MOSFILM
Artistic Association "Luch"
"Viy is a colossal creation of
the imagination of simple folk.
The tale itself is a purely
popular legend.
And I tell it without change,
in all its simplicity,
exactly as I heard it told to me."
Gogol.
VlY
Screenplay by A. PTUSHKO,
K. YERSHOV, G. KROPACHYOV
Based on the short novel
by N.V. Gogol
Artistic Director
and special effects designer
Alexander PTUSHKO
Directed by graduates of Advanced
Film Directors Courses
K. YERSHOV
and G. KROPACHYOV
Photography by
F. PROVOROV, V.PlSHCHALNlKOV
Production Designer N. MARKlN
Music by K. KHACHATURYAN
Conductor E. KHACHATURYAN
Sound by
E. KASHKEVlCH, l. STULOVA
T. Kameneva
Starring
Leonid KURAVLYOV as Khoma
N. VARLEY as Young Woman
A. GLAZYRlN as Sotnik
N. KUTUZOV as Witch
N. ZAKHARCHENKO as Khaliava
P. VESKLYAROV as Rector
V. SALNlKOV as Gorobetz
D. KAPKA as Overko
P. VESKLYAROV as Dorosh
S. SHKOURAT as Yavtukh
G. SOCHEVKO as Stepan
N. YAKOVCHENKO as Spirid
N. PANASlEV as Comforter
Read, Rector!.
Rector!.
Now that you're going home,
just try to stay out of mischief!.
On last vacation, two seminarians,
disguised as devils,
were caught stealing chickens.
Zozulia and Lemesh, I mean you!
The other three
had gotten a deacon drunk,
and then goaded him into singing
bawdy, indecent songs!
For shame!
And now, let us pray together.
Lord, let the Light of Thy wisdom
shine down upon us.
And bestow on our hearts
Thy tender mercy.
Preserve us from all evil.
And Heaven and Earth will resound
with glorious songs of praise.
Amen.
Be sure you return in time for the
Feast of the lmmaculate Conception!
We should've spotted a farm
long ago.
The devil would lose his way too,
in this darkness.
- Where did the road go?
- There is no road.
Look, Khaliava, you go that way.
And I'm going over this way.
And Gorobetz...
Hey, Gorobetz!
Damn it, I took a rotten stump
for your head.
- What did you find?
- Just fox-holes.
- Well, what do we do?
-Let's sing at the top of our lungs.
Quiet! I know...
Let's sleep under the stars.
No, Khaliava, that won't do.
We have to keep looking. Someone
might give us a glass of vodka.
Sure, it's better than sleeping
under the stars.
There's a farmhouse ahead!
Come on!
It's our last chance, brothers,
to find a place to stay.
- Open up!
- Hello?
- Who is it?
- Khaliava, the theologian.
- Brutus, the philosopher.
- Gorobetz, the orator.
No, the house is full of people.
Where would I put you?
Have mercy on us, my good woman!
It's unforgivable to let Christian
souls perish in the night.
- Just somewhere to sleep...
- And if we do something wrong...
All right, but each of you must
sleep in a separate place.
Whatever you wish.
- Listen, good woman...
- We're ready to drop with hunger...
It's been so long since we've eaten.
There's nothing in the house to eat.
I haven't lit the stove all day.
Tomorrow we'll see
that you're rewarded handsomely.
You couldn't get a crumb out of
the old skinflint. The hell with her!
- Boy, I want you to come here.
- Who? Me?
You can sleep in the house.
And you, the tall one,
up in the loft.
- Well, where do I stay?
- Come with me.
What do you want, granny?
No, it's the time of lent.
And not for all the gold in the world
would I let you tempt me.
You're not in the flower of youth,
you know.
What's wrong with you, granny?
For the love of God!
Good Lord, she's a witch!
Shameless witch!
Put me down! Let me be!
In the name of God Jesus Christ,
put me down! Let me be!
If I'm not making you fly,
it must be Christ,
and his apostle, Thomas!
Oh, you're killing me!
Khoma!
Scat!
- What we need is tar.
- I know that.
Hey, Khoma, the Rector sent me
to get you. Someone came for you.
Ah, it's you, brother Khoma.
The daughter of one of our
richest Sotniks is dying.
The one who owns the estate
just twenty miles outside Kiev.
Yesterday, the girl returned home,
beaten almost to death.
She expressed a wish
that in her final agony,
the last prayers for her salvation
be said by you, Khoma Brutus.
