Arta cinematografică şi TV Marian ŢUŢUI Balkan Aristocrats and Villains in Western and American Cinema Rezumat Aristocraţi şi ticăloşi balcanici în cinematograful vest-european şi american Peninsula Balcanică a intrat destul de rar în atenţia scriitorilor şi regizorilor vest-europeni şi americani. De aceea, imaginea acestei zone rămâne cel mai adesea convenţională. Pe lângă adaptarea pentru ecran a unor opere literare, motivaţiile realizării unor filme despre Balcani ţin de ponderea unor evenimente şi personalităţi politice locale, precum şi de actualizarea scrierilor de aventuri şi a celor sentimentale („romances”, „romanţuri”). În atenţia cineaştilor persistă curiozitatea descoperirii unei regiuni exotice şi utilizarea reputaţiei negative a zonei în cadrul unui subiect de suspans. În articol a fost luat în vizor spectrul de filme ancorate în filmul occidental şi american şi diversitatea de genuri şi stilistică. Cuvinte-cheie: Balcani, exotism, clişeu, ecranizare, miniserie TV, film de aventuri, thriller, parodie, ţări fic- tive, escapism. Summary Balkan Aristocrats and Villains in Western and American Cinema The Balkan Peninsula have got rarely the attention of Western Europeans and Americans writers and film- directors. Therefore, the image of this area remains mostly conventional one. Besides the screen adaptation of cer- tain literary works, motivations of making films about the Balkans relate to share some local events and political figures, as well as updating of adventures and sentimental writings („romances”, „romanţuri”). In the filmmakers’ attention still persists the curiosity to discover of an exotic region and to use the negative reputation of the area in a matter of suspense. In the article was taken in the viewfinder the spectrum of the Western and American film, as well the genuistic and stylistic diversity. Key words: Balkans, exoticism, cliché, screening, TV miniseries, adventure film, thriller, parody, fictive countries, escapism. Preliminaries Unlike other regions of the world, the Balkans Besides screening literary works the films has not enjoyed the attention of many Western about the Balkans were born of three reasons: and American writers and filmmakers. The most in order to portray several local historical fig- obvious reason is that Western powers had little ures, due to the need to locate romances, to use interest in the region which remained quite ob- the negative reputation of the region or simply to scure. Moreover, the information on the Balkans tell adventurous travels in exotic places and even has been scarce and therefore quite often the im- stories based on real facts. Obviously motivations age is conventional and ultimately imbued with could also mix. stereotypes. However, finally there are a lot of liter- Some writers such as Byron, Saki, Saul Bel- ary works and films on the Balkans and their char- low, Alistair MacLean, Olivia Manning and Law- acters therefore I shall mention them in passing, rence Durell spent some time in the Balkans; Jules but focusing on the motivation of making certain Verne, Eric Ambler, Graham Greene, Marguerite kind of films and building certain characters. Yourcenar and Julian Barnes tried to be well docu- ARTA 2014 61 mented while others like Voltaire, Bram Stoker, salonica as well as his cousin`s one with a Jewish Karl May, G. B. Shaw and Sydney Sheldon have woman again from Thessalonica are veracious but never stepped there. Agatha Christie is a special also suggest a modern perspective of recouping case as she wrote Murder on the Orient Express multiculturalism. Such indisputable multicultur- (1935) in a hotel in Pera after travelling by the alism projected in the past implies coexistence of famous train from Paris to Istanbul. Some writ- individuals belonging to different ethnicities and ers reacted with humanitarian spirit to dramatic religions whom governments and ideologies de- events in the Balkans (Byron and G. B. Shaw), termine their adversity. By excessively illustrating while others looked for an exotic region propi- it in the end the characters lose somehow their tious for adventures (Jules Verne and Karl May), ethnic specific although they have no less than vampires (Bram Stoker), espionage (Eric Ambler eight nationalities and even the drama becomes and Lawrence Durell) or commando operations diluted, as hybris and destruction seem to result (Alistair MacLean). Their writings on the Balkans from elsewhere while the people are nothing else have been screened quite successfully and fortu- but victims. In fact, despite the attempt of making nately Julian Barnes’novel The Porcupine (about a faithful fresco of the Balkans during the first half Todor Jivkov’s trial) will also be screened soon by of the 20th century inclusively through the use of Serbian director Srdjan Dragoević. maps and off comments, the miniseries will keep an adventurous and