Reviews & Ratings for
Ivan Vasilievich: Back to the Future More at IMDbPro »Ivan Vasilevich menyaet professiyu (original title)

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21 reviews in total

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77 out of 81 people found the following review useful:
can you dislike Gaidai?, 18 March 2006

Author: R_Grey from Florida, United States

I own two copies of this film, one purchased in Russia (no subtitles), and one I've acquired recently to show it to my wife with subtitles. She wasn't very excited about Russian cinema, she isn't a film person and hates to read subtitles, but this time she gave in.

As many reviewers mentioned before, majority of the humor relies on the verbal misunderstandings between the characters from different time eras, that of 1500's and that of 1970's.

I've paused the film no less than a dozen times to explain such details as the meaning of world "liapota," it being the ancient word for the modern equivalent of "beauty," and to explain Visotskii's (a Russian singer whom Ivan the Terrible listens) lyrics. Also, there are many little social comments that those who haven't lived in, visited, or studied Soviet Union wouldn't understand completely i.e. the obvious ridicule of the "social reports" and the black market commentary.

Nevertheless, she liked it, and I was dumbfounded.

This film is popular and remembered because of its many layers. You may enjoy it simply as slapstick, someone else can view it for the language, while yet others can view it as a social commentary. It adds up if you know the Russian language and history, but even if you don't you will still find it funny and charming because there is always something to take away.

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54 out of 62 people found the following review useful:
Perfect blend!, 21 December 2003

Author: Todor Nenov from Bourgas, Bulgaria

It is perhaps the best Soviet comedy ever made... But it`s very difficult for a person, who does not speak Russian to understand it completely. The movie is full with tricky details, specific language and many funny episodes, so typical for the Socialist era. It is a constant pleasure to watch over and over again!

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38 out of 42 people found the following review useful:
The best in Russian comedy. Bulgakov's revival., 7 December 2000
Author: scribbler-2 from Russia

An adaptation of Mikhail Bulgakov's story based on a grotesque collision of different historical periods. Some visual humor involved. A couple of awkward chases and a lot of awesome jokes. One of the best Russian comedies, second to none except 'Brilliantovaya ruka' by the same film director.

It is interesting that the film spans not only the time of Ivan the Terrible and the 70's but also the 20's when Bulgakov's original was written. Although the influence of the 20's is mainly atmospheric, it is nevertheless visible in the fact that most of the character's names sound funny in the way usual for the satirical literature of that period.

Contrary to what may seem to a foreign audience, the chase sequences in the movie serve only as a rather ineffectual background for the main comical action, which is almost entirely verbal and basically relies on the combination of contemporary language with its archaic counterpart of the 16th century - a detonating mixture that is guaranteed to kill the native-speaking audience.

Considering the fact that the movie is featuring some of the most popular Soviet actors, it is not surprising that this low-budget and obviously slap-dash production has managed to gain the nationwide reputation of a classic, with most of its memorable quotes nearly approaching the status of catch-phrases.

The film can be tentatively recommended to advanced learners of Russian and certainly to all those who specialize in the study of this language.

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34 out of 37 people found the following review useful:
a fun romp, 25 May 2005

Author: (David.Chappell@trincoll.edu) from Hartford, Connecticut, USA

This is one of the greatest comedies produced by the Soviet cinema. It continues to be hugely popular among Russian speaking people (who have all seen it). Even if one does not understand any Russian, the movie is quite watchable in subtitled versions.

The plot itself is a rather standard one about ordinary guys thrust into a strange culture with action and adventure. What makes the movie special is superb acting, witty dialog, good pacing, and engaging music.

This movie deserves a place along side other action-adventure comedies such as The Princess Bride.

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33 out of 38 people found the following review useful:
One of the best Soviet comedies ever filmed!, 8 February 2007

Author: ryazan62 from Russian Federation

Hi!

As the title of the comment points this is one of the best Soviet comedies ever filmed. And that's is the reason for many people from other countries of the world not to get it's meaning. I would say that even modern day Russians - who have never lived in The Soviet Union, who have no idea what Iron Curtain or Warsaw Treaty Organization is will never understand and enjoy it in full. But anyone who is acquainted with Soviet reality will vote 10 of 10 - I am sure. So do not blame Americans or peoples from other countries for not getting Soviet comedies (those were great; and modern day Russian comedies is pure crap - I am sorry) - they were so very oriented to our former reality that are hard to get in modern days. My score is 20 of 10.

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35 out of 48 people found the following review useful:
Classic Russian Humor, 23 September 2007

Author: Max Y from Canada

All the humor in the movie was original at the time, and still is, but I guess not to everyone, especially residents of the US who are used to perverted humor and such.

I find it silly how a non Russian speaking person could rate this movie at all...

This movie is purely made for Russia and all the former USSR countries, and most of the Russian population have all seen it and love it!

A lot of phrases in the movie are commonly used everywhere in Russia to this day, and will be used for at least another century.

This film made Russian history.

I love it too!

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23 out of 30 people found the following review useful:
A very funny film; plenty of comic action around Moscow and district., 9 March 1999
Author: yvonne-5 from Brussels, Belgium

Shurik (a character in several other comedy films) is experimenting at home with an invention which goes wrong and puts him, a passing burglar, and the apartment supervisor back into the time of Ivan the Terrible. There are a lot of chases and action, so you can still enjoy the film even if some of the Russian dialogue passes you by. Good views of several historic buildings, and an insight into 1973 Moscow as well as a bit of a history lesson. Not all Russian films are doom and gloom.

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26 out of 37 people found the following review useful:
Good slapstick type humor and some jokes that I didn't get because I speak very little Russian, 20 February 2000
Author: gagewyn from Gainesville, FL

I saw this in Russian without subtitles, so I missed most of the dialogue. Luckily about half the humor is purely visual, so I was still entertained. One doesn't need to speak Russian to understand that Ivan the Terrible is confused by the elevator.

In terms of the visual humor it is well done. Most of the humor comes in the form of extended chase sequences with high film speed. The thief is especially funny, although with the mustache he came across looking like an armature porn star at first. I think this was intentional. Also, the footage of the black cat climbing up things and looking flustered is well done and cute.

I recommend this film to those looking for well done slapstick type humor. From laughter by those present who spoke fluent Russian I think that there are probably some fairly good verbal jokes too.

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21 out of 28 people found the following review useful:
Very funny humor and satire on the Soviet Reality., 13 February 2000

Author: Freedman Sergei from Tsoran, Israel

If You have a chance to see the movie - just do it! If You're looking for a way for enabling to see the impossible like too much possible without tricks with computerized effects, for doing great movie with a lot of meanings (needs to know and understand a bit the Socialist Soviet Reality) You can find all of that in that movie. But if You're looking just for fun and nothing more, see the movie and make for Yourself great relaxing evening.

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24 out of 34 people found the following review useful:
i would advise it to those who study Russian :), 31 October 2003
Author: Alina from Germany

This film is the classics for those who speak Russian. Many of the charachter's sayings passed into a proverb and are widely used in informal talk. But to enjoy the language one should have a notion about old-Slavic language. As for the comment about the thief looking as a porn star and the probability that the producer intended this - it is absolutely impossible.

Soviet cimetography never used pornographic details, besides Soviet viewer din't see any porno films until maybe late 80s and there were nothing to hint to in 1973 (!). In this respect, the soviet viewer was absolutely innocent and naive.

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