TaryBiggBall It was OK. I don't see why everyone loves it so much. It wasn't very smart or deep or well-directed.

SanEat A film with more than the usual spoiler issues. Talking about it in any detail feels akin to handing you a gift-wrapped present and saying, "I hope you like it -- It's a thriller about a diabolical secret experiment."

Paynbob It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

Philippa All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

jdt661944 I have no idea rate this movie... it's frames of reference are so foreign to me that it's impossible to judge this movie objectively. that be said i found the movie incredibly bizarre and creepy. if this is what Russian kids find funny and whimsical then the world is in bigger trouble then i thought. seriously words cannot describe this film. whether it was the simplistic dialog, the killer clown make up or freaky special effects i'm not sure but something is definitely off.make sure that you watch this movie during daylight hours. if you thought the exorcist was scary check out this movie... it will give you nightmares.

Sasha Maksimets Well, the only thing that can be said is, those bad reviews of the film can only be caused by the lack of knowledge of anything but for everyday routine and also by a lack of culture and education, or self-education. Perhaps, the interpretation into English is far from ideal (though I haven't watched it translated). I can say that there's a certain thing common to all those 'scornful' reviews: no desire on the part of their authors to find out more information and a certain bias to see something morbid or strange even in the purest and most innocent things. And a very poor knowledge of anything but English culture. No objective knowledge of Russian culture or history, no wish to compare. It should also be remembered that it's a children's film, so if the reviewers have forgotten how they used to feel as children, perhaps too early in their lives, they can only be pitied.

kasch10 I am from Slovakia and I've seen this movie a hundred times since I was absolutely little. You shouldn't philosophize so much here. Its simply a fairy tale for children or for those who love such movies. Just sit down in front of TV, shut up and watch. Its more than 40 years old so the special effects take with a pinch of salt. For those who cant take the facts about "Baba jaga" which is a word for witch or "Dom na stračích nôžkach" which is an expression for the house on the magpie legs etc. I have just one advise- its a part of Russian (and similar countries like Slovakia for example) folk traditions. Just get through it. Originally here things like Santa Claus with rein-deers, Valentines day etc weren't common. Alhough people weren't used to it now they just don't care now. I watch many films with Santa Claus and although in Slovak folk traditions he doesn't appear I don't criticize these films. I understand that its a part of traditions of some other countries.For example here in Slovakia the presents gives The little Jesus. Its common only in few countries. For example- Germany and Czech ;) But that wasn't my point. I just wanted to say hat you should just respect the age of this movie and the original Russian traditions. Thats all.

kalmoth I think that Mystery Science Theater 3000 treatment this movie received is completely undeserved, and is explained by a mix of ignorance and condescension common among the movie watching public in the United States whose tastes have been spoiled beyond redemption by the sugary and fizzy Hollywood children movies. Sad but true.It's a whimsical retelling of a classic fairy tale instantly recognizable by anyone who has any familiarity with Eastern and Central European folklore - wicked stepmother, pretty and industrious stepdaughter, witch who lives in a house on chicken legs and who can be helpful or, if in the mood, cannibalistic, and so on. One less commonly known element is Morozko (also known as Ded Moroz, or Grandfather Frost), a spirit of the winter forest. In pre-Christian times, giving gifts around the time of the winter solstice was considered his responsibility, and modern (19th century and later) Santa Claus is a refined and commercialized version of this old Pagan demi-god of the North.Anyway, the movie was good enough for its time to receive the Lion of San Marco at the Venice film festival. People complain about special effects - well, that was the state of the art for 1960s. The cast is excellent, including an appearance by Inna Churikova, who was then a student at a theater school in Moscow, as Marfushka, the epically bratty counterpart to Natalya Sedykh's Nasten'ka. Churikova went on to stardom as a character actress. Other notable appearances include Georgi Millyar, the veteran actor of Russian cinema, whose acting career spanned more than six decades, and who in this movie plays the cannibal witch Baba Yaga.