WORLD TOOB - RUSSIAN POE (& DICKENS)

"Russian Toobworld" is that alternate TV dimension in which the Russian Empire achieved global domination and the whole world spoke Russian. This is the world in which Russian adaptations of classic English literature and redubbed American TV programs are situated.

I received an email from a Russian visitor to this blog named Alexander Sedov, who had seen my post about the various TV versions of Edgar Allen Poe's detective C. August Dupin, with the focus on George C. Scott's portrayal. Alexander brought to my attention one whom I overlooked, from Russian TV in 1982.

The following video actually contains the adaptations of two short stories. The second one, based on the frequent use of the names "Slinkton" and "Sampson", would be of "Hunted Down" by Charles Dickens. I've read that it was his treatise on famous poisoners of his time, but as there is very little action in that story - all ushanka, no рогатый скот - I'm not sure what was going on.

But that's the great thing about TV - I always say it's a teaching tool. So now I'm going to track down an online copy of "Hunted Down" and read it.

At any rate, here are the Russian adaptations of "The Purloined Letter" and "Hunted Down" which are firmly lodged in "Российская телевизионная Всемирной":

In case you're interested in who played who, Alexander was nice enough to send a basic cast breakdown for "The Purloined Letter".

Auguste Dupin – actor Sergei Yurskiy;
his friend (has no name) – actor Yuri Bogatyryov;
Prefect of Paris Police – actor Vsevolod Larionov.

Yurskiy returned to play Slinkton in the second story, and Bogatyryov played Sampson. He was also the serlinguist who introduced both stories.

Thanks, Alexander!  You've helped keep the "world" in Toobworld!

Быть тем, что вы!