Morozko (1964)

User Rating:

3.7/10   

Director:

Aleksandr Rou

Writers:

Nikolay Erdman (writer)
Mikhail Volpin (writer)

Release Date:

September 1966 (USA)

Genre:

Family | Fantasy

Tagline:

Fabulous Winter-Time Wonder-Maker!

Plot:

Strange Russian fairy tale dealing with a boy and a girl who go through the strangest situations to be with one another...

Plot Keywords:

Jack Frost | Witch | Tree | Bear | Sleigh

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Aleksandr Khvylya	...	Jack Frost
Natalya Sedykh	...	Nastenka
Eduard Izotov	...	Ivan
Inna Churikova	...	Marfusha
Pavel Pavlenko	...	Father
Vera Altajskaya	...	Stepmother
Georgi Millyar	...	Baba Yaga (The Witch)
Mikhail Yanshin	...	Old Mushroom
Galina Borisova	...	Old Mushroom
Anatoli Kubatsky	...	Bandit Chieftain
Valentin Bryleyev	...	Eligible Bachelor
Tatyana Pelttser	...	Eligible Bachelor's Mother
Tatyana Barysheva	...	Matchmaker
Varvara Popova	...	Old Woman
Zinaida Vorkul	...	Ivan's Mother

Also Known As:

Морозко (Soviet Union: Russian title)
Father Frost (International: English title)
Jack Frost (USA)
The Crystal Star (USA)
The Frosty

Runtime:

84 min

Country:

Soviet Union

Language:

Russian

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-8

Company:

Gorky Film Studios

Trivia:

The English-dubbed version of this film was used for an episode of "Mystery Science Theater 3000" under the title "Jack Frost".

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: You can see a wire briefly visible on the feather which Ivan throws.

Quotes:

Singer #1: [singing] Oh, you dear boy, Ivan. Come to meet me at the gate! I got a brand-new sarafan, all of silk and lace it's made!
Singer #2: [singing] Vania, Vania, wait a bit, where have you been to? Don't pass by, we must meet. Look into my window!
Group of Singers: [singing] Please, Ivan, don't leave forever, on the porch we'll sit together. Of an apple, take a bite, we'll be talking, side by side.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: Jack Frost (#9.13)" (1997)

Soundtrack:

The Fir Tree Thrives and Grows

A GENUINELY Wild and Unpredictable Children's Film

Forget the precious and technologically sledge-hammered atmosphere of Tim Burton's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Forget the vibe that is only as wacky as flat-footed focus groups of suburban oafs who grew up on Edward Scissorhands will allow. This film, Jack Frost, is wild and raw and original in a way that is certain to sail straight over the heads of over-preening SFX fans. This films technique, and any message or moral it bears, are bound to be lost on a generation that cannot tell a good-looking film from a good one.

It might be that having lived through the last 20 years of American cinema will ruin this film for you. You may see the simplicity as technical shortfall and the humor as neither ironic, rude nor smart ass enough. --Which is a pity. This is actually an offbeat little film from before every film was banked at the GNP of a small-to-mid-sized nation, and had to be so sure fire trashy/exciting that it was absolutely guaranteed to make back 20 times that.

And when I read seething criticism of Morozko, I see burnt out adolescents vainly denouncing a simple, guileless little flick out of pitiable reflexes born of involuntary submersion in a culture of video game violence, runaway production values, shock jock sensibility contamination and cable TV soft core porn.

Ten Stars. Work with it, Slappy.