Morozko

Must see it with an open mind! And keep in mind that it is an old Russian folktale, it is an old movie 1964 and translation as always is oversimplified.

1) This is not a Fairytale it is a FOLKTALE and the difference is huge!!! 2) Yes – Russian folk contains the elements of cannibalism 3) Yes – it states that time is illusion 4) Yes – Good always wins over Bad 5) Please read any folktales of African, Eskimo, Native American cultures and you'll see that almost all of these tales possess the same elements: talking birds, animals and trees that are human in someway...

6) Did this movie seemed psychedelic to you? Maybe because Russian folk were influenced by intake of psychedelic substances (Agaricus - the beautiful red mushroom with white dots) just like many other old cultures were influenced with intake of hallucinogenics or fasting to alter their mind and reality. 7) Some one wrote – `I suspect that there was simply lots and lots and lots of vodka present at the making of this film. After all, they had to keep warm in the snow, didn't they?' – This is very sad! Do Russians drink alcohol? Believe me no more than people from other countries do! Unfortunately Americans grew up on stereotypes that were fabricated by propaganda. 8) This is one of my favorite movies of all times. I don't know what kind of comments were made by the crew of MST3k but now after reading all these commentaries, I can see that they completely butchered the movie. And people who referring to the bad dialogs – how can you judge when you don't understand Russian and translations are always over simplified… The perception on acting, I guess, is very different in every country, you not going to compare the acting in Hollywood movie and acting in a play that is shown in theaters, right? Well, acting in Russia is different than Hollywood's it is more theatrical. 9) And about poorly made – the movie was made in 1964, for god's sake! 10) Some one wrote – "Nastinka" is CUTE…' – well, it just shows what Americans expect of the movies to be and that is why Hollywood is full of `cute' but talent less actors! 11) And to all of you who wrote that this is a mix of other stories… Well, the sad fact is that Americans don't even know the original stories! Because they only know what primitive Disney made for them. I am not talking of Walt Disney he was a great artist. But the Disney studio is a shame to his name. Very surprisingly Americans don't even know that Bambi is not a Disney story – it was a book at first, written in 1923 by Siegmund Salzmann 1869-1945. I live in USA for 13 years and did not meet even one person who would know that.

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.

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?

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.

I saw this film when I was probably seven years old, a few years after it was released with English dubbed into it. I saw it in the theatre with my sister's Brownie troop, and I recall it as being fantastical in nature, but, as a child, I loved that sort of thing. I loved the living house with feet, the mushroom man (who reminded me of a character from Fantasia,) and the beautiful Nastenka. This is a Romeo and Juliet story with all of the details borrowed from the Brothers Grimm and Russian fairy tales. I am sure, if I saw this as an adult, it might seem rather disjointed, but as a kid, I loved it. I saw it again a few years after the theatre release, as a Sunday afternoon television movie, and enjoyed it just as much, as an older child. Perhaps kids today would be too sophisticated to enjoy it - but I enjoyed it enough to look it up on IMDb.