LinhThe 2008 Russian Resurrection Film Festival - Alyosha Popovich and Tugarin Zmej
November 17th 2008 10:54
The 2008 Russian Resurrection Film Festival is in its fifth year and continues to entertain audiences with a blend of the old and new of Russian cinema.
This year, the festival includes an animated film described in the programme guide as "Russia's answer to Shrek".
Beauty and the Bogatyr by Linh
Alyosha Popovich and Tugarin Zmej - Alyosha Popovich and Dragon Tugarin is based on the Russian folklore featuring the heroic exploits of the quick-witted knight (bogatyr) named Alyosha Popovich who uses trickery and tactics to defeat his foes.
However, the animated film has given the story a twist with Alyosha as a dim-witted but charismatic warrior who sets out to retrieve the gold which a clan of Mongols have stolen from his town. He is joined by his Grandfather, his childhood sweetheart and her Grandma and donkey, plus a smart and fast talking horse.
In the original story, Alyosha beheads the Dragon Tugarin (depicted as a Mongol Khan in the animated film) and sticks Tugarin's head on a stake. The producers have given Alyosha Popovich and Tugarin Zmej - Alyosha Popovich and Dragon Tugarin a more family- friendly story with a Disney-esque look of brightly coloured images, likeable characters, inoffensive humour and light-hearted practical jokes.
It's easy to see the similarities between Alyosha Popovich and Tugarin Zmej - Alyosha Popovich and Dragon Tugarin and the Shrek films, yet the style of the animation sets the two apart. In Alyosha Popovich and Tugarin Zmej - Alyosha Popovich and Dragon Tugarin the hand-drawn and hand-painted sketches are like illustrations from a children's storybook.
The characters are charming and their quirkiness adds to the story- telling and overall appeal of the film.
The film has a running voice narration which becomes a pleasant surprise in the end when the narrator is revealed.
Alyosha Popovich is the son of a priest who develops Herculean strengths despite his haplessness and gullibility. He is a handsome young man with a love of athletics and a heart of gold. His neighbour Lyubava has been fond of him since childhood, but Alyosha was always distracted with athletic pursuits to notice her.
This leads to some tension and laughs when Lyubava joins him on his quest to recover the town's stolen gold.
Lyubava is a beautiful teenager and a little naive as she was always molly-coddled by her Grandma Marudna from an early age. Despite her innocence, Lyubava knows what she wants but sulks if she cannot have it. She loudly laments of becoming an "old maid at the age of sixteen" if Alyosha won't marry her.
The comic relief in the film is Moses the talking, singing, dancing and irritating horse whose catch cry "Don't make my horse shoes laugh! " becomes tiring - until he loses his horse shoes to a talking tree. Very much like Eddie Murphy's Donkey in the Shrek films, Moses is equally cheeky, manipulative and quick to defend/help his friends on the journey.
The supporting characters are fun to watch as they bring some comedy, warmth and imagination to the film's simple plot.
Alyosha Popovich and Tugarin Zmej - Alyosha Popovich and Dragon Tugarin is a joyfully entertaining adventure for everyone, with a hero who meets his match in love (Lyubava) and war (Tugarin).
Director: Konstantin Bronzit
Cast: Anatoly Petrov, Natalya Danilova, Mikhail Chernyak, Lya Medvedeva, Oleg Kulikovich, Dmitry Vysotsky, Sergey Makovetsky.
Writers: Aleksandr Boyarskiy, Konstantin Bronzit, Ilya Maksimov, Maksim Sveshnikov
Producers: Aleksandr Boyarskiy, Sergei Selyanov
Original Music: Valentin Vasenkov
Running Time: 1 hour and 12 minutes
Language: Russian, English dubbed
This year, the festival includes an animated film described in the programme guide as "Russia's answer to Shrek".
Beauty and the Bogatyr by Linh
Alyosha Popovich and Tugarin Zmej - Alyosha Popovich and Dragon Tugarin is based on the Russian folklore featuring the heroic exploits of the quick-witted knight (bogatyr) named Alyosha Popovich who uses trickery and tactics to defeat his foes.
