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Morozko (1964) More at IMDbPro »

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52 out of 63 people found the following comment useful :-
WHAT???, 16 January 2003
Author: pagras from Czech republic

People, I don't understand you. This movie is a very good fairy-tale and in my country it has become so popular that it runs on TV every year. Well, it usually runs on December 31rd, which indicates that people take it partly ironically, but the movie itself is a humorous caricature and I don't understand the arguements I see here. In fact, I couldn't imagine that MOROZKO could receive such bad reviews, if I didn't see it in my own eyes.

I don't know what they did of it in the United States, but I really don't think that the English version could get close to the original. It is simply unimaginable. On the other hand, it is true that the Czech dubbing of MOROZKO is excellent and it may overcome the Russian version.

In any case, if you don't know that Baba Yaga (a common inventary of Russian fairy-tales) lives in a house on the bird's legs (which every child in my country knows very well), then nobody can help you.

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43 out of 55 people found the following comment useful :-
Wow, what a misunderstanding!, 18 August 2003
Author: luinr1 from Germany

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.

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39 out of 50 people found the following comment useful :-
A wonderful fantasy film, 17 January 2005
9/10
Author: panamajaq from Santa Cruz, CA

I saw this movie on my favorite show, Mystery Science Theater 3000. Although Mike and the Bots were mercilessly pummeling it with hilarious comments, I could see that it wasn't a bad movie at all. So I decided that I would write a good review for it on the Movie Database. I was surprised at the number of reviews, both positive and negative, that were here already. I'm not the first person to say this, but it's clear to me that my fellow Americans don't understand this movie.

It seems that many foreign films, especially those of the sci-fi/fantasy genre, are derrided in America for being "cheesy". Do the effects in these movies look completely real? No, of course not. That's not the point. It seems that in other countries, people can suspend their disbelief when watching movies like "Morozko," and it doesn't matter that the special effects don't look completely real. Americans, on the other hand, want nothing but flashy special effects. Perhaps I am wrong, but these things seem evident not only from the movies themselves, but from the way we react to those movies.

There was a time when Americans could suspend their disbelief. Remember "The Wizard of Oz"? You know, the movie with that guy dressed in a fake-looking lion suit, whom we are supposed to believe is really the Cowardly Lion? Isn't that a crappy movie? No, it was a great movie for its time and it still is a great movie! Viewers accepted the man in the suit as the Coardly Lion. End of story. However, if "The Wizard of Oz" was remade in today's Hollywood, we'd get a computer-generated lion, along with lots of flashy CG flying monkeys. There is certainly nothing wrong with CG, but I find it rather disturbing that we can't just use our imaginations and suspend our disbelief.

What about the acting? Yes, it does seem very bad, but if you are seeing it in America then you are probably seeing the American version. It has been DUBBED, stupid! If you dubbed "Casablanca" into Russian, Huphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman would seem like terrible actors as well.

If you watch this movie, you have to ignore the "bad" special effects and, if you aren't watching the original language version, the bad dubbing. You have to concentrate the things that are really important, like the interesting plot, which is woven from a number of different Russian folk tales. It never ceases to amaze me how similar the folk stories of different countries are. I had never heard any Russian folk tales before (except for the one about Baba Yaga in her house on chicken legs) but I still recognized the stories that make up this movie because they are so similar to the ones I was told as a child. Whether you are reading the Grimms Fairy Tales, the Arabian Nights, or stories from Russia, you will find that they are all basically the same. This really comforts me because it shows that even though our cultures may be very different, we all have the same basic morals and values like "Don't be arrogant" and "Don't harm the weak." These are morals that are clearly displayed in this movie.

The action in this movie revolves around the story's two main characters, Nastenka and Ivan. Nastenka (wow, the actress who plays her sure is pretty!) is a young lady who, like Cinderella, lives with her evil stepmother and is forced to do all of the housework. Ivan is an arrogant lad who leaves home and embarks on a series of adventures. He falls in love with Nastenka, learns to stop being arrogant, and eventually must rescue Nastenka from an evil Baba Yaga. If you have no sense of humor or can't use your imagination, this movie is not for you.

Many people dislike this movie, but I've read their reviews and don't think they are very well thought out. They simply don't understand it. However, I'm glad to see that there are a few people who appreciate this heartwarming movie and it's enchanting spirit, which makes it a great movie for children and adults who are young at heart.

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24 out of 26 people found the following comment useful :-
Some comments for those who can't dig in..., 9 January 2002
Author: Carbophos from Moscow, Russia

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.

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28 out of 34 people found the following comment useful :-
To all of you Americans who saw this movie and did not like it, 19 July 2002
Author: Natasha from Chicago, USA

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.

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32 out of 44 people found the following comment useful :-
Do not try to understand..., 5 November 2001
10/10
Author: stajna from The Czech Republic

All you people from the western hemisphere, please, do not waste your time trying to understand this fairly-tale. As I can read from the comments, the majority of you are not successful at all and it gives me the impression that the cultural difference is really too big for you to comprehend. If you do not understand, do not dispraise it. We also do not understand a big part of your culture but I do not hear anybody to say: "burn it all". Be tolerant and take it as a part of cultural heritage you do not have.

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33 out of 46 people found the following comment useful :-
Wonderful kids-movie. Stupid critics., 7 January 2005
9/10
Author: elenoid (elenoid@iloveu.com) from Under the Waves

I was quite surprised reading all those comments... I never thought people could be so incredibly ignorant...

This movie IS sweet & naive, but that's the point! The plot is full of Russian folklore elements which most of people here call "surrealism"... Every Russian kid knows about this "surreal" house on legs & Father Frost (which is analogical to santa, by the way). The plot is very simple & understandable, & the only circumstances that one can't understand the plot, is when one doesn't know Russian, or, on the other hand the most complicated plot he's ever seen is legally blonde...which is, of course a pity. I've watched this movie many times as a kid, & it's a sweet legend, recommended in case your kid is smart enough to understand a plot which is a bit more complex then porn movies.

I wonder how would those who criticized this film, comment on old Grimm's books, without seeing Disney's version, which is in most of the cases, far, very very far, from the original.

Also i would like to reply all those who complained about the lousy special effects- what did you expect? Matrix? The film was shot in '64! And for a '64 USSR kids movie it's great! So all of those who weren't smart enough for this movie should find out more about other cultures. The world is not just one big McDonald's. Thank god.

I gave it 9 out of 10. just for a better rating.

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22 out of 28 people found the following comment useful :-
Call me strange, but...., 14 January 2005
6/10
Author: from Australia

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.

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24 out of 33 people found the following comment useful :-
A GENUINELY Wild and Unpredictable Children's Film, 22 June 2002
Author: tostinati from United States

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.

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12 out of 13 people found the following comment useful :-
Both versions GREAT, 5 August 2003
Author: rufasff from Los Angeles CA

I think I can solve this. I saw this first on MST3K, loved the way they

heaped abuse on it, one of the funniest shows ever.

This got me so into the movie that I bought the DVD, a really

beautiful package with the history of the movie and interveiw with the

star. Also, when you see the beautiful photography you can see how this

became an enchanting classic for many around the world. It's really

quite stunning. It really makes me want to see some of the other

Russian epics abused by MST3k, like "The Day The Earth Froze." Anyway,

if you have any taste for the unusual, this DVD is highly reccomended.

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