Khottabych
| }{0ТТ@БЬ)Ч / Khottabych | |
|---|---|
 2006 cover of the film | |
| Directed by | Peter Tochilin |
| Produced by | Sergey Selyanov |
| Written by |
Peter Tochilin (screenplay) Veronica Voznyak Sergey Klado (book) |
| Starring |
Marius Jampolskis Vladimir Tolokonnikov Julia Paranova Mark Geykhman Liva Kruminya |
| Music by | Dmitry Shurov |
| Cinematography |
Vladimir Zapasov Victor Zubarev Igor Grinjakin |
| Edited by | Valery Feodorovich |
| Distributed by | STV Film Company, Mill |
Release dates | August 10, 2006 RUS BLR UKR KAZ |
Running time | 92 min |
| Country | Russia |
| Language | English, Russian |
| Budget | N/A |
| Box office | US$1,382,450 (Russia) |
Khottabych (Russian: Хоттабыч [}{0ТТ@БЬ)Ч], Hottabych) is a 2006 Russian comedy folk-tale by STV Film Company, a remake of the 1956 Soviet film Old Khottabych. This film has little in common with the first film, except for some central elements. The film has the screen name K}{OTT@B\)CH, underscoring the film's Internet motif. It is based on the novel The Copper Jar of Old Khottabych by Sergey Oblomov. It opened in theaters on August 10, 2006 at Karoprokat.
Plot summary
A youth named Gena is a hacker hooked on computers and the Internet. His girlfriend is fed up with him, because he pays so little attention to her and so much to his electronic exploits, such as defacing the www.microsoft.com web site.
Attempting to mend his relationship with his girlfriend, he buys an ancient jar from an Internet-auction and finds a genie residing in it. Per the fairy-tale tradition, he is offered three wishes. First, the genie, named Hottabych by Gena, prints a huge number of US$100 banknotes. Unfortunately Hottabych is not familiar with modern paper, and the banknotes are printed on Egyptian papyrus. This later sets off a chain of events leading back to Gena.
Unbeknownst to him, the local mafia is aware of Gena's skills and is intent on forcing him to gain entrance to bank computers. Furthermore, the Russian and American police forces are attempting to locate him because of his recent activity on the Internet. The Americans send a female hacker named Annie to trick Gena into revealing himself, which he does. After a rocky start to their relationship, romance ensues.
Things are further complicated by an evil genie named Shaitanych who is also hunting for the jar, in an attempt to collect all 13 genie-vessels and gain dominion over Earth. After Hottabych grants Gena's final wish, he decides to become a mortal man and is subsequently killed by Shaitanych. Left with nothing but a strand of Hottabych's hair, Gena and Annie decode his DNA and upload the binary code into the Internet, where a final battle takes place between Hottabych and Shaitanych.
Cast
- Khottabych - Vladimir Tolokonnikov
- Gena - Marius Jampolskis
- Annie - Liva Kruminya
- Shaytanych - Mark Geykhman
- Lena - Julia Paranova
- Alisa Selezneova - Mila Lipner
- Venick - Grigory Skryapnik
- Oleg - Alexander Ovchinnikov
- Alexander - Yuri Dumchev
- Employees of FSB - Konstantin Spassky and Rostislav Krokhin
In Episodes
Ivan Gubanov, Boris Shcherbakov, Svetlana Pavlova, Sambel Asatryan, Konstantin Kutarov, A. Dubrovsky, Nickolay Dobrokhotov, O.Vlasova, Polina Ganshina, V. Zubarev, Mila Soldatkina, M. Jarov, M. Karmadonova, A. Epaneshnikov, Alexander Selezneov, Maxim Vajov, Pavel Sirotin, Elena Volkova, O. Poplavsky, M. Rubcov, E. Ozhigina, Dmitry Talancev, A. Stankevich, D. Charikov, J. Tonis, M. Pozdnyakova, G. Kosarev, A. Shatohin, S. Prohorov, A. Kurina, A. Krasotkin, U. Ashihmin, U. Voloshenko, A. Timarev, S. Venediktov, A. Vozny, R.Ibutsi, P. Bugrilova, O.Vornovskov, I.Boyko, I.Bajenov
Features
- The film features modern youth culture, including IRC and the computer game Counter-Strike.
Music score, lyrics, songs
- Pochuty, Super-puper, Beta-karotin, Gajki s Jamajki by Boombox music group;
- Spionskaya - Spy theme music by Dmitri Shurov;
- The Number by Psoy Korolenko;
- Cloun written by T. Kosonen, A. Korvumak, T. Leppanen; performed by Aavikko;
- Vladimirskij central by Mihail Krug;
- Amerika by Mnogotochie;
- Sljuna, Sljuna, Shajtan Shajtanych by Uratsakidogi;
- Morjak by Artjom Rukavichkin;
- Kukla kolduna by Korol' i Shut.
Trivia
- The car used by the main characters is a modified Pobeda M20. It was sold on Internet auction Molotok.ru for $10,000.
- The off-screen voice is Dmitry Puchkov known as Goblin.
- Filmed at Russian State Genetic Scientific Research Institute. The device used by Gena is really used in the process of DNA analysis.
- In the episode shot at the Red Square, extras dressed up as Russian Militia officers stood around the perimeter of the set to prevent strangers from entering it.
- In the episode where Gena is beaten by Militia officers, one of them missed actor Jampolskis' protective wear and hit actor with all his might.
Video release
Film released by Soyuz Video (Russian: Союз Видео) on VHS and DVD in 2006 August without subtitles, and also on PAL DVD-editions by Karoprokat with subtitles and the trailer of the film. In United States and Canada, it was released on VHS and DVD without subtitles and with English simultaneous interpretation on system NTSC on September 11.
Aspect ratio - 16:9 (1.85:1).