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| Ray Bradbury |
It may be coincidental or not, but Russians must have a particularly soft spot for the American sci-fi classical author. How can you otherwise explain the fact that yet another screen adaptation of the famous Dandelion Wine is based on the script by the Russian actor and film director, Rodion Nakhapetov?
The novel was once adapted for the stage by Bradbury himself, and 1997 had seen the premiere of a Russian adaptation by the late Igor Apasyan (The Sea-Wolf), starring Innokenty Smoktunovsky.
As for Nakhapetov, Dandelion Wine has been one of his favourite books throughout his life. Already in 1980s, while a student at the Cinematography Institute in Moscow, Nakhapetov based his 25-min. short film on the novel. Years later, having got personally acquainted with Bradbury, Nakhapetov was encouraged by the author, who turns 91 today (22 August), to turn the novel into a film script. Not only has Rodion eventually succeeded at adaptation, he and his spouse, Natasha Shliapnikoff managed to get the backing of the Hollywood producers. When Bradbury learnt that the movie was to be made, he said this was the best birthday present he could only wish for.
The producer of the movie is announced to be Mike Medavoy, whose previous films include the Oscar-winning Black Swan and star-studded All the King’s Men.
Dandelion Wine (1957) was described as “haunting and nostalgic”, semi-biographical recollection of the golden era of 1920s, telling about the life in a small town in America in summer of 1928.
