Evil witch Louhi (wizened old crone Anna Orochko) kidnaps sweet fair maiden Annikki (lovely blonde Eva Kivi) from her peaceful village in order to get her rugged blacksmith and magician brother Ilmarinen (solid Ivan Voronov) to build her a magical device known as a sampo. After honest, decent woodmans Lemminkainen (likable Andris Oshin) and Ilmarinen rescue Annikki from Louhi's vile clutches, the wicked old hag retaliates by stealing the sun and putting the village in a permanent state of dark bitter cold. Director Aleksandr Ptushko relates the compelling and imaginative story at a steady pace and does a sound job of maintaining a pleasant, charming tone throughout. Moreover, there's a cool sense of quirky creativity evident in the narrative: Among the funky oddball touches are a field of deadly snakes that Lemminkainen has to plow, a killer flying cloak, a whiny talking tree and talking road, and the villagers making magic harps to combat the witch with. Best of all, the simple and straightforward plot about good versus evil proves to be quite engaging thanks to its refreshing lack of pretense. Igor Morozov's sweeping, dramatic score, Marvin Miller's melodious narration, the nifty special effects, and the crisp cinematography by Gennadi Tsekavy and Viktor Yakushev all further enhance the considerable appeal of this nice little movie.
Review of The Day the Earth Froze
