Whale (film)
Encyclopedia
Whale is a 1970 Bulgarian satirical comedy film directed by Petar B. Vasilev and written by Cheremuhin. The film stars Georgi Kaloyanchev
, Dimitar Panov
, Georgi Partsalev
, Grigor Vachkov and Tsvyatko Nikolov.
This film had one of the most scandalous and at the same time mythological destiny in the history of the Bulgarian cinema. It was filmed in 1967 but didn't released until 1970 when was shown at few small cinema halls as an expurgated by the communist authority edition. Wale satirize the extant defects in the economic and social structure of the state of those years. Moreover the film unambiguous specify the exact carriers of the negative effects. The shooting mark is the bureaucratic pathos at the different ruling levels. The pathos by means of which various data and information are manipulated in the name of non-existing achievements.
In the film was born one of the most popular quotes in the Bulgarian cinema:
Being in private later the local boss has a colourful monologue with the portrait on the wall portraying the minister Parushev (Kaloyanchev) of the field they work in. Finally the Kalchev's right hand - the lead engineer (Partsalev) insinuate that the dolphin, as a matter of fact, is actually a kind of an whale.
So one sunny day in the head department in the capital the message is received - "...We got an whale...". The state employees can't wait to inform the minister. Naturally he spends his days in the nice villa around the city. The pathos spread to all of them. In a fit of euphoria Parushev proposes a new name of their state department - The Ministry of Whales. The ideas of some whales festival are born even a whaling flotilla is mentioned. Leading the procession Parushev, Kalchev and all of the involved are formed up at the pier to welcome the in-bound ship. The festive meeting of the bewildered fishermen is the culmination of the bureaucratic farce.
, and Cheremuhin retired in the ex-royal residence Sitnyakovo which was turned into the Writer's Union base. In two months the screenplay was completed.
The maritime scenes were filmed in Sozopol
. The work progressed in a friendly and cheerful atmosphere. There was some talk that Grigor Vachkov gave many ideas about the funny cues in some episodes. Other parts were filmed in the Cinema Center
near the Sofia suburb Boyana
. There was situated the villa of the minister Parushev.
The song that was sang by the state employees while going to the Parushev's villa was composed by Atanas Boyadzhiev. The lyric was by the poet Plamen Tsonev:
This song became a hit but the censorship came after instead of some gala premiere.
. So it was a very delicate moment. Of course in the direction of the Bulgarian Communist Party
, which forcibly took the monocracy in the country, were aware of the bitting satire of the communist economic model represented in the film. Moreover, the authorities noticed even an allusion between the character of Parushev (Kaloyanchev) and the leader of the Bulgarian communists and President of the Republic of that time Todor Zhivkov
. It was also perceived some relation between the character of Kalcho Kalchev (Panov) and Stanko Todorov
another communist leader. In the film Kalchev is the general executive of the local enterprise. But before that it became clear that he was simply a hatter. As a matter of fact Stanko Todorov was a tailor in his youth.
The director Vasilev and the cinematographer Emil Vagenshtain bravely struggled with the censoring. The reel stayed more than a two years in the basement stores. Interestingly at that time the big scandal with some local communist leader burst out in the country. He reported a great crop of wheat for what he was awarded. Subsequently it turned out that the crop was below the average.
On top of everything the screenwriter's brother emigrated to USA. He was a nuclear physicist and after a specialization in France he left for North America instead of returning to Bulgaria.
The appearance of Radoy Ralin
in an episode as an ichthyologist also added oil to the flames. Being famous writer satirist and a poet he was also a well known dissident during the communist regime.
Finally the film was released but at first in only two cinema halls in the city of Plovdiv
. Even without any advertisement the tickets are sold out. Afterwards Whale was shown in the small Levski cinema in the capital of Sofia
again with no preliminary announcement. There were cues and frames missing even the whole episodes were cut off.
The non censored edition was released on DVD in 2000s.
. Taking into consideration that, because of the censorship, it was released in small cinema halls with no advertisement the film Whale attracted considerable audience.
After the liberation in 1989/90
the film was at first broadcast on the Bulgarian National Television
. Naturally, it gave rise to a broad interest and took his due place among the Bulgarian notable films of those years. Subsequently, during the 2000s, it was released on DVD.
The film was subsumed among the 50 golden Bulgarian films in the book by the journalist Pencho Kovachev. The book was published in 2008 by "Zahariy Stoyanov" publishing house.
