User Reviews

"Seryy Volk end Krasnaya Shapochka" is Garri Bardin's Soviet take on the famous Red Riding Hood story and there is a reason why he won many awards for this one, also in Western countries. It runs for slightly under half an hour and it is an entertaining watch from start to finish with some truly great musical moments. But the film also delivers in terms of the story and in terms of comedy. I personally found it the funniest how the wolf keeps eating and eating people and there are so many in his belly (that looks like a cave) as the film goes on. The animation is certainly not to everybody's liking, but I enjoyed it overall. There were very few cringeworthy moments only and these are more than made up for by the brilliant soundtrack including many famous classics and an epic ending scene. I certainly recommend watching this little movie. You will not regret it.

While Little Riding Hood and mother are making goodies, Grey Wolf has escaped from prison and is on his way to get new teeth. To the tune of "Mack the Knife", he sings of how hungry he is. He goes to the doctor's door where he finds a rabbit waiting outside. Grey Wolf knocks the door with rabbit's head! Doctor lets him in. Wolf then sings to the tune of "Tea for Two", about what a great man the doctor is while doctor sings in same tune how he doesn't want to but reluctantly has to treat wolf. After doctor gives wolf new steel teeth, Wolf puts doctor through stomach. He later does same to rabbit. Little Riding Hood is on her way to Paris to visit grandmother. She meets wolf who is stopped from eating her, by three hunters passing by. Wolf then goes through gate where there is a metal detector. Metal detector is activated when wolf tries to pass through. Wolf pays toll. Little Riding Hood and Hunters (after paying their toll) also pass through. We see the Three Little Pigs to the instrumental theme of "Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf" before the wolf gobbles them up. Then we see the 7 Dwarfs and hear "Heigh Ho" as wolf gets them too. With all these people in wolf's stomach, doctor decides to do a Russian dance to enjoy life causing body of wolf to bounce a bit. Wolf goes to Grandma's house in Paris and puts her in stomach as Riding Hood comes in. Grandma Wolf grabs girl's pie but his steel teeth gets ripped from mouth as he grabs pie causing everyone to escape from Wolf's stomach and march and sing for peace. Wolf gets arrested with peace sign attached to him as Riding Hood's mother is watching on TV and sings what she had just heard to herself. This is an amusingly entertaining musical Russian short that is a great tribute to modern American pop culture. Very worthy entry in Volume 5 of The International Tournee of Animation videocassette. By all means, seek this one out!

This is a really exciting and kooky short film from Russia. You can really tell that Russian society had changed when this film debuted, as in places it was rather iconoclastic--poking fun at the old Soviet Union (particularly the bribery scene). Plus, the film had a wonderful sense of humor and poked gentle fun at many other "sacred cows". I particularly loved seeing the Big Bad Wolf eat the Disney versions of the Three Little Pigs as well as the Seven Dwarfs! The film begins with Red Riding Hood and her mother making a pie for sickly grandma--who in this case is visiting Paris! This means that Red must go from Moscow to Paris carrying a pie--all alone! During this dangerous trek, she is pursued by the wolf, who is absolutely AMAZING in how he is able to dispatch so many victims! Not only does he swallow them, but after a while there are dozens he's swallowed and periodically the camera switches to inside the wolf's belly--where you can see everyone inside talking and trying to figure a way out of its stomach! What will become of Red? Well, see the film to find out for yourself.

While the claymation quality was far from the best I have ever seen, the story isn't hindered by this in the least. That's because the funny writing, infectious and strange songs and irreverent retelling of the story kept my interest and made me forget the clay. It's a great film for parents to watch with the kids because both can enjoy it on multiple levels--and how often are kids films that watchable for adults?!