Vasily Livanov muses on a three-pipe problem in the Russian production of THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES.
stills from very recognizable Western horror movies; and both Holmes and Watson sensibly wear roll-neck pullovers as often as starched collar-and-tie outfits. With a distinctive grave, emo- tional, respectful theme tune, the overall approach is obviously fond: this Holmes and Watson are unswerving friends (indeed, comrades) and Watson rarely prickles at Holmes’ teasing. Livanov occasionally wears read- ing glasses along with the ex- pected pipe and hat props, and has a kindly streak most “revi- sionist” Holmeses have done without. Solomin, fair-haired and well-meaning, is among the best Watsons. Villains tend to be growling, glowering, bullying dastards of Victorian melo- drama—one of Moriarty’s min- ions is even a fur-faced, fanged werewolf lookalike.
The two remaining series are Priklyucheniya Sherloka Kholmsa i Doktora Vatsona:
Sokrovischa Agry (aka THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES AND DOCTOR WAT- SON: THE AGRA TREASURE), from THE SIGN OF FOUR and “A
Scandal in Bohemia,” and Priklyucheniya Sherloka Kholmsa i Doktora Vatsona: Dvadsaty Vek Nachinaetsya (aka THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES AND DOC- TOR WATSON: 20TH CENTURY BEGINS), from “The Engineer’s Thumb,” “The Bruce-Partington Plans” and “His Last Bow.” All three releases to date can be or- dered online from
RbcMp3.com.
THE TALE OF TSAR SALTAN
Skazka o tsare Saltane 1966, Ruscico/Image
Entertainment, DD-5.1/MA/16:9/ LB/ST/+, $29.99, 81m 21s, DVD-0 By Tim Lucas
The penultimate feature of the great Russian fantasy direc- tor Aleksandr Ptushko (THE STONE FLOWER, THE SWORD AND THE DRAGON, SADKO), this romantic fairy tale is based on the classic 1831 poem of Russia’s other great Aleksandr: Pushkin. While trudging through the snow one night, the Tsar Saltan (Vladimir Andreyev) over- hears three women fantasizing
about what they would do if they married the Tsar. Pleased by the daydream of the prettiest one (Larissa Golubkina)—to present him with a tall and strong heir— the Tsar proposes and, true to her word, the new Tsaritsa is soon with child. Their baby is born, miraculously two feet tall and rapidly growing to maturity, while the Tsar is away leading a battle against an army of invad- ing troglodytes. The Tsar’s scheming scarlet-bearded men- tor, with the help of the two spite- ful biddies whom his master previously scorned, forges a royal document ordering the Tsaritsa and her “monster son” to be placed in a barrel and sent to the bottom of the sea. The villagers, who love them, have no choice but to obey, but the barrel floats on providential waters until it is washed ashore on an island in- habited only by a swan fairy (the enchanting Xenia Ryabinkina), who is saved from another bird’s attack by the now fully-grown Tsarevich Guiron (elegant Oleg Vidov, recently seen in JACKIE CHAN’S FIRST STRIKE and MONKEY LOVE), and falls in love with him. Flapping the arms of her downy white gown, she trans- forms the humble island into a kingdom, whose happy people and bizarre riches (including acorns made of gold and emer- ald) become fabled in stories that reach the ears of the mourning Tsar Saltan, who eventually forms an expedition to see these marvels with his own eyes. The heart-warming finale is perfectly straightforward, but can be in- terpreted as though the Tsar’s wife and child did in fact drown and are reunited with him in a Heaven characterized by miracles, where he falls onto his knees and begs their forgiveness. Scripted by Ptushko in col- laboration with his cinematogra- pher Igor Gelein, THE TALE OF
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