Georgi Kaloyanchev
Georgi Todorov Kaloyanchev is a Bulgarian actor. He was born in the city of Burgas on January 13 1925. He studied in the former theatrical school in Sofia. Immediately after graduating he started playing in the Ivan Vazov National Theatre...
, Dimitar Panov
Dimitar Panov
-Biography and Career:Panov was born on July 18, 1902 in the town of Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria. He made his debut in 1955 on the stage of the Plovdiv Theater in the Chehov's play Five Small Comedies...
, Georgi Partsalev
Georgi Partsalev
Georgi Ivanov Partsalev was a Bulgarian theatre and film actor mainly known for his roles in comedies.Born in Levski, Pleven Province in 1925, Partsalev finished high school in Pleven and studied medicine from Sofia University. In 1956, he was employed by the Satirical Theatre in Sofia. His first...
, Grigor Vachkov and Tsvyatko Nikolov.
This film had one of the most scandalous and at the same time mythological destiny in the history of the Bulgarian cinema. It was filmed in 1967 but didn't released until 1970 when was shown at few small cinema halls as an expurgated by the communist authority edition. Wale satirize the extant defects in the economic and social structure of the state of those years. Moreover the film unambiguous specify the exact carriers of the negative effects. The shooting mark is the bureaucratic pathos at the different ruling levels. The pathos by means of which various data and information are manipulated in the name of non-existing achievements.
In the film was born one of the most popular quotes in the Bulgarian cinema:
Plot
A small fishing ship after an unsuccessful quest for some draught got not more than a single fish on top of everything the smallest one - a sprat. Despite the miserable catch the captain (Vachkov) reports through the transmitter to the superior of the fishing base Petrov (Nikolov). Of course he mentions a bigger species of fish and doesn't particularize the quantity. After months without any production from the enterprise, the superior of the base in his turn reports personally to the big local boss Kalcho Kalchev (Panov). One more time the species are enlarged and even the presence of a considerable shoal is entangled. Sitting to the table the two men have a drink or two of some cognac to celebrate the occasion. They don't stop and decide to specify the catch as a draught of dolphins as more massy kind of sea creature.Being in private later the local boss has a colourful monologue with the portrait on the wall portraying the minister Parushev (Kaloyanchev) of the field they work in. Finally the Kalchev's right hand - the lead engineer (Partsalev) insinuate that the dolphin, as a matter of fact, is actually a kind of an whale.
So one sunny day in the head department in the capital the message is received - "...We got an whale...". The state employees can't wait to inform the minister. Naturally he spends his days in the nice villa around the city. The pathos spread to all of them. In a fit of euphoria Parushev proposes a new name of their state department - The Ministry of Whales. The ideas of some whales festival are born even a whaling flotilla is mentioned. Leading the procession Parushev, Kalchev and all of the involved are formed up at the pier to welcome the in-bound ship. The festive meeting of the bewildered fishermen is the culmination of the bureaucratic farce.
The Idea
In the beginning of the 1950s the screenwriter Hristo Mihov, nicknamed Cheremuhin, followed his wife in the town of Aitos where she was allocated as a doctor. The town is not far from the seaside so Cheremuhin heard many maritime stories. Once, one of the locals told him a story about a fisherman who caught some sprats but boasted that it were mackerels. Every time when the story was told and the fish became bigger and bigger until in the end it was a story about a shark. The people then replied that there are no sharks in this sea. But the fisherman said: "...How do you know, I has even saw an whale out there...". Mihov undertook a ten days sailing amidst the fishermen so that he could learn the terminology and details. Afterwards he sat behind the typewriter and in the 1955 the short novel was completed.Screenplay and Filming
When Cheremuhin and his wife returned to Sofia he met his acquaintance Anzhel Vagenshtain. Being a manager of the screenwriters committee Vagenshtain immediately realized the potentiality of the novel. In his turn he introduced Mihov to the director Petar B. Vasilev. Vasilev, with the forthcoming fame as a director of The Past-MasterThe Past-Master (film)
The Past-Master is a Bulgarian satirical TV comedy film released in 1970. It turned, the actor Kiril Gospodinov and his character Rangel Lelin - the past-master, into one of the Trade Marks of the Bulgarian film art...
, and Cheremuhin retired in the ex-royal residence Sitnyakovo which was turned into the Writer's Union base. In two months the screenplay was completed.
