was subject to a few restrictions that made the writing even more interesting.First, given the reverent attitude of the editors Stereo.ru in addition to political statements, the assessment of the historical context of the 1986 accident remained outside the brackets. Secondly, the phenomenon of the series “Chernobyl”, which leapfrogged the popularity of “Game of thrones” and became the leader of IMDb, has already been spoken by everyone – in conversations, podcasts, Facebook and television screens.Interviews with the creators, they also posted a script on the network. The audience washed all the bones, recognized dad’s ashtrays, pointed to inconsistencies and expressed oohs and sighs, they say, why some are able to shoot fascinating, and others have forgotten how. But something else remained unsaid.It is strange that no one paid attention to the musical past of Director Johan Renk. Doesn’t anyone remember in the MTV charts the Groovy hit “Here We Go” performed by Stakka Bo-one-to-one, down to the mustache, similar to the hipsters of our time? Appreciate the difference between dull epigones like Little Big with their “Skibidi” and the original 1993 video. Even then, despite the light content, it was obvious that Stakka Bo is not a one-day fool and will clearly go further.It happens when in a movie for some reason, an unfamiliar actor from an episode is remembered, and then you find out that in fact it was not an easy pepper, but a Director or a screenwriter. It was the same with Renk — music videos for Madonna, Beyonce and the fashion industry, and then collaborations with the hbo Empire (“the Walking dead, “”breaking bad”). And here is – “Chernobyl”, filmed and sustained precisely in the, grinding halt after the viewer intonation, which, seems, lost many domestic filmmakers.The sound atmosphere of the series was provided by the now popular Hildur Gudnadottir, whose disturbing cello is certainly remembered for the films “Sicario” and “Arrival”. Composer Alfred Schnittke pointed to the atomic bomb as one of the strongest impressions of the twentieth century. A weapon of such crushing power that it devalued everything else. Many figures in the 40-50s, shocked by the spectacle of a nuclear mushroom, wondered: is it possible now to seriously engage in art after such a powerful art installation? As it turned out-can be.The supersaturated solution of the media space has long divided facts and events into separate fractions, which are written and move at different speeds. Like it or not, we live in a world of events. In the world of facts there were marks of flight logs, tombstones and indexes of a dangerous zone around the fourth power unit. What to do with them?One waved it away. The other was horrified. The third sniffed at the cold-nosed texture. And the fourth came to her with a creative impulse, split, so to speak, the core. Thus, in the world of events, Chernobyl inspired a lot of people to hang out in S. T. A. L. K. E. R and reflect on the theme of industrial disasters. The further appearance of the eponymous hbo mini-series here does not look like something out of the ordinary.The backbone of the cast, part of which could be seen in the films of Lars von Trier, picked up very well except for the prototype Gorbachev. In my personal opinion, the cranberry-to-authenticity ratio in the HBO project was about 50/50. In parity, if to speak diplomatically.The Soviet Minister of industry with a couple of machine gunners comes to Strelka to a free tribe of redneck miners who wipe their hands on his jacket. Do you think such artistic techniques will confuse the viewer? And if this series is watched in Brazil or New Zealand? And in theater say exaggeratedly loud voices, and that now? Actually, the creators themselves do not hide that the best review for them was the popularity of the series in the former Soviet Union. Why did our viewers forgive the new “Chernobyl” a number of absurdities like the party grandfather with a cane and a speech in the style of “the Sopranos”?Reconstruction. To a large extent, the credit for this success belongs to local production studios in Lithuania and Ukraine, which provided the TV picture with authentic props up to the costume fabric of the 1985 release. Ironically, one of the studios is called Radioaktive Film. A thorough recreation of the little things of life of the USSR allowed to carry out the hacking of local consciousness. Especially since many of them in the 80’s were only born or even later. And in actual fact have an idea about the Soviet past is mainly for the parent stuff in the pantry. That’s where my mother’s thermos came in handy! But not only that. It was personal. The ancestors of screenwriter Craig Mazin were also from these places, and, I must say, Soviet citizens are shown in the series with great warmth and sympathy.

Critics from the official press, who are supposed to keep a vigilant eye even in a dream, accuse HBO of denigrating the USSR. It is unlikely that the skepticism of the creators regarding the actions of the Soviet leadership can be considered a malicious undermining of the foundations of statehood. What foundations were then undermined in “three days of the Condor” or “Alien”, with the spirit of which the most enthusiastic fans compare “Chernobyl”? The authorities always and everywhere prefer to cover their tracks — for someone this is news?And besides, in “Chernobyl”, for example, the wave of looting in the evacuated cities was not reflected at all. The total looting of homes and the spread of radioactive loot across the country did take place. This could be the source of a chic storyline, but HBO for some reason decided to sidestep this story. Maybe it was they who were ashamed to denigrate the history and inhabitants of the USSR? If same go forth and slightly change a corner of view, then individual elements “Chernobyl” at all can be viewed as Soviet production drama — active woman-specialist exposed brakodelov.In General, it is clear that you can not please literally everyone. But “Chernobyl” is definitely worth a close look, even if you do not like the accents of the creators. When you implement the correction always happens, even in documentaries, not to mention the artistic project. Direct witnesses of the Chernobyl disaster continued to polemize with each other after his own death. The official accused Anatoly Dyatlov in his book ” Chernobyl. As it was “pointed out the inaccuracies of the” Chernobyl notebook ” by Grigory Medvedev, which served among others as material for Craig Mazin’s script.That is why from receives more superficial treatment” Chernobyl ” will painlessly bounce any, canvassed even the most meticulous criticism. The most vulnerable place of lukomore — confidence exclusive rights to the Chernobyl disaster. The whistleblowers do not realize that they are dealing with a world of events, not facts. The event can not be fenced with a Museum cord, it is like the Holy spirit-lives where he wants. Now their rage is only a plus to the project, increasing interest in him. And if Google notes a record increase in requests on the Chernobyl theme, it is likely that some viewers will definitely get to more in-depth documentary materials.