The painting "Portrait of Dorian Gray" in 1968 is a worthy representative of Soviet art. The TV show impresses with its depth and philosophical thoughts, and is also one of the best film adaptations of Oscar Wilde's novel.
The plot is probably known to everyone. It tells the story of a young and handsome Dorian Gray, who receives a portrait from his friend Basil Hallward. Dorian wants to stay young and beautiful forever. The situation develops in such a way that the young man succeeds. He leaves his soul in the portrait, and he continues to live and does not age. However, his life becomes filled with vices and sins, and his soul gradually decomposes.
One of the main advantages of the film, in my opinion, is its philosophical subtext. The film deeply analyzes the problems of morality, ethics and human nature. He shows how vices and sins can destroy a person and his soul. The film also raises important questions about the value of human life and that true beauty and youth are inside a person, not in appearance.
Another advantage of the film is its visual component. The painting is executed at a high level and very well conveys the atmosphere of the era in which the events take place. Costumes, scenery and music - everything is done with great taste and professionalism.
Finally, the acting in the TV show is simply amazing. The role of Dorian Gray was played by Valery Babyatinsky, who perfectly conveyed the complexity and versatility of his character. His playing is convincing and striking in its depth. The character turned out to be rich and quite close to the original book.
But much brighter, as it seemed to me, was the hero, who was performed by Yuri Yakovlev. The actor embodied the multifaceted and not very pleasant Lord Henry on the screen. The familiar and well-known actor in the masterpieces "Ivan Vasilyevich changes his profession" and "The Irony of Fate" here elegantly appeared in a completely different role. And Yakovlev succeeded in this role to glory. It was very interesting to watch Yuri play. Yakovlev perfectly conveyed the complexity and versatility of his character, who is one of the main people leading Dorian to fall.
The production pleases. The entourage of the original is conveyed quite well. The verified dialogues, the atmosphere, the hardships of the moral choice of the main characters - all this is presented to the audience. Without a doubt, the creators approached the adaptation of Oscar Wilde's most famous novel with full responsibility.
It should be noted that this work is a TV show. And it has all the attributes of this format. However, this does not spoil the perception of the picture at all. It seems even the opposite. Thanks to this realization, the artistic techniques that are inherent in films fade into the background, allowing you to enjoy the excellent acting in all its splendor.
The finale will definitely make you think about what role a person can try on. After all, he can be an ordinary nice guy who is just starting to live, is able to love and do important things. On the other hand, under the influence of the environment, as well as thanks to his inner demons, a person can become something extraordinary and dangerous, a kind of being who is alien to compassion and craving for beauty, those who are quiet and at the same time dangerous to society. This work will help you think about how you can come to this, and a high-quality production and excellent acting will give you the opportunity to enjoy a really strong story.
8 out of 10.
