Cinema Retro's columnist Adrian Smith examines the fascinating tales behind the late producer Enzo Rispoli's troubled "dream productions" dealing with Genghis Khan and a classic Russian novel, "Quiet Flows the Don". Along the way, Rispoli had wooed such disparate talents as Ken Annakin, Charlton Heston, Ernest Borgnine, Sergei Bondarchuk and Marcello Mastroianni. However, the dissolution of the Soviet Union and an unsteady situation with finances led to severe problems with both productions. "Quiet Flows the Don" was ultimately transformed into a mini-series for Russian television after receiving the approval of President Putin but Rispoli's son Nicholas is attempting to create a version of the film that will be more suitable for international audiences. He also hopes to be able to source financing that will allow him to finish the Khan project as a six-part television production so that the epic film will finally be seen by the public. Adrian Smith interviews Nicholas Rispoli and you can access the article by clicking here.
