(1939, Upgraded 4/7/21) Sergei Stolyarov, V. Sorogozhskaya, Georgi Millyar. This is a wonderful, epic fantasy with strong horror overtones. Three brothers—all Russian peasants—let their arrows fly, in search of brides. Each arrow lands at the home of their bride-to-be. The youngest brother, Ivanushka, finds that his arrow has landed on a massive lily pad inhabited by a very large frog. However, the frog soon turns into the the beautiful Vassilsa, who was originally turned into a frog by a horrible three-headed serpent. In order to save Vassilisa, Ivanushka must partake in a battle to the death with the serpent. He must, however, find a magic sword first, which turns out to be guarded by a giant spider. The black and white cinematography in this film is superb. The incredible sets are like something out of a dream. The special effects, though crude by today’s standards, are incredible for the time. This is truly a masterful fairy tale/horror story all in one. Don’t miss it. Wow. In Russian, sub-titled in English.
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