Choosing the best version of the film "12 chairs": Gaidai or Zakharov?
Disputes about which of the two film adaptations of Ilf's novel and Petrov's "12 chairs" is better, they will probably never subside. Someone is closer to the 2-episode production of Leonid Gaidai, and someone is closer to the 4-episode TV version of Mark Zakharov. Someone considers Gomiashvili to be the best Bender, and someone does not recognize anyone other than Mironov.
Blogger Vitaly Dubogrei, aka dubikvit, suggested comparing the two versions and choosing the one that the audience especially liked.
Categorically comparing these two films is not entirely correct. Although they are based on the same novel, they are completely different. Different even by genre. Would you say that both that movie and the other are comedies? Yes. But comedies are also different.
Gaidai shot a classic eccentric comedy, which he was a great master at doing. The genre of Zakharov's TV version is very difficult to pinpoint. A musical is probably the closest definition. Zakharov himself called this film "a literary and musical composition with a text that is not a direct speech."
But since they are being compared anyway, let's compare.
Let's start with the Great Combinator.
Gaidai for the role of Ostap Bender, after a long trial, in which almost all male actors of the right age participated, was approved by Archila Gomiashvili. Zakharov took Andrey Mironov without any samples.
In Gaidai, his role was played by Sergei Filippov. Zakharov has Anatoly Papanov.
Two brilliant works by Mikhail Pugovkin and Roland Bykov.
Yuri Nikulin vs. Nikolai Skorobogatov.
Grigory Shpigel and Oleg Tabakov.
Natalia Krachkovskaya and Lidia Fedoseeva-Shukshina.
Nikolai Gorlov and Savely Kramarov.
Viktor Pavlov and Natalia Varley vs. Viktor Proskurin and Tatiana Bozhok.
Ellochka is a cannibal.
Natalia Vorobyova and Elena Shanina.
Igor Yasulovich and Alexander Abdulov.
Savely Kramarov and Alexander Shirvindt.
Georgy Vitsin and Lev Borisov.
Vladimir Etush and Nina Grebeshkova vs. Mikhail Svetin and Galina Sokolova.
It should be noted that ten actors played in both versions (and two even played the same role).
The most notable are, of course, Georgy Vitsin, who played the fitter Mechnikov in Gaidai and the coffin maker Bezenchuk in Zakharov.
Savely Kramarov is Gaidai's one—eyed chess player and Zakharov's Polesov locksmith.
Grigory Shpigel is a blue thief Alhen at Gaidai and the editor of the newspaper "Machine" at Zakharov.
Yuri Medvedev is a theater—goer at the play "Columbus" at Gaidai and the chairman of the circulation commission on the ship at Zakharov.
12 chairs of Gaidai and Zakharov
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The best Bender from "12 chairs"
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Keywords: Director | USSR | Films | Film adaptation