Film "Battle for Sevastopol": music, song "Cuckoo" and its performer

In 2015, the film was released "The Battle for Sevastopol"that forced the residents Russia and Ukraine Forget about the political battles (unfolding over Crimea) for a couple of hours, and just enjoy an atmospheric and, no less importantly, absolutely real story... The story of a Soviet woman hero who destroyed on the battlefield over 300 enemy soldiers and officers! She went down in world history under the pseudonym "Lady Death," but in ordinary life she bore the name of Lyudmila Pavlichenko.

Pavlichenko is known as a legendary female sniper, a woman warrior who made a public speech in the United States, "belittling" American gentlemen with the phrase: "Don't you gentlemen think you've been hiding behind my back too long?". At 25 she volunteered at the front, and eventually became a powerful source of inspiration for the film, which "stormed" the audience not only with a heartfelt story, but also a new reading of it Tsoi's "Cuckoos". So, we've got possibly the best homegrown cover ever! But first things first....

A story that melted the ice in the hearts of the "different" public.

The plot of the film is a true story Lyudmila Pavlichenko. Yes, in some places embellished, in some places deliberately dramatised, and yet real. An ordinary girl from the Soviet countryside, at the time of the beginning of the Great Patriotic War Lyudmila was a student at Taras Shevchenko Kyiv State University. Never once doubting her own decision, she goes to the front, where she fights braver than many men!

There is a place for love, and the personal experiences of the heroine, and irreplaceable losses... Given that the centre of the film is the real person - It is almost impossible to control emotions. Involuntarily, even the most emotionally stingy viewer begins to sympathise and empathise with the protagonist, who, by the way, performed Yulia Peresild.

In general, this film has quite a difficult story: at the time of the start of shooting the actress was in a position - in the sixth month, the conditions were harsh and as realistic as possible, and the situation with Crimea As a result, the State Cinema of Ukraine (the film is Russian-Ukrainian) flatly refused to release the film! Very reluctantly, but they did meet director Sergei Mokritsky's demands.

As a result, the film was released in Russia and Ukraine, and at least for a few hours, it made people forget their discontent and put aside political battles! It melted the ice in the hearts of such a "different" audience, which makes it unique and long-lasting…

Over dramatisation?

History does not remember a single film - even a mega-popular and successful one - that did not receive bad criticism. In the case of "The Battle for Sevastopol", it was caused by two things: the plot is not centred on war, but on the on heroinand her fate and exploits were clearly embellished… "The dramatisation has certainly been overdone!"," wrote some disgruntled users. Is it so?

Well, as for the first parameter that drew the "wrath of the audience" - according to Mokritsky, from the very beginning he planned to dedicate the film to the it was Pavlichenkonot the Great Patriotic War. In his interview, the director said:

"Since childhood I have been drawn to the theme of war... As a boy I used to pester veterans to tell me about the war. But here I decided to make the centre of the story a human being - a woman at war, who fought so bravely and became a true legend! I think it's interesting to look at Ludmila's feelings and experiences... Especially as it was not without love and drama...".

Well: he's an artist, and he sees it that way. To argue with the author's idea is meaningless - it either resonates or it doesn't. But what about the dramatisation? Has Mokritsky really distorted reality to a great extent?

In some places the film really diverges from the real biography of Pavlichenko: she got her now famous surname not from her father, but from her first husband, and her second and most beloved husband died inadvertently - He instinctively embraced Lyudmila, and without realising it he protected her from a sudden mortar attack by the Germans, acting as a human shield... However, one cannot call these discrepancies critical - rather the director wanted to emphasise how tragic and difficult the heroine's fate was.

Russia's best cover by Gagarina

There were many worthy songs in this film, but the main gem was... cover. "The Battle for Sevastopol" presented the audience with a new - more modern and in the theme of the film a female reading of the film "Cuckoos" by Viktor Tsoi.which instantly received not just a warm - we would even say ardent response! Performed the iconic "Kino" anthem Polina Gagarinaand, it's worth noting, she managed to capture the mood and atmosphere of the track perfectly... No wonder it has racked up millions of listens! Let's hear it:

However, not everyone liked Gagarina's cover. For example, a well-known Russian singer Olga Kormukhina claimed that Pauline "brazenly" stole her arrangement!

"I recognised my arrangement straight away! It's very cheeky of her. If you want to make a cover, add your own twist," Olga said.

All of this has led to... litigation. Alas, but here Kormukhina failed... Tsoi's son Alexander stated that he had no claims against Gagarina, adding that Olga's arrangement had no licence. In general, Gagarina came out of this situation a winner, but Kormukhina continues to insist on her own, emphasising:

"I think she is inappropriately performing this song. She doesn't have enough life experience to feel this song and put the right message into it. I don't think Victor would appreciate it!"

What do you think about it? Whose version do you like better? Share your opinions in the comments!