I saw this movie under the title THE MAGIC VOYAGE OF SINBAD but thankfully it was the Russian version of the story, complete with the original character name of Sadko and English subtitles. This is a Soviet slice of fantasy about a roaming adventurer hero based on classic Russian folklore. The film is quite episodic and involves Sadko getting involved in various heroic deeds, including some Robin Hood-style redistribution of wealth and alms to the poor and some more fantastic adventures later on.
When watching Russian epics from the 1950s, the thing that you most notice about them is just how much they've dated over the years. This looks and feels like a 1930s-era film with mannered performances and old-fashioned scenery and shooting styles. The film is certainly larger than life in respect of the heroic deeds that the main character performs, some of which are reminiscent of the later sword and sandal films to come out of Italy. My favourite part involves a visit to an undersea kingdom, achieved by putting an aquarium in front of the screen. Fun stuff!
When watching Russian epics from the 1950s, the thing that you most notice about them is just how much they've dated over the years. This looks and feels like a 1930s-era film with mannered performances and old-fashioned scenery and shooting styles. The film is certainly larger than life in respect of the heroic deeds that the main character performs, some of which are reminiscent of the later sword and sandal films to come out of Italy. My favourite part involves a visit to an undersea kingdom, achieved by putting an aquarium in front of the screen. Fun stuff!