Author Archives: Jeff Kuykendall
Vassilisa the Beautiful (1939)
When we think of Russian cinema, we think of Sergei Eisenstein, Andrei Tarkovsky, Dziga Vertov. But we can learn just as much about Russia by looking at a genre that held great popularity among its people for decades: the fairy … Continue reading
Posted in Theater Fantastique
Tagged 30's, Aleksandr Rou, Baba Yaga, Dragon, fairy tale, Fantasy, lovable animals, Russian, Sword and Sorcery, witches
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Ruslan and Ludmila (1972)
Ruslan and Ludmila (1972) was the last bow for Russian director and animator Aleksandr Ptushko, who would die shortly after the film’s release, aged 72. Ptushko began his career as a pioneer of stop-motion animation, directing one of the earliest … Continue reading
Posted in Theater Fantastique
Tagged 70's, Action, Aleksandr Ptushko, fairy tale, Fantasy, giants, Russian, Surreal, Sword and Sorcery, witches
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It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963)
It’s often said that the ideal running time for a comedy is about 90 minutes – any more, and the audience gets tired of laughing. Much of the works of Mel Brooks, Woody Allen, and Monty Python adhere to that … Continue reading
Posted in Theater Harpo
Tagged 60's, Andy Devine, Buddy Hackett, Car Chase, Carl Reiner, Comedy, Dick Shawn, Don Knotts, Ethel Merman, Jim Backus, Jimmy Durante, Jonathan Winters, Mickey Rooney, Milton Berle, Peter Falk, Phil Silvers, Sid Caesar, Spencer Tracy, Stanley Kramer, Terry-Thomas, The Three Stooges
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