Alesha Popovich and Tugarin the Dragon

Alyosha grew up in a village, strong but incompetent. He makes a plan against the enemy troop that comes to collect tribute, and the plan fails; he turns the village upside down and the enemy takes the money and leaves. Alyosha sets out to get it back. With him are an old monk, a village girl and a talking horse. The horse keeps making remarks and seems good for nothing. Along the way where the enemy is keeps changing and the group scatters and comes back together. Konstantin Bronzit directs. It is a Russian production and hand drawn animation. The film is the first link in a long series in Russian animation; the same studio made film after film about heroes of the epics and the series was a large success in the country. The source is Russian folk epic; the heroes exist in the traditional narratives and the film rebuilds them as comedy. The humour rests on contemporary reference; the epic heroes speak in modern language, and that became a method continued through the series. The talking horse is the best liked part and appeared in the later films as well. The animation was at a good level for Russia at the time and the studio established its line with this film. Its limit is structure; the plot is loose and some sections do not connect. Who it is for: viewers who like family animation and folk narratives. Who it is not for: the humour is tied to its culture, the structure is loose, and the characters are thin.