The maritime scenes were filmed in Sozopol
Sozopol
Sozopol is an ancient seaside town located 35 km south of Burgas on the southern Bulgarian Black Sea Coast. Today it is one of the major seaside resorts in the country, known for the Apollonia art and film festival that is named after one of the town's ancient names.The busiest times of the year...
. The work progressed in a friendly and cheerful atmosphere. There was some talk that Grigor Vachkov gave many ideas about the funny cues in some episodes. Other parts were filmed in the Cinema Center
Boyana Film
NU Boyana Film Studios is among the biggest European film studios, situated in Boyana, Sofia, Bulgaria.Founded as Boyana Film, Nu Boyana Film Studios is a Bulgarian film production complex unique for Southeastern Europe. It was opened in 1962. It is one amongst the few sites in Europe that combine...
near the Sofia suburb Boyana
Boyana
Boyana is a neighbourhood of the Bulgarian capital of Sofia, part of Vitosha municipality and situated 8 km south of the city centre, in the outskirts of Vitosha. Boyana is typically regarded as one of the best and most expensive neighborhoods of Sofia to live in...
. There was situated the villa of the minister Parushev.
The song that was sang by the state employees while going to the Parushev's villa was composed by Atanas Boyadzhiev. The lyric was by the poet Plamen Tsonev:
This song became a hit but the censorship came after instead of some gala premiere.
Censorship
Shortly after the Whale was filmed in 1967, the eastern Europe was shaken by the doings around the Prague SpringPrague Spring
The Prague Spring was a period of political liberalization in Czechoslovakia during the era of its domination by the Soviet Union after World War II...
. So it was a very delicate moment. Of course in the direction of the Bulgarian Communist Party
Bulgarian Communist Party
The Bulgarian Communist Party was the communist and Marxist-Leninist ruling party of the People's Republic of Bulgaria from 1946 until 1990 when the country ceased to be a communist state...
, which forcibly took the monocracy in the country, were aware of the bitting satire of the communist economic model represented in the film. Moreover, the authorities noticed even an allusion between the character of Parushev (Kaloyanchev) and the leader of the Bulgarian communists and President of the Republic of that time Todor Zhivkov
Todor Zhivkov
Todor Khristov Zhivkov was a communist politician and leader of the People's Republic of Bulgaria from March 4, 1954 until November 10, 1989....
. It was also perceived some relation between the character of Kalcho Kalchev (Panov) and Stanko Todorov
Stanko Todorov
Stanko Todorov Georgiev was a Bulgarian communist politician.Todorov was born in Pernik Province. Before and during World War II he was a worker. He became interested in communism, and joined the underground Bulgarian Communist Party in 1943...
another communist leader. In the film Kalchev is the general executive of the local enterprise. But before that it became clear that he was simply a hatter. As a matter of fact Stanko Todorov was a tailor in his youth.
The director Vasilev and the cinematographer Emil Vagenshtain bravely struggled with the censoring. The reel stayed more than a two years in the basement stores. Interestingly at that time the big scandal with some local communist leader burst out in the country. He reported a great crop of wheat for what he was awarded. Subsequently it turned out that the crop was below the average.
On top of everything the screenwriter's brother emigrated to USA. He was a nuclear physicist and after a specialization in France he left for North America instead of returning to Bulgaria.
The appearance of Radoy Ralin
Radoy Ralin
Radoy Ralin , born Dimitar Stoyanov , was a famous Bulgarian dissident, poet, and satirist.After the downfall of the Communist regime, he was urged to run for Parliament, but adamantly refused....
in an episode as an ichthyologist also added oil to the flames. Being famous writer satirist and a poet he was also a well known dissident during the communist regime.
Finally the film was released but at first in only two cinema halls in the city of Plovdiv
Plovdiv
Plovdiv is the second-largest city in Bulgaria after Sofia with a population of 338,153 inhabitants according to Census 2011. Plovdiv's history spans some 6,000 years, with traces of a Neolithic settlement dating to roughly 4000 BC; it is one of the oldest cities in Europe...
. Even without any advertisement the tickets are sold out. Afterwards Whale was shown in the small Levski cinema in the capital of Sofia
Sofia
Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated...
again with no preliminary announcement. There were cues and frames missing even the whole episodes were cut off.
The non censored edition was released on DVD in 2000s.
