Horst in Translation (filmreviews@web.de)
"Bremenskie muzykanty" is a Soviet musical adaptation of the famous Brothers Grimm tale from almost 50 years ago. The director and 2 writers apparently are still alive, even if they are not really making films again. And judging from their work here, this is not necessarily a bad thing. The animation did not appeal to me at all, even if that is just subjective perception. But it is not subjective that, if you don't know the Grimm tale, you will not understand at all what is going on in here and even if some people may like the music (I am not among them), getting a story/message/plot across is still the most crucial part in filmmaking, even when it comes to animation, or especially there. i was very much underwhelmed by this one and cannot see why it has such a high rating here. Not recommended. Really only for very small children, but you should want them to grow up watching better films. I hope the sequel is better.
superperson1
The thing that will surprise you most about Bremenskie Muzykanty is how such amazing music and voice work can be accompanied by such slipshod animation. There is no question, here is probably the best soundtrack in Soviet cartoons. All the songs are witty, masterful, fun, emotionally stirring, and life-affirming, and Oleg Anofriev's character work is unforgettable. Meanwhile the animation is amateurish and unsophisticated at best. It's flat, there's no personality or engaging style, and it really looks like a bad afterthought, the creators rushing to showcase the songs without giving due consideration to the visuals. So sit back, close your eyes, and enjoy the magic. Or better yet, get your hands on the soundtrack with Anofriev doing additional narration, which is a truly wonderful recording.
moongoddess1907
This is one of the greatest cartoons that i watched when i was a kid. It was very popular in Soviet Union at that time, and was shown on TV very often. Even now I still enjoy this cartoon, it has wonderful and memorable music, characters are so lovable and the plot is great (well, it's based on the story of brothers' Grimm). It has great deal of humor and romance and it's done so nicely. Characters are dressed in the style of 70's which gives the cartoon that special 70's touch. It is a musical cartoon, even if you don't know Russian, you will still understand what is going on. I highly recommend it not only to kids but also to adults who enjoy good and kind cartoons.
Vladimir-28
Bremenskiye Muzykanty is an excellent children's/family animation story. The characters are universal and endearing, instilling a sense of diversity (a young man, a rooster, a cat, a dog and an ass) and cooperation. The story is universal, playing on a theme of its time: Freedom from rule by authority; And existentialism.Artistically drawn. Set in Victorian Europe (Bremen is in Germany).In the Soviet Union, where I grew up, this story was widely available on records and extremely popular with children and adults alike. It was occasionally shown on state run television. It was so loved that the toys of the characters appeared in toy store windows after its release.I always loved it, but thought I would never see it again. A few years ago I found a video tape version and a CD of the story in New York. I now play it for my new-born.I recommend it very highly.
AD