Why me? I don't even know
how to do that!
Don't argue with me.
You will leave immediately.
The famous Sotnik was good enough
to send his men and a wagon.
You'll have to get somebody else
to go, 'cause I'm not leaving!
No one asked you
if you wanted to go or not.
Thank your good master for his
gift of the honey and the eggs.
And tell him I shall send the books
as soon as they're ready.
And as for you, I suggest you learn
to control that tongue of yours.
Otherwise, I shall have you lashed
before the whole school,
so you won't be able
to sit down for a week.
The Lord be with you.
And with your good master.
Yavtukh, see that our friends have
some vodka before they leave.
Well, don't just stand there.
Be off with you!
And if you know what's good for you,
you'll mend your ways!
You'd better tie up the philosopher,
so he won't be tempted to run off.
- Good day, my brothers.
- Good day, brother philosopher.
I've been ordered to travel
in your company.
- A splendid carriage!
-Yes, a spacious one!
We could hire some musicians and
dance with all the room there is.
I wonder, if it were filled
with a heavy load,
say you loaded up the wagon with
salt or metal poles,
can you tell me how many horses
it would take?
It would take a lot of horses,
if you have a lot of salt.
Can you tell me what sort of illness
the girl is cursed with,
that requires such solemn prayers
to deliver her soul?
Sit down, brother philosopher.
We're not there, yet.
- Stop!
- An inn! Stop!
Whoa, girl, whoa! We're there.
Let's go in, brother philosopher.
Spirid, don't forget to water
the horses.
Welcome, my friends. Please go
inside.
- Do you have vodka?
- Yes, step inside.
My friends, I propose a toast to
the health of the Rector.
Here's to the health of the Rector.
Drink, my good friends.
Oh, the Cossack drinks
on someone else's money...
Another round!
Another round!
Serve another round!
I'd like to know one thing. Just
what are you seminarians taught?
What the deacon says when he's
in church, or other things?
- What a great scholar.
- I want to be a seminarian too.
Do you think I'm not clever enough?
I can learn anything!
Oh good Lord! Lord have mercy
on us!
The Cossack drinks on someone
else's...
- I just want to know one thing...
-Will you leave me alone, you pest?
Don't ask him.
Only God knows everything.
I just want to know what's
written in those books.
-There could be other things in them.
- How can you talk that way?
- Let me go.
- Why not let him go?
Philosopher.
Don't be afraid, come here.
The master will never know.
- Don't just stand there. Come on.
- Let me go home, my good brothers.
Let me go home!
The young woman is dead.
The girl is dead.
Be quiet! The young woman is dead.
- The girl is dead?
- Dead? Already?
Quiet, Serko! The young woman
is dead!
Why don't we let Khoma go now?
- Of course we'll let him go.
- He can do as he wants.
Leave him alone...
The young woman is dead.
Come on, you silly pig!
Brother philosopher, you're wrong
to try to get out of here.
It's not the sort of place
you can escape from.
You'd better go to the master.
He is waiting for you.
Why not? I would love to meet him.
It is not so much the pain of
losing you, my dearest daughter,
in the flower of your youth,
that makes your loss more
than a father can bear,
as the torment I suffer
at not knowing what monster
was the cause of your death.
Who are you? What is your quality,
and where do you come from?
From seminary. My name is
Khoma Brutus.
- And who was your father?
- I don't know.
- Your mother, then?
- I never knew her, either.
Of course, I must have had one
like anyone else,
but who she was, or what she was
like, I never knew.
How did you make the acquaintance
of my daughter?
I never met your daughter, sir.
I know nothing of girls.
I swear I've never known one.
Why did she name you, then?
Only God knows why.
The rich people fancy things that
don't make sense even to a scholar.
As the saying goes: When masters
fall out, their men get the clout.
You're not lying,
are you, philosopher?
God strike me dead if I'm lying.
If she had lived a minute longer,
I would have known everything.
"Let no one say prayers for me,
father,
but send men at once
to Kiev Seminary
and tell them to bring here
seminarian Khoma Brutus.
And let him pray for three nights
for the salvation of my soul.
He knows."
And what he knows,
that I hadn't time to hear.
Have you been known
for your chaste life?
Could she hear about you
from someone?
Me? Chaste life?
For heaven's sake, sir!
I visited a baker's wife
on Maundy Thursday.
Nonetheless, she named you,
that's all that counts.
