Six decades of Turkish cinema in a single play
Güncelleme Tarihi:
Anatolia News Agency
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Mart 28, 2009 00:00
KONYA - Veteran director and producer Ülkü Erakalın pours his experience of six decades in movie business into his one-man show, ’Yıldızlar Gökte Yaşar’ (Stars Live Up In the Sky), touring the stages of different cities in Turkey. He talks about his journey in Turkey’s movie industry
Ülkü Erakalın is a name known to three generations in Turkey. Now, his new one-man traveling show has introduced a new generation to his work.
The show, "Yıldızlar Gökte Yaşar" (Stars Live up in the Sky), and an upcoming movie on the last days of perhaps Turkey’s greatest singer, Zeki Müren, have put him in the spotlight again.
In a recent interview with Anatolian Agency, Erakalın talked about his journey in the movie business, his relationship with some of the biggest names in Turkish cinema, and his experiences as a musician and journalist.
Erakalın said his career in film began unexpectedly when he was a journalist in the 1950s. After the success of the film, "Üç Arkadaş" (Three Friends), he arranged an interview with the legendary actress, Muhterem Nur. During the interview, he met the director of the movie, Memduh Ün. Ün asked Erakalın to become his assistant in his next movie. With that offer, he was propelled into a life in movies.
Erakalın’s directorial debut came with "Unutamadığım Kadın" (The Unforgettable Woman) in 1969 with Muhterem Nur, Göksel Arsoy and the late Suna Pekuysal in the leading roles. Throughout the decades, Erakalın directed over 150 movies and 500 episodes of TV shows, working with top actors such as Türkan Şoray, Hülya Koçyiğit, Fatma Girik, Kemal Sunal, Halit Akçatepe and Sadri Alışık.
Erakalın said his foremost passion lies in music, as he was a renowned composer before a career in films. With over 50 songs to his name, performed by various famous names, Erakalın said. "It still feels weird that he is more renowned for his work in films rather than music."
Stars traveling Turkey
"Yıldızlar Gökte Yaşar" is a special project for Ülkü Erakalın as he has put his six decades of experience and his diverse talents into a single, inspirational work. Erakalın not only performs in his one-man show, but he also wrote, directed and composed the music for the play.
The play is part of the Turkish State Theaters’ program, traveling to various cities since last November. Having begun in Erzurum, Erakalın performed his play in Trabzon, Antalya, Adana, Diyarbakır, Bursa, and Sivas, and he will finish the tour with performances in Gaziantep and Van.
"Yıldızlar Gökte Yaşar" has been the product of four years of blood, sweat and tears. But the final product is something Erakalın is proud of, a marriage of cinema and theater. He said both movie buffs and theater lovers have found something to enjoy in the show. Reflecting his memories from 60 years of cinema, Erakalın uses movie clips throughout the play and sings memorable movie tunes and his own songs. Erakalın feels a wave of clashing feelings on the revival of Turkish cinema in the last decade. He said, "along with some very impressive movies, there are truly embarrassing examples."
How has Erakalın managed to maintain his vigor and energy for such a long time? "The basic driving force in all of my work has always been love. I feel a spiritual kinship to Mevlana, and all of my films have been a labor of love. The key to being able to work with the same motivation has always been love."
Among his favorite films of recent memory, Erakalın sites director Çağan Irmak’s tearjerker "Babam ve Oğlum" (My Father and My Son), calling it "a surprising return to Turkey’s old Yeşilçam movies."
The play is just the first messenger of Ülkü Erakalın’s comeback, with a movie to be released this year. "Çığlık Çığlığa Bir Sevda" (Screaming for Love) tells of the last 10 days of Turkey’s legendary singer Zeki Müren, bringing together veteran actors such as Ediz Hun, Selma Güneri, newcomers Irmak Ünal, Özge Özberk, and stage actor Tomris Oğuzalp.
The show, "Yıldızlar Gökte Yaşar" (Stars Live up in the Sky), and an upcoming movie on the last days of perhaps Turkey’s greatest singer, Zeki Müren, have put him in the spotlight again.
In a recent interview with Anatolian Agency, Erakalın talked about his journey in the movie business, his relationship with some of the biggest names in Turkish cinema, and his experiences as a musician and journalist.
Erakalın said his career in film began unexpectedly when he was a journalist in the 1950s. After the success of the film, "Üç Arkadaş" (Three Friends), he arranged an interview with the legendary actress, Muhterem Nur. During the interview, he met the director of the movie, Memduh Ün. Ün asked Erakalın to become his assistant in his next movie. With that offer, he was propelled into a life in movies.
Erakalın’s directorial debut came with "Unutamadığım Kadın" (The Unforgettable Woman) in 1969 with Muhterem Nur, Göksel Arsoy and the late Suna Pekuysal in the leading roles. Throughout the decades, Erakalın directed over 150 movies and 500 episodes of TV shows, working with top actors such as Türkan Şoray, Hülya Koçyiğit, Fatma Girik, Kemal Sunal, Halit Akçatepe and Sadri Alışık.
Erakalın said his foremost passion lies in music, as he was a renowned composer before a career in films. With over 50 songs to his name, performed by various famous names, Erakalın said. "It still feels weird that he is more renowned for his work in films rather than music."
Stars traveling Turkey
"Yıldızlar Gökte Yaşar" is a special project for Ülkü Erakalın as he has put his six decades of experience and his diverse talents into a single, inspirational work. Erakalın not only performs in his one-man show, but he also wrote, directed and composed the music for the play.
The play is part of the Turkish State Theaters’ program, traveling to various cities since last November. Having begun in Erzurum, Erakalın performed his play in Trabzon, Antalya, Adana, Diyarbakır, Bursa, and Sivas, and he will finish the tour with performances in Gaziantep and Van.
"Yıldızlar Gökte Yaşar" has been the product of four years of blood, sweat and tears. But the final product is something Erakalın is proud of, a marriage of cinema and theater. He said both movie buffs and theater lovers have found something to enjoy in the show. Reflecting his memories from 60 years of cinema, Erakalın uses movie clips throughout the play and sings memorable movie tunes and his own songs. Erakalın feels a wave of clashing feelings on the revival of Turkish cinema in the last decade. He said, "along with some very impressive movies, there are truly embarrassing examples."
How has Erakalın managed to maintain his vigor and energy for such a long time? "The basic driving force in all of my work has always been love. I feel a spiritual kinship to Mevlana, and all of my films have been a labor of love. The key to being able to work with the same motivation has always been love."
Among his favorite films of recent memory, Erakalın sites director Çağan Irmak’s tearjerker "Babam ve Oğlum" (My Father and My Son), calling it "a surprising return to Turkey’s old Yeşilçam movies."
The play is just the first messenger of Ülkü Erakalın’s comeback, with a movie to be released this year. "Çığlık Çığlığa Bir Sevda" (Screaming for Love) tells of the last 10 days of Turkey’s legendary singer Zeki Müren, bringing together veteran actors such as Ediz Hun, Selma Güneri, newcomers Irmak Ünal, Özge Özberk, and stage actor Tomris Oğuzalp.