TO 50 years since the legendary TV series with Kabir Bedi, Sandokan back on TV Rai 1 from December 1st, over four evenings. Playing the pirate who fights to save the natives of Borneo is Can Yaman, the Turkish actor much loved in Italy by the female public. The first two episodes premiered at the Rome Film Festival.
In the new television adventure, signed by Jan Maria Michelini and Nicola Abbatangelo, produced by Lux Vide together with Rai Fiction, rwe will find pirates, naval battles, Borneo, the oppressed natives, Lady Mariannamore combative than ever, the funny Yanez, the pirate hunter Ed Brooke, the theme song rearranged by Calibro 35 and the spirit of Emilio Salgari.
Sandokan the TV series: Can Yaman: «I hope Kabir Bedi will appreciate my interpretation
Borneo, 1841. A paradise inhabited by the native Dayak tribesliving according to their ancient traditions, but dominated by the English colonialists. Sandokan (Can Yaman) attacks their ships with his own pirate crew, including the trusty Yanez (Alessandro Preziosi). His life changes when on the island of Labuan he meets Marianna (Alanah Bloor), daughter of the British consul.
From that moment an impossible love story is born: it’s not like in Salgari that a glance is enough for the two to fall in love. Here the matter is much more complex. Marianna, of noble blood, has points of contact with Sandokan: she loves freedom, loyalty and wild nature. The legendary pirate hunter, Lord James Brooke, sets out on their trail. who wants to marry Marianna, capture The Tiger of Malaya and become the new English consul.
Can Yaman is Sandokan. (Courtesy press office)
The plot of the series on Rai 1 from 1 December
«Sandokan will go on an internal journey during the episodestransforms: from a simple pirate who steals from the rich to give to the poor, becomes the savior of a people – says Can Yaman – he becomes a hero, a better version of himself. Sandokan is an inclusive character, that embraces diversitywhich suffers and evolves continuously. I learned a lot from him and how to take myself too seriously, me being anxious.”
On the comparison with Kabir Bedi says: «Unfortunately I didn’t have the honor of meeting him, maybe one day… I hope Kabir likes my performance. Until 5 years ago I didn’t know the character written by Salgari. When they offered me the part I had a very long time to prepare: I have I read everything, I lost weight, I learned to ride a horse and I trained for action scenes (Can Yaman has no stunt double ed.)”.
The differences between Salgari, the new Sandokan and the 70s series
“The Salgari’s world is made of jungles, pirates who save the weakest, colonialiststigers and empires – says the screenwriter Alessandro Sermoneta – our primary source was the novel, even if we took liberties without betraying the spirit of the book. We also continue in the wake of the 70s series, hoping to be up to par, but we have tried to modernize it.”
«For example, the character of Brookethe evil and ambitious pirate hunter, who in the iconic series was played by Adolfo Celli, here is Ed Westwick, much younger, as in the novel. Yanez is also something else: The funny Portuguese has a dramatic story behind him that the audience will discover. Sandokan is a kind of Buddy Movie with Can Yaman on one side and Alessandro Preziosi on the other who hold the scene.”
Alessandro Prezioni as Yanez. (Courtesy press office)
The cast of Sandokanfrom 1 December on Rai 1
In some ways the character of Yanez, played by Alessandro Preziosi, he steals everyone’s show, his cheekiness and irony are almost contagious. «The source of inspiration was my adolescence, the Disney animated films, which as a father I often watched with my children, and the histrionic performances by Johnny Depp and Jim Carrey – says the actor – I liked going over the top. For the first time in my career I was undisciplined and disobedient».
Alanah Bloor is Marianna, the pearl of Labuan, a woman who loves wild nature and freedom: she wants to be free to live as she sees fit, even untied by privileges. Lord Brooke (Ed Westwick) asks his father for her hand in marriage. Are the feelings of the ruthless pirate hunter genuine or is marrying Lady Mary just a pretext to get his hands on the British consulate?