Konyok-Gorbunok

I watched this animated feature in the 1950's on a New York City Saturday morning show, The Children's Hour, hosted by Ed Herlihy. I had no idea what the title was, and just found it on a link to old children's tv shows.

The animation is beautiful - up to Disney's standards in Snow White, Fantasia and Bambi. I knew it was Russian film, but do not remember reading the subtitles. It was a tale of fantasy concerning a young boy who had to rescue a princess by passing through a series of "tests." Typical folk take fodder, but the great moment when he has to jump into each of three cauldron - one freezing, one boiling and I don't remember the third - kept me breathless, each and every time they aired the film. When he jumps into the third cauldron it seems to take forever before he emerges. I was sure he had died. But he emerges, no longer a slight young man, but a hearty grown man, worthy of winning the princess.

Ah, such were the tales I grew up on. A prince would rescue me and I'd never have to worry about doing anything with my life again! Sad, but when the animation is breathtaking, I can forgive the society that perpetuated such myths.

Russian animation has really fascinated me as of late, and the 1947 version of The Humpbacked Horse was one of the standouts, and deserves to be seen more than historical value. The animation is really beautiful, the luscious colours, elegantly drawn backgrounds and mostly fluid character designs are like a nice mix of Golden Age Disney, very early Looney Tunes and Fleischer. The image of the horse flying in the air at the start was especially striking. The music fits really beautifully, very Russian in tone and manages to be rousing and understated when called for. I loved The Humpbacked Horse's pace, to begin with it's slow but I was never bored and nothing came across as dragged out or pointless, and the story stood out for its occasional strangeness, fresh naivety and also that it's very narratively culture-specific. The characters are engaging and all serve a point to the story, and the voice acting is expressive and dynamic enough. There is an animated film of the same story from 1975 that follows what we see here quite closely, and while it was interesting and well-done on the whole, I do much prefer the pacing here and the voices fit the characters here more too. All in all, wonderful. 10/10 Bethany Cox

A Russian fairy tale.

Three brothers try to see who is eating their grain, the older to wander off and leave the youngest to watch. He captures the thief, a magic horse who gives him two other horses and a magic pony to let him go.

Circumstance brings him into the court of the king where he runs afoul of the Royal soothsayer who uses the boys bragging to get him into trouble, or in this movie has him sent off on quest after quest.

The style could best be described as cartoony realism with a dash of Tintin meets Winsor Mc Kay and children's book illustration for good measure.

Its pure fairy tale.

The film is okay but its very Russian film-esquire.It doesn't help that its badly dubbed.

I like a lot the animation, I like the story, I'm just not crazy about the film. The pacing is a bit off and I found I did hit scan a couple of times.

If you like good animation (the actual animation itself, not the type of movie)take a look. I don't think you'll go crazy for this, but I do think you will enjoy it. Also if you like leisurely told fairy tales.

One bit I read on the film said that the one thing that stuck with the author was the test of the three kettles, and rightly so. Its a very well done piece, as is all of the film having to do with the moon maiden.

This was my absolute favorite childhood movie which virtually disappeared from sight. Apparently the film master was in terrible shape and couldn't be restored at the time. I am talking about the Russian version which is the one I would have watched as a child so I suspect it had English dubbing as I would never have watched anything in Russian. The newer version is visually as appealing since it is made by the same folks but the character voices are jarring and all wrong. I would love to have the original but cannot locate it anywhere. The storyline and colors remain quite attractive to the average child as I managed to purchase the "American" version and showed it to some school-age children. They were quite enchanted. If you are searching for something new and different for your children, I would highly recommend this.

and, maybe, it is its precious virtue. because it has the gift to be the favorite of each age. for the child - the colors and the fluidity of animation and the simple , honest Ivanushka and his good friend , the little magic, loyal horse are the pillars for joy. for the adult - the Russian cultural references, the waves remembering the Japanese stamp, the costumes and buildings and feast and the new Ivanushka from the end and the Tsar and, sure, the ...horses. the music, the young daughter of the Moon, the dances and the spirit and emotions from the reading of the book by Pyotr Ershov.the last detail, across decades, remains, for me, the most precious virtue of the film.