Vladimir Pozner wanted to make his next journey and country research documentary series about Muscovy to what I was disinterested and have enough in all senses. No bigger in curiosity was to Turkey which became journalist’s next project and it’s existence I recognized only some time ago and that was by lucky combination of circumstances when I decided to check personally on him. I still wasn’t in desire. Accidental catching of working TV set, a device on which I don’t look for years now, presented an advertisement of The Turkish Notebook. There I ignited to see it. However, I wasn’t firm that I could watch it at whole by seeing Pozner’s speaking on documentary in interview. I had more than once in process on quit it which interrupted by excitement by learning new and incredible facts.
A Turkish repellent personality and part of it selfishness began from a first interviewing Turk which was in Nobel Prize Winner in Literature Orhan Pamuk to whom, as Pozner informs, was flattering for get conversation and he agreed to make it if talk will on his books. A writer will reveal his sadness soon which is other characteristic of nation and by that it’s definition of why Turkey can’t be civilization, democracy and Europe – gone of Ottoman Empire. That trail of Turks wishing to restore past will remind in further multiple times. All researching topics will end up by returning to known initially about country and it’s citizens. CEO of Espresslab Esat Kocadag makes the best example of genuine definition of Turkish people. Interviewees willn’t in objectiveness by giving excuses and tell in other (good) words on cruelty of the Ottoman Empire and it’s same with speaking on negative side of Mustafa Kemal from those who have sympathy to him. Vladimir Pozner will be brilliant by saying that empire thing in London is museum’s showpiece whereas it’s still alive in Istanbul. Pamuk is also speaks interesting and wise thoughts on Turkey. There are more of them and these intelligent interviewees are a taxi driver, a fisherman and connoisseurs of culture. These people make to look on Istanbul of before and now. I had satisfactory from thoughts of media tycoon Ali Karacan. And unique persona is a village old woman Ummiye Kocak who organized theatre in own township and she impressed in presence of strong talent of playwright and wise reasoning.
As natural, I had of disagree with journalist’s vision in which I usually find reckless sometimes and with his thoughts. That’s why I adore all his documentaries. Honesty, as usual, as he says on Grand Bazaar on which I watched and said in my mind a “Grand Flea Market”. I love his merciless, intelligent and highly prosaically harsh deconstruction of current head of overthrown Ottoman dynasty to which he does precise conclusion though for me Turk is Turk.
Vladimir Pozner made The Turkish Notebook without killing intellectual co-host. I did not like too fast subtitles describing places and interviewee made me a habit to pause in these moments. However, journalist did research on high and deep as always (though there were shallowly in rare places which didn’t study properly.) but it was Turkey. I saw five of eight episodes and I couldn’t more by absence of basic interest and getting same verdict as I wrote. It only bolsters on why it will never be a Western country and why Erdogan will always in power. I watched on Istanbul and I hadn’t attraction to see these places. Listening and looking on streets, you get fact of overpopulation which increases about not visiting. Meeting with a village family who speak that everything is all right but I suspected (it increased by that most of interviewees weren’t honest.) and it revealed that things in Turkey aren’t pretty. My apologizes, but I couldn’t listen what was a typical conspirology from a regular men. These people went to believing that introduction of European football was part of diminish territory of Turkey and that one of that speaks on his living in poverty when he used to eat from one spoon with all family and bad influence of the West brought that every person has an individual plate and fork. One of them was anti-American in blood with no matter even it’s speaking on positive and not relating to their country. These men made me to think on their Turkish TV series which aren’t intellectual things. Pozner has about it in a last episode. I looked on titles of unwatched chapters and I lost attraction at all as, I know, I wouldn’t be quiet by devotion about Muscovy people in Turkey with whom can see common Asian and characteristic through series – I never liked that element in any size in all documentaries of journalist.
