ChicRawIdol
A brilliant film that helped define a genre
Robert Joyner
The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one
Phillipa
Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.
Armand
it is not impressive. old special effects, crumbs of propaganda, minor changes of story, only few special scenes. but it has a great virtue - for many adults from East Europe, it remains a touching souvenir. and, after years, the emotions are not very different. same delicate /cold charm of Natalia Klimova as Snow Queen. same identification with Gerda of Elena Proklova or Kay of Slava Zjupa. the silhouette of Valeri Nikitenko as narrator and, sure, maybe, the flavor of language. it is a Christmas ornament. delicate, gentle, childish, shining. that is its secret. and explanation for who, after years and years, its charm is not lost.
Perception_de_Ambiguity
Interestingly just like in 'Kingdom of Crooked Mirrors' (1964) - another Russian fairy tale movie I just watched yesterday - the king isn't the brightest bulb in the box and secretly is under the command of the kingdom's richest man, a capitalist through and through he made it big as a businessman by selling ice and as is usually the case with people who have handled ice a lot he is as pale as Dita von Teese, his body temperature is 34.2°C and consequently is heartless and spews "Nonsense!" a lot when other people talk about feelings.He's the story's main villain. Although he makes a lot of trouble for the main character - a girl on the quest to save her brother who has a cold heart after he kissed the snow queen (Nyzzzz!) and is now in her hands - he eventually lacks the courage, the willpower and the strength to ever finish anything he started because he comes to a halt as soon as he is confronted with an obstacle that he can't move out of the way by "throwing money at it" (=figuratively speaking...I suppose one has to make that clear when talking about a fairy tale movie). In one scene he negotiates with a group of thieves and when the head of the thieves asks if they can trust him he puts himself on the same level as thieves by saying: "Nonsense! We are both businesspeople." The message is clear, capitalists are criminals.The movie starts off with a teller of fairy tales walking the streets who through voice-over explains that he will not only tell but even show us a fairy tale in which he puts himself in. Although not one of the most prominent characters in the tale he secretly makes himself the hero because his character repeatedly saves the day. The "good guys" win their battles almost effortlessly and eventually it is VERY easy for the girl to bring her brother back home and to warm his cold heart again (which takes her two minutes of chit-chat with him).Visually it isn't too spectacular except for the titular Snow Queen whose appearance is dashing while her persona is positively icy and her impressive ice palace which you only get to see for one scene towards the end doesn't need to shy away from a comparison with "Superman"s Krypton sets.
suchenwi
This pleasant Soviet fairy tale was fun to watch, and interesting in its use of special effects (up to splicing in some seconds of cartoon, when real action would have been too difficult, especially with flying animals). After I got it with SuperIllu magazine two days ago, I watched it twice, and enjoyed the second time around even more.One might say this is a story about strong women. Starting from Grandmother who runs the household well, Gerda who sets out heroically to rescue her little brother Kai, the princess who clearly dominates her husband as well as her father the King, the impressive robber queen and her very independent daughter.. up to the titular Snow Queen of course - they all command the scenes they are in, while men appear in weaker, sometimes clownish roles (my favorite was the Hitler caricature who lost all his clothes and boots in gambling). I could see no "communist propaganda" in this charming film. But if it contributed to more self-consciousness of girls and women in its time, I can only applaud - as a 53yo man who watched this 43 years after it came out. I enjoyed it and recommend it, if you like Russian fantasy movies, or are just curious about films from elsewhere than Hollywood.
iliaden
To me this movie is nothing more than the adaptation of the masterpiece written by Shwartz. Since I saw the movie only a few days after reading the play, I had something to compare the movie with, and I must say that it's nicely done.Even though this story is written for small children (at least I believe that's how Anderson wrote it), Shwartz was able to rewrite it so that adults can also enjoy it.I liked the few scenes that represent the absurd (for example the kingdom divided into two parts), and this creates a world where everything is understood literally.The cast for this movie is also great. When I was reading the play, I could not picture myself the king. Yet when I saw Leonov, it became obvious that he is the perfect actor to play the king.After all, this is not a movie about an adventure, but about people, their reactions, their feelings.
