Heart of a Dog (1988)

In the wake of the Russian revolution, Professor Preobrazhensky rescues a starving dog from the gutter, and attempts to transform him into a man. Based on Mikhail Bulgakov's novel of the same name.

Director:

Vladimir Bortko

Writers:

Nataliya Bortko (script), Mikhail A. Bulgakov (story) (as Mikhail Afanasyevich Bulgakov)

Stars:

Evgeniy Evstigneev, Vladimir Tolokonnikov, Boris Plotnikov

1 win.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Evgeniy Evstigneev	...	Professor Filipp Filippovich Preobrazhensky
Vladimir Tolokonnikov	...	Poligraf Poligrafovich Sharikov
Boris Plotnikov	...	Dr. Bormenthal
Roman Kartsev	...	Schwonder
Nina Ruslanova	...	Darya Petrovna Ivanova
Evgeniy Kuznetsov	...	Pestrukhin
Olga Melikhova	...	Zinochka Bunina
Aleksey Mironov	...	Fyodor
Anzhelika Nevolina	...	Vasnetsova
Natalya Fomenko	...	Vyazemskaya
Ivan Ganzha	...	Zharovkin
Valentina Kovel	...	The Patient
Sergey Filippov	...	The Patient
Roman Tkachuk	...	Nikolay Persikov
Natalya Lapina	...	Spiritualist Session Participant

Storyline

In the wake of the Russian revolution, a starving dog is rescued from the streets of Moscow by a cultivated professor. The professor experiments on the dog, who soon begins to transform into a man. The Bolsheviks downstairs are pleased: after all, those who live lives fit for dogs deserve better. Yet how will the professor cope with this strange animal? Is it still possible to keep him on a leash? Or will he bite?

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Plot Keywords:

animal becoming a human | russia | medical experiment | animal in title | surrealism | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

PG

Did You Know?

Trivia

A dog named Karai was filmed in the role of Sharik. The owner and trainer of the dog is Yelena Nikiforova. The dog was in the service of the police and by the beginning of filming, the heroic mongrel had 38 arrests on its account. After "Heart of a Dog" Karay starred in four more films.

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Connections

Remake of Dog's Heart (1976)

User Reviews

Historical Revolutionary tragicomedy with elements of fantasy

This magnificent painting by Vladimir Bortko of printed for the first time in the Soviet Union only in 1987, early satirical novel by Mikhail Bulgakov about the fantastic transformation of stray dog ​​ in a typical Soviet citizen Sharikov often show is now on television the anniversary of the October Revolution (by the way, is so-called revolution until the end 20s). And each time it is to be understood as a special treatment with a sobering effect on the revival of historical illusions and delusions (sorry that Bortko himself is now defected to the Communists, and even joined the Communist Party!). Three characters, the key to understanding the uniqueness of the moment has long expired - balls, Shvonder and Professor Preobrazhensky (in excellent, sometimes just virtuoso performance respectively Tolokonnikova Vladimir, Roman and Eugene Evstigneeva Kartseva) - can be said to have become a household figures. And thanks to them, as well as due to finely-crafted direction that does not rush to extremes, and an overlap, following commendable sense of proportion and taste, a pivotal era in the destiny of the country appeared on the screen in capacious, aphoristic form, which is not devoid of bright tragifarsovosti.

A skillful operator (in black and white, but slightly virirovannoy tone) work Yuri Shaygardanova has written the historical and revolutionary fantastic anecdote in stylized retro long sunk into oblivion peace. All this suggests the adaptation of Vladimir Bortko, maybe the best version of Bulgakov's works, which corresponds exactly to the plan of the writer, significant realized by him in the ninth year of the revolution.

Details

Country:

Soviet Union

Language:

Russian

Release Date:

20 November 1988 (Soviet Union)

Also Known As:

Heart of a Dog

Company Credits

Production Co:

Lenfilm Studio

Technical Specs

Runtime:

136 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1