Cast
The film features eminent Bulgarian comic actors. Kaloyanchev, Panov and Partsalev are in theirs best. Unfortunately Whale is the last film for the Tsvyatko Nikolov. He died shortly when the film was released in 1970. In some episodes we can see the director Vasilev's wife the actress Valentina Borisova. The acting of the memorable Grigor Vachkov should be also pointed out. It is known that one of the fishermen in the ship around Vachkov was his wife's brother in the real life.| Character | Actor | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Parushev | Georgi Kaloyanchev Georgi Kaloyanchev Georgi Todorov Kaloyanchev is a Bulgarian actor. He was born in the city of Burgas on January 13 1925. He studied in the former theatrical school in Sofia. Immediately after graduating he started playing in the Ivan Vazov National Theatre... |
the minister |
| Kalcho Kalchev | Dimitar Panov Dimitar Panov -Biography and Career:Panov was born on July 18, 1902 in the town of Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria. He made his debut in 1955 on the stage of the Plovdiv Theater in the Chehov's play Five Small Comedies... |
the general executive |
| Georgi Partsalev Georgi Partsalev Georgi Ivanov Partsalev was a Bulgarian theatre and film actor mainly known for his roles in comedies.Born in Levski, Pleven Province in 1925, Partsalev finished high school in Pleven and studied medicine from Sofia University. In 1956, he was employed by the Satirical Theatre in Sofia. His first... |
the lead engineer | |
| Gerdzhikliyski | Grigor Vachkov | the captain of the boat |
| Petrov | Tsvyatko Nikolov | the superior of the fishing base |
| Evstati Stratev | the boat sailing superior | |
| Baba Stoyna | Stoyanka Mutafova Stoyanka Mutafova Stoyanka Konstantinova Mutafova is a Bulgarian actress. She read philology at the University of Sofia "Kliment Ohridski". Later she studied acting in Bulgaria and the Prague. From 1949 until 1956, she acted in multiple plays in the national "Ivan Vazov" theatre... |
the captain's mother |
| Nikola Dinev | the editor | |
| Georgi Naumov | the telegraph operator | |
| Naicho Petrov | first assistant director general | |
| Georgi Popov Georgi Popov Georgi Popov is a Bulgarian football forward who played for Bulgaria in the 1970 FIFA World Cup. He also played for PFC Botev Plovdiv.-External links:*... |
second assistant director general | |
| Radoy Ralin Radoy Ralin Radoy Ralin , born Dimitar Stoyanov , was a famous Bulgarian dissident, poet, and satirist.After the downfall of the Communist regime, he was urged to run for Parliament, but adamantly refused.... |
Bostandzhiev, the ichthyologis | |
| Renata Kiselichka | the Komsomol Komsomol The Communist Union of Youth , usually known as Komsomol , was the youth division of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. The Komsomol in its earliest form was established in urban centers in 1918. During the early years, it was a Russian organization, known as the Russian Communist Union of... leader |
|
| Nadya Topalova | driver | |
| Lyubomir Kiselichki | the young research worker | |
| Kremena Trendafilova | ||
| Katya Chukova | ||
| Valentina Borisova | ||
| Bogdana Vulpe | ||
| Valentin Rusetzki | ||
| Gerasim Mladenov | ||
| Borislav Ivanov | ||
| Lambi Poryazov |
Response
A reported 599,350 admissions were recorded for the film in cinemas throughout BulgariaBulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
. Taking into consideration that, because of the censorship, it was released in small cinema halls with no advertisement the film Whale attracted considerable audience.
After the liberation in 1989/90
Revolutions of 1989
The Revolutions of 1989 were the revolutions which overthrew the communist regimes in various Central and Eastern European countries.The events began in Poland in 1989, and continued in Hungary, East Germany, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia and...
the film was at first broadcast on the Bulgarian National Television
Bulgarian National Television
The Bulgarian National Television or BNT is the public broadcaster of Bulgaria. The company was founded in 1959 and began broadcasting on December 26 of the same year. It began broadcasting in color in 1970...
. Naturally, it gave rise to a broad interest and took his due place among the Bulgarian notable films of those years. Subsequently, during the 2000s, it was released on DVD.
The film was subsumed among the 50 golden Bulgarian films in the book by the journalist Pencho Kovachev. The book was published in 2008 by "Zahariy Stoyanov" publishing house.