romantic aspect as the main Screening literary works character Zulfikar is a Turkish aristocrat who reb- Few times it is about screening writings of lo- els against the disappearance of the empire and his cal writers. We can mention Greek writer Nikos social class or, in other words, he is a solitary man Kazantzakis in He Who Must Die / Celui qui doit belonging to a species in the course of extinction. mourir (1957, France-Italy, d. Jules Dassin) after His adventures begin during the Balkan wars, go his novel Greek Passion (1954) and Alexis Zorbas on during WW1 and extend rather too long de- (1964, USA-UK-Greece, d. Michael Cacoyannis) fying his age, as the hero will confront the Italian after his novel Zorba the Greek (1947) and Turk- fascists and the communists in Albania. ish writer Necati Cumali in the TV miniseries The In the comedy Irma la Douce (1963, USA, d. Last Prince in the Balkans / Le dernier seigneur des Billy Wilder) a dubious character of Romanian ori- Balkans (2005, France – Greece – Poland – Spain gin settled in a red-light district of Paris. It is about – Bulgaria, d. Michel Favart), loosely based on his the bistro owner called Constantinescu but known novels novels Devasted Cliffs (1972) and Macedo- as Moustache, featured by Lou Jacobi, an actor nia 1900 (1995). specialized in ethnic roles. The character is an ex- The miniseries in four episodes The Last con who pretends to have had several interesting Prince in the Balkans proves most recently both occupations before and whose experience makes the interest in redeeming the Balkan exoticism him a philosopher who tries to calm the zeal of the in the past as well as the concern for keeping a fresh cop Nestor Patou (Jack Lemmon) by explain- certain authenticity through the use of the local ing to him that an honest policeman would spoil expertise. They take from Cumali the history of the entire local economic mechanism. He ends a family of Turkish beys in Macedonia which oc- any reference to his previous occupations by say- casions inclusively the reconstruction of the real ing: „But this is another story”. The plot is always events in the historical Macedonia, in Greece and connected with Moustache as he finally proves his Albania between 1890–1950, as well as of some many talents. He helps the ex- cop in love to dis- real personalities such as Albanian King Ahmed guise as an English lord, lends him money in order Zogu (featured by Tasos Nousias) or of dictator to be Irma’s only customer, and becomes a lawyer Enver Hoxha (Petar Popiordanov). The miniseries and an accomplice to Patou’s escape and even an receives a dose of authenticity by costumes and obstetrician for Irma when she gives birth. Prob- sets as it is filmed in Bulgaria and by the use of ably the co-scriptwriter of Romanian origin I. A. some Bulgarian and Greek actors. It is important L. Diamond (a pseudonym of Itek Domnici) imag- that also the photography, costumes and music ined such a character. belong to Bulgarian Svetlana Ganeva and Marta Mironska, respectively to Mikis Theodorakis. Zul- Portraits of several local historical figures fikar’s marriage with a Greek woman from Thes- Several Balkan historical figures came to life 62 ARTA 2014 Arta cinematografică şi TV again on the silver screen. We shall leave aside gation he did in 1918 in Transylvania on General Romanian prince Vlad the Impaler or Dracula Mateus Targo about some deceased agents. He about whom no less than 300 films were made spends some time in a terrifying castle and finally in 15 countries. It is a special case, moreover in performs a vampire exorcism on the general who most cases Dracula has little to do with the real was shown to be a incarnation of Vlad the Impaler. Romanian prince and his battles against the Turks In a film awarded with four Oscars made after in Romania, Bulgaria and Bosnia. We can men- Alfred Uhry’s play (on its turn awarded with the tion Albanian King Zog in the episode Un ballo Tony and the Pulitzer), Driving Miss Daisy (1989, in Maschera of the long feature film Aria (1987, d. Bruce Beresford) there is a reference to Queen UK, d. Nicholas Roeg) where there is an attempt Mary of Romania. A rich elderly Jewish lady in on a typical tyrant, as well as in the TV miniseries Atlanta argues the driver hired by her son that he The Last Prince in the Balkans. In the miniseries parked the limo in front of the synagogue: „What we can also see Enver Xoxha featured by the Bul- will my acquaintances say? I am not the Queen of garian actor Petar Popyordanov. Romania”. Sometimes we can see briefly rebel Ali Pasha Although her son had become a rich factory Tepeleni in some screenings of Alexandre Du- owner the ex-schoolmaster went on with her aus- mas’ Monte Christo (1844) in a scene where slave tere lifestyle and does not want to stand out by ex- Haydee pretends to be Ali Pasha’s daughter and hibiting wealth.