Viy

Вий (1967)

Timing: 1:17 (77 min)

6.899/10
268

7.917/10
156857

7.1/10
12000

All about film

Video 2

Photo 8

Actors and characters

Release date

1967-11-27

Country

Production

Mosfilm, Luch

Genre

Drama, Fantasy, Horror

Budget

$0

Revenue

$0

Website

Director

Georgi Kropachyov, Konstantin Ershov

Actors

Leonid Kuravlyov, Natalya Varley, Aleksey Glazyrin, Nikolay Kutuzov, Vadim Zakharchenko, Petro Vesklyarov, Vladimir Salnikov, Dmytro Karpa, Stepan Shkurat, Georgiy Sochevko
All actors and roles (10)

Scenario

Producer

Operator

Viktor Pishchalnikov

Composer

Karen Khachaturyan

Artist

Audition

Editing

Regina Pesetskaya, Tamara Zubova
All team (14)

• The film is based on the eponymous story by Nikolai Gogol.
• The idea of adapting "Viy" belonged to the famous Soviet director, at that time the director of the Mosfilm film company, Ivan Pyr'yev. Due to an acute lack of time, he suggested that the film be shot by two students of the Higher Directing Courses of the Union of Cinematographers of the USSR, Georgy Kropachyov and Konstantin Yershov.
• Filming took place in the Bohorodchany district of the Ivano-Frankivsk region. However, the footage shot on location disappointed the Mosfilm management, proving to be "too realistic." As a result, the famous fairytale filmmaker Alexander Ptushko was brought in to work on the project. Consequently, most of the material shot by Yershov and Kropachyov was cut, and a number of ideas remained unrealized. The image of Viy was also altered.
• Alexandra Zavyalova, initially approved for the role of the Maiden, fell seriously ill immediately after the start of filming. As a result, the actress's future husband, director Rezo Esadze, demanded that she refuse the role.
• Initially, Mikhail Kokshenov was considered for the role of Khoma Brut.
• The Witch's flight on Khoma was filmed in a studio. A pole, disguised as a broom with a horizontal plank on which Nikolai Kutuzov sat, was secured at a low height. Leonid Kuravlyov, who played Khoma, also hung on this plank and pedaled his legs in the air, imitating running.
• Three coffins were prepared for Pannochka. One real one, for filming scenes of Natalia Varley lying in it. The other two were for the flight scenes through the church: a small, closed one, and an open one, with a special stand equipped with a harness worn by stagehands to prevent the actress from falling, secured in a suspended state by six metal cables.
• During the filming of the flight scene, Natalia Varley fell out of the coffin. Only Leonid Kuravlyov's reaction, managing to catch the actress, saved her from injury. Nevertheless, this incident gave rise to rumors of Varley's death.
• According to Georgy Kropachev's idea, Viy himself was supposed to look more anthropomorphic – as a gigantic, feeble old man supported by all sorts of infernal creatures.
• The film featured 50 crows (caught in the studio area) and 9 trained black cats.
• The rooster crowing in the film was previously used by Ptushko in the filming of «The Tale of Tsar Saltan».
• Viy’s costume was very heavy, and none of the actors could move normally in it, so this role had to be played by a specially invited weightlifter.
• When the heroine Natalia Varley shakes with anger during one of the final scenes, the actress stands on a special vibrating platform.
• The idea of filming "Viy" belonged to the famous Soviet director, at that time the director of the Mosfilm film company, Ivan Pyryev. Due to an acute lack of time, he suggested that two students of the Higher Directing Courses of the Union of Cinematographers of the USSR, Georgy Kropachev and Konstantin Ershov, direct the film.
• Filming took place in the Bohorodchany district of the Ivano-Frankivsk region. However, the footage shot on location disappointed the management of Mosfilm, proving to be "too realistic." As a result, the renowned fairytale filmmaker Alexander Ptushko was brought in to work on the project. Consequently, a large portion of the material shot by Yershov and Kropachev was cut, and a number of ideas remained unrealized. The appearance of Viy was also altered.
• The rooster crowing in the film had previously been used by Ptushko in the filming of "The Tale of Tsar Saltan."