One of the writers of the series is a famous science fiction writer.
Oleg Divov is one of the leading Russian science fiction writers of the 21st century. He has more than 150 (!) works, including bestsellers The Night Watcher and The Cull, as well as almost fifty different literary awards. Considering the 56-year-old writer’s productivity, it would seem that his resume should have included screenwriting long ago. But, as they say, your expectations are your problem: Russian producers are still very timid about ordering special articles for a particular project even from the best writers, preferring film adaptations of works that are already popular with readers (the same fate also happened) Divova in 2020 He shot the series “The Young and the Strong Will Survive” based on his work of the same name.
From this point of view, “The Witches’ Hammer” is a real gift for the author’s many fans, as well as a bold step towards even greater integration of talented writers into the Russian film industry. The author himself admitted that he was invited to the project to “revive the characters” and almost immediately found a common language with the producers of the show.
A magical world from the author of “While the Fern Blooms”
The director of the film “The Witches’ Hammer” was Evgeny Bedarev, the author of the family comedy “Brownie” and the popular series “While the Fern Blooms”, which showed everyone the talent of Alexander Petrov. The director, who has long specialized in the fantasy genre, created, together with Divov, a world where current reality is intertwined with the Russian fairy tale universe. According to the plot of “Hammer”, the powerful Lady of the Elements escapes captivity at the Institute of Theoretical and Experimental Radiophysics (ITIER) and casts a spell on the city of Kalyazin: a magical wall of tumbleweed grows along the border, and the inhabitants turn into goblins, mermaids and other evil spirits . Start-up Lekha Popov, programmer and former firefighter Ilya Muromtsev, and ambulance driver and blacksmith Nikita Dobrynin take on the challenge of confronting the witch.
Another attempt to combine our folklore with modernity, “The Witches’ Hammer” does so more in the tradition of the Strugatsky brothers’ literature than in American comics (and thank God), investing a lot in the sci-pop component. The decision is most likely correct, because even considering the dominance of all kinds of adaptations of fairy tales in Russian cinema, the series will not be lost among competing games.
Online cinemas START and Okko
Lyusa Chebotina and other new faces in the cast
Lyusya Chebotina is known to everyone in Russia, plus or minus, for the mega-hit “Monaco Sun”, but generally speaking, she is actively building an acting career. By the time she was 27, she had more than a dozen roles (including “Slave”) — but before “The Witches’ Hammer,” the singer mostly had very modest roles. In Evgeniy Bedarev’s project, Chebotina received much more screen time, playing a young blogger from the village who does not stop trying to become famous throughout the country. And, according to the pop star herself, she felt all the complexity of acting – due to her busy schedule and scenic shooting, Lucy hardly slept. However, he has no regrets as he was pleased with the show.
The cast of “The Witches’ Hammer” was very rich in terms of new faces to Russian cinema. The main discovery of the fantasy was 23-year-old Vadim Sosnin, who played Lekha Popov – for the young actor this role was only the fourth in his career. Other pleasant surprises in the series include Elizaveta Yuryeva (Mistress of the Elements) and Alina Voskresenskaya (Alyonushka Dobrynina). We have a feeling that very soon we will see all this trio on screen quite often, which means it is time to take a closer look at them (before they go mainstream).
Online cinemas START and Okko
The glorious city Kalyazin and memes
“Hammer of the Witches”, Moscow and St. It continues the long overdue (still unequal, but at least something) struggle against the dominance of films and TV series set in St. Petersburg. The main events here take place in Kalyazin, a picturesque city in the Tver region (by the way, almost the same age as the capital), but for some fabulous reason it has not yet become one of the main tourist attractions of the country. Moreover, Kalyazin itself is not just for show: the operators were not deprived of the abundance of picturesque shooting from these places; Particularly pleasing to the eye will be the Kalyazin radio telescope and the flooded bell tower.
For those who have not yet fully completed their knowledge (we do not judge), “The Witches’ Hammer” offers almost an encyclopedia of memes of recent years, richly integrated into the plot and dialogues. Of course, you won’t find just a cold-blooded guy here, but there are jokes, for example, about “Russians against evil spirits”, crypto mining and true crime, and also, of course, the daily life of bloggers. As a bonus, there are hilarious references to Russian culture (like the “emchee” trio Ivan Tsarenko/Gray/Wolf or the wise paramedic Vasilisa) and a wall made of truly witty magical weeds. In general, there is something to smile about.
Online cinemas START and Okko
TV series “Hammer of Witches”
Premiere date: November 2, 2024
Release date of the last episode: 30 November 2024
Duration: 8 episodes of approximately 50 minutes
Manager: Evgeny Bedarev
Casting: Vadim Sosnin, Anton Batyrev, Matvey Zubalevich, Alina Voskresenskaya, Elizaveta Yuryeva, Andrey Sharkov, Yulia Galkina, Andrey Karako, Lyusya Chebotina
Where to watch: OK, Start
What are you thinking?
Source: Gazeta
Brandon Hall is an author at “Social Bites”. He is a cultural aficionado who writes about the latest news and developments in the world of art, literature, music, and more. With a passion for the arts and a deep understanding of cultural trends, Brandon provides engaging and thought-provoking articles that keep his readers informed and up-to-date on the latest happenings in the cultural world.