As of tonight, you will start
reciting the prayers for her soul.
Yes, but certainly you want to do
the best thing...
Of course, anyone versed in
the Scriptures could do it...
But the best thing would be to have
a deacon, or even a sub-deacon.
They are well-trained
and will do what's necessary.
I haven't got a suitable voice. Also,
I don't have a good appearance.
I'll do as my dear child
had wanted it.
I don't care what it may cost.
You will start your vigil tonight,
and recite the prayers for three
nights,
and I shall reward you handsomely
for it. Otherwise...
How could our dear mistress
abandon us?
Oh, dear child, tell us what made
you leave us?..
Come back! Come back, beloved!
May God the Father have mercy
on her soul
May God the Son have mercy
on her soul.
May God the Holy Ghost have
mercy on her soul.
Give the philosopher his dinner.
Then bring him back to the church.
Tell them how the witch
cast a spell on the huntsman.
It's a shame, brother philosopher,
that you didn't know Mikitka.
Even his dogs adored him.
He was a fine huntsman.
Only recently he had the misfortune
to fall for the young mistress.
- Either he fell in love with her...
- Or she bewitched him...
No one knows for sure.
But the man was lost.
One day the girl appeared
in the stable and said:
"Mikitka, let me put my foot on
you to help me onto the horse."
The poor man was so overjoyed,
he said:
"I'd rather you yourself climbed
onto my back."
And the fool took her onto his
back, and went galloping away!
It's time we take the philosopher
to where the corpse is lying.
We'll leave you now.
- Just pray in earnest.
- The best of luck to you.
Forgive us, but we must lock you
up in. By order of the master.
That's all right. It's no more
than three nights of work.
And then the master will fill
both of my pockets with gold.
There's nothing to fear.
She won't rise up out of her coffin.
Even corpses fear the word of God.
Am I right? Absolutely.
You better stay there.
Don't you know that a Cossack
doesn't fear anything?
There's no way for anyone
to come in.
And from corpses,
I have prayers to protect me.
As soon as I speak the holy words,
no demon can possibly harm me.
They'll never touch me!
What am I scared of?
I just had too much to drink.
Ah, candles... That's good.
Lots of candles... to chase away...
the gloom from the church...
and light it up.
It's nothing, only three nights.
The church should be full of light.
Cheerful and bright.
There's nothing to fear.
She won't touch me now, will she!
Ow! Oh, Satan!
May God forgive me, poor sinner.
Lots of light, now.
Well, let's begin.
Blessed are... O Lord...
Blessed are they that fear
the Almighty.
And they that live according
to Thy Word.
I wish it were not prohibited
to smoke in the House of God.
They that honor Thy commandments,
walk in the path of righteousness.
They that praise Thee
in the hope of eternal...
What's wrong with some snuff?
A good sniff,
to clear the brain.
Merciful Father! Thou art my
strength...
She's a witch! A witch come
to haunt me!
Sacred circle, save me!
Sacred circle, protect me!
Oh, my God.
Sacred circle, save me!
Sacred circle, protect me!
Away, Satan! Away!
Blessed are they that fear
the Almighty...
Away! Away with you!
God in Heaven, I call on Thee
for help...
Stay away!
- There's the philosopher!
- He's finished.
It's a lovely place to live!
You could fish all day in that
river.
Old man!
I'm not going inside.
I'll sleep right here.
It's not allowed, philosopher.
I have my orders.
- Have you got some borsch for us?
- We have, you old devil.
- How does it taste?
- Ask the philosopher.
- Well?
- What did go on?
Nothing much. Just some noises.
A Cossack doesn't fear anything
in this world.
Let's go, Yavtukh.
A Cossack is never afraid of
anything.
It's true, the first time, you really
are afraid.
But after a while, you're not
so afraid.
And after that, you're not afraid
at all!
Because there's nothing
that can do me any harm.
Lord God! Let not Thy divine Angel
be turned against me.
I ask Thee to spare me
Thy terrible wrath.
Have mercy upon Thy servant.
I know my spirit's weak.
God, save me from my weaknesses,
preserve my heart from sin,
my soul from evil...
Strengthen my spirit
and protect me
from the temptations of evil.
Have mercy on...
God Almighty, save me!
Heavenly Father, save me!
O Lord!
Save me from the demon!
O Lord!
Save me from the demon!
God, give me strength!
Holy Father in Heaven!
Save me from the evil one!
Khoma!
Khoma!