However, the animated film has given the story a twist with Alyosha as a dim-witted but charismatic warrior who sets out to retrieve the gold which a clan of Mongols have stolen from his town. He is joined by his Grandfather, his childhood sweetheart and her Grandma and donkey, plus a smart and fast talking horse.
In the original story, Alyosha beheads the Dragon Tugarin (depicted as a Mongol Khan in the animated film) and sticks Tugarin's head on a stake. The producers have given Alyosha Popovich and Tugarin Zmej - Alyosha Popovich and Dragon Tugarin a more family- friendly story with a Disney-esque look of brightly coloured images, likeable characters, inoffensive humour and light-hearted practical jokes.
INTREPID TRAVELLERS: Alyosha Popovich, Moses, Grandpa Tikhon, Lyubava, Grandma Marudna and Donkey go in search for their stolen gold in the film Alyosha Popovich and Tugarin Zmej - Alyosha Popovich and Dragon Tugarin. Image: Kinokompaniya CTB, Melnitsa Animation Studio
It's easy to see the similarities between Alyosha Popovich and Tugarin Zmej - Alyosha Popovich and Dragon Tugarin and the Shrek films, yet the style of the animation sets the two apart. In Alyosha Popovich and Tugarin Zmej - Alyosha Popovich and Dragon Tugarin the hand-drawn and hand-painted sketches are like illustrations from a children's storybook.
The characters are charming and their quirkiness adds to the story- telling and overall appeal of the film.
The film has a running voice narration which becomes a pleasant surprise in the end when the narrator is revealed.
Alyosha Popovich is the son of a priest who develops Herculean strengths despite his haplessness and gullibility. He is a handsome young man with a love of athletics and a heart of gold. His neighbour Lyubava has been fond of him since childhood, but Alyosha was always distracted with athletic pursuits to notice her.
This leads to some tension and laughs when Lyubava joins him on his quest to recover the town's stolen gold.
Lyubava is a beautiful teenager and a little naive as she was always molly-coddled by her Grandma Marudna from an early age. Despite her innocence, Lyubava knows what she wants but sulks if she cannot have it. She loudly laments of becoming an "old maid at the age of sixteen" if Alyosha won't marry her.
WHOOPS! : Grandpa Tikhon, Grandma Marudna, Moses, Alyosha and Lyubava watch in horror as their gigantic ball of gold rolls towards their town in the film Alyosha Popovich and Tugarin Zmej - Alyosha Popovich and Dragon Tugarin. Image: Kinokompaniya CTB, Melnitsa Animation Studio
The comic relief in the film is Moses the talking, singing, dancing and irritating horse whose catch cry "Don't make my horse shoes laugh! " becomes tiring - until he loses his horse shoes to a talking tree. Very much like Eddie Murphy's Donkey in the Shrek films, Moses is equally cheeky, manipulative and quick to defend/help his friends on the journey.
The supporting characters are fun to watch as they bring some comedy, warmth and imagination to the film's simple plot.
Alyosha Popovich and Tugarin Zmej - Alyosha Popovich and Dragon Tugarin is a joyfully entertaining adventure for everyone, with a hero who meets his match in love (Lyubava) and war (Tugarin).
BATTLING THE BEAST: Alyosha attempts to stop The Mongol Khan from killing Moses in the film Alyosha Popovich and Tugarin Zmej - Alyosha Popovich and Dragon Tugarin. Image: Kinokompaniya CTB, Melnitsa Animation Studio.
Director: Konstantin Bronzit
Cast: Anatoly Petrov, Natalya Danilova, Mikhail Chernyak, Lya Medvedeva, Oleg Kulikovich, Dmitry Vysotsky, Sergey Makovetsky.
Writers: Aleksandr Boyarskiy, Konstantin Bronzit, Ilya Maksimov, Maksim Sveshnikov
Producers: Aleksandr Boyarskiy, Sergei Selyanov
Original Music: Valentin Vasenkov
Running Time: 1 hour and 12 minutes
Language: Russian, English dubbed
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