Konyok-gorbunok (1947)

Director:

Ivan Ivanov-Vano

Writer:

Pyotr Yershov (story)

Release Date:

18 April 1949 (USA)

Genre:

Animation | Family | Fantasy

Plot:

Plot Keywords:

Horse | Magic

Also Known As:

The Hunchedback Horse (International: English title)
The Magic Horse (International: English title)

Runtime:

57 min | Argentina:58 min | UK:54 min

Country:

Soviet Union

Language:

Russian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono | Mono

Certification:

Argentina:Atp | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl

Company:

Soyuzmultfilm

Trivia:

First full-length animated movie from the Soviet Union.

Movie Connections:

Remake of Konyok-gorbunok (1941)

Good but very different for those raised on Disney animation.

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.