By the shades of night, may he go
blind, turn his hair white.
Bewitch him.
Cover him with snow.
Hey, philosopher! On your feet!
I want music!
I want to have music right now!
From the looks of it, he'll dance
all day, that fellow.
Yes, he can dance for a long time.
- Hey, philosopher, what's wrong?
- Don't you see? I'm dancing.
Oh, your hair has turned white!
As white as milk.
Just like good old Yavtukh.
I must talk to your master.
I'll explain everything.
I don't want to pray there again!
What? It's all going well?
Were you able to stay awake?
Yes, I was able to stay awake.
The devil lives in this house. I want
to skip out while I'm in one piece.
- What do you mean?
- It's your daughter, sir...
She may have noble blood
in her veins, no doubt about that,
however, may God have mercy
on her soul...
- What about my daughter?
- She's in league with the devil.
She won't let me read
the Scriptures in front of her.
You will read, since she summoned
you.
She did not wish to bear
a spiritual burden to the grave.
The only way to assure her salvation
was to have the prayers said.
Release me, I beg you!
Don't make me go through with it.
You will read!
There's just one more night.
You'll do godly work,
and I will reward you.
For all the gold in the world...
I wouldn't read another prayer.
That's enough!
Philosopher...
You're wrong if you think you can
trifle with me.
That sort of thing is fit for the
seminary, but I'll not tolerate it.
I'll order the guards to lash you.
There's nothing so excruciating as
as the leather lash on raw flesh.
I know that.
More than half a dozen
are unbearable.
However, what you don't know
is how expert my men are at it.
They lash you, then we give them
some vodka and they begin again.
You may go.
Go back to your duties.
If you fail to do them,
you'll have a thousand lashes.
And if you do them,
one thousand gold pieces.
A thousand gold pieces!
The old miser was surely lying.
Never mind, good master,
I'll run away from here so fast
that even your dogs will never
catch up with me.
You should know better than
make such a detour.
You nearly ruined your fine robe.
That would've been a shame.
How much did you pay for one yard?
Why don't you keep your mouth
shut, dear old Yavtukh?
Foolish dog.
Not hungry? Then let's go to
the church.
Are you scared? That witch will
give you the time of your life.
Scared of a witch?
Nothing scares a Cossack!
I stood it for two nights.
With God's help, I'll make it three.
She's haunting me because
she's got the Devil inside her.
I'd hate to think what sin she's
guilty of.
Brother philosopher, it's time
to go.
Let's go to the church, dear.
- Think of the torment she's in.
- He was fated to go through it.
I'll read for the third night,
and I'll get a thousand gold pieces.
I'll have a ball then, won't l,
Yavtukh?
Go say your prayers, philosopher.
I won't be afraid. I swear,
I won't be afraid.
Lord God! From the depths of hell,
I cry out to Thee.
I pray Thee, have pity on me.
Take heed of my cries.
Drive out the terror that dwells
in my heart.
Let me not yield to the temptations
of the evil one.
Lord God, help me...
Thou art my Fortress...
My Redeemer, and my Savior...
God Almighty!
Smite her with lightning!
Send down Thy wrath!
Strike her down with Thy fury!
A curse upon you!
With the wings of a bat!
With the blood of a serpent!
I shall curse you!
Curse you!
I summon the vampires!
I summon the werewolves!
I summon the vampires!
I summon the werewolves!
I summon Viy!
Bring Viy here!
Get him! Get him!
Raise my eyelids.
I cannot see!
Don't look him in the eye,
or you're lost.
A cock.
I see him!
Get away from me, you fiends!
Help!
- The Fates were unkind to Khoma.
- It was the will of God.
Let's drink to him, may his soul
rest in peace.
Khoma was a fine young man.
The kind of man I admire.
-But his life was wasted for nothing.
- I know where he went wrong.
If he hadn't been afraid,
the witch couldn't have harmed him.
He should've spit on her tail,
and make the sign of the cross.
If anyone should know, I do.
In Kiev, the women who run stalls
in the market are all witches.
He wouldn't be dead if he hadn't
been afraid.
- No one can prove he's dead.
- That's what everyone says.
Maybe they imagined it.
That stuff about how he died,
because of the witch.
After I've had a flask of vodka,
even I begin to see witches.
Suppose he wasn't dead?
Suppose that the one walking
this way now... was him!
Now that's a good one!
- Are you working?
- We're working.
Keep on working then.
The End