Abenteuer im Zauberwald

C'mon people,

this is a freaking f a i r y t a l e! what do you expect from a fairy tale for small children? in Russia, it is considered a movie for 3-5 year olds. i was really disappointed with some hostile comments i've read here - like "a movie for commies" and so on. Why should the movie be the reason to express hate and cheap stupid irony towards the Russian people and Russian children? What does this movie have to do with Communism (by the way, how many of 'smart reviewers' know what the term means? Do not be so hypocritical, ladies and gentlemen. Just admit you want to say crap about Russia or russians because you are ignorant and brainwashed by your media. You don't need a movie for 5 year olds to do that - just go ahead and talk crap for the sake of it. Merry Christmas, everyone.

OK. I guess some explanation from native Russian, who enjoyed this movie as a kid (among millions) and still enjoys it, a required... :)))) First of all, some facts: - This movie is a really considered to be CLASSICS, believe it or not. And it has a lot of awards. That's why it was re-released on tape in USA. - There was NO computer effects available back in 1964. Comparing to fairy movies made worldwide at the same era, the FX is OK. - The plot may seem pretty strange, but hey, look at Alice In Wonderland for example: White Rabbit, Mad Hatter, Caterpillar on a mushroom smoking something like pot, Mock-Turtle, a kingdom of playing cards, constant size changes, etc - all in one single tale. :))))))

Now back to the movie. There's two main lines in the plot. The first one is about a smart, handsome guy (Ivan), who was too egocentric so Mushroom Pixie just punished (cursed) him, turning him in half-bear. After the guy did repent he turned into a human again. The second one is a Cinderella-type story which I guess appears in all ethnic tales worldwide. So the plot is pretty clear - both heroes has to overcome the negative obstacles and then they get the reward, and get married.

Now about the `weird' stuff. It's all common to Russian fairy tales. Jack Frost usually plays to roles in a fairy tale - as an analog of Santa and also as an impersonation of a Winter itself. A kind of a pagan lesser god. (Pagan heritage is very strong in a Russian folk tales). The Witch - Baba Yaga also has some dualism in fairy tale. Sometimes she's just typical evil witch, sometimes just an unpredictable witch who can help the hero for some reasons.Oh, and a House On The Birds' Legs is her certain attribute.

Another important note - the entire movie has a grotesque aesthetics. First of all, it's in a Russian folk tradition, than it's a movie for kids, so all the villains just must be ugly and funny at the same time. Sorry, but politically correct tale will be just boring.

So for an average Russian kid it's just a very impressive funny movie with a lot of action. Where the Evil is punished and all the Good get a reward.

Did not see the English edition, and happy about it. Being 100% fluent in both Russian and English, I cringe thinking how mangled a translation can get either way. Especially if the original is real heavy on cultural lore. I did watch and love the Russian movie - as little kid, and as a grown-up. This movie has very little 'Soviet' in it, really. It does promote the basic human values of being kind, brave, honest, polite etc, but is fully based on ancient Russian fairy tales. Slavic culture is thousands of years old, and these tales are on par with Kalevala, Ramayana, Beowulf, Iliad and other ancient epics.

To great credit of communist rule, the cultural background awareness was not suppressed, but strengthened and encouraged during Soviet era. Books were printed, movies were made; ancient Russian literature and history were studied in schools. Like many other European cultures, Russians preserved their identity. This movie is something they IDENTIFY with. In fact, any culturally educated person - not necessarily Russian - will recognize this movie for what it is and respect it.

For all of you, who think this movie is stupid, just because it doesn´t fit into your watching habits:

Is it bizarre? Of course it is, but check these really old German, French or English tales and legends. I wonder what you´d say to the original Brothers Grimm collection. I think that´s also the problem with understanding, the people of America simply don´t have this part of culture, because it comes directly from the medieval age.

The story has its roots so far away, so deep in the Slav history, that if Hollywood would like to make something comparable, they´d have to steal the story from some ancient native American tribe.

Nothing terrible will not see. For the Russians it is a very good tale, many were brought up on it. And no, that everything went crazy. Remember Pushkin's fairy tales: "There on unknown paths of the Traces unseen animals; the hut there on chicken legs It is worth without Windows, without doors". Every child knows, walking the houses,the trees, talking mushrooms, flying on a broomstick the witch Baba-Yaga is a fairy tale! What the wizard is a mushroom turned hero to bear, in a fairy tale wanted to show that rude and boasters it is bad. And let's not forget that this is all the 1964 year. What in those years, the special effects?