Ilya Muromets

[Real version] Like most Soviet pictures, it’s as equally grand as it is racist and caricatured but once you remove yourself from the assumed cultural mandates… man, what a feat. It just becomes grand. The film moves in broad, folk and troubadour strokes, weaving a tapestry of magic and majesty, tall tales rising to meet the common plight. Often silly, but more often than that, it’s simply beautiful. Individual shots show incredible artistry in their fantasy, predating LOtR by a striking margin.

You people giving scores based on the American edited version, especially the one from MST3K, should be banned from Criticker.

At least that wind troll was pretty cool.

Mst3k: 7/10

While this tale of heroic deeds in the face of devious deviltry is not as interesting as some of Ptushko’s other adaptations, the film does present a nonstop parade of amazement and often beauty. More than that, it stands as testament to the eternal love Russians have for their fair city of Kiev.

Among other distinctions, this movie features some formidably silly headwear.

I have seen the US version, which was munged horribly and released on VHS as _The Sword and the Dragon_. This rating is subject to change, possibly greatly, if I ever get to see this Soviet epic "for real"