When it comes to Russian/Soviet animation, it doesn't get much better than Soyuzmultfilm, a studio that quickly became a personal favourite for nearly a decade. Their best work is visually stunning and have stories that are charming, imaginative and full of atmosphere with some memorable characters and when adapted enhanced by the visuals and often the music as well. 'The Frog Princess' is one such story, with multiple versions and different variations in titles and origins.
Their version of the story, named 'The Frog Princess', took two years to produce/make and one can really see the effort and time that went into it. It is not among their best known work, but to me 'The Frog Princess' is very close to being among their best and should be seen much more. And not just by Russians or those that speak Russian (studied it myself on my vocal and operatic studies course, and while it is a difficult language to get your head around it is a lovely language), but to a much wider audience worldwide and anybody that loves animation (like me) should seriously consider seeing it.
One thing that is particularly striking in 'The Frog Princess' is the animation. It is rich in colour and is filled with atmosphere, whether dream-like in the more intimate moments with the Princess and more nightmarish in the climactic moments. The drawing and designs are expressive, despite occasionally a little more variety in movement for the princess, the animators seemed to have had a lot of fun with Koscchei, the climax and especially the freaky three headed dragon creature. It is the stunning landscapes that are the star though, the colour and attention to detail rich and meticulous throughout.
Also found the music beautifully done. The music for the princess is like listening to Russian folk song, which is a big compliment as there are a lot of lovely Russian folk songs and Russian songs in general. The lushness of the orchestration and atmosphere created is so unmistakably Russian in the best of ways and at times like less weird Mussorgsky.
In terms of the story, it never feels too thin or padded, even in the more intimate moments, and is very charming with a touch of strangeness. The climax is thrilling and sometimes even downright scary, reminding me a little of the Disney climaxes that scarred me as a child (namely the one for 'Sleeping Beauty'). The characters do stick in the mind, especially Koschei, who is a villain that has stayed with me forever. As appealing as the two leads are, this is a case of the villain stealing the show. The three headed dragon is also very scary. Another character that's memorable is Baba Yaga, suitably enigmatic while not being the stuff of nightmares that she is often portrayed as.
Voice acting fits the characters well, some may find it strange that Baba Yaga is voiced by a man and that was the case with me initially but pondering upon it it added to the character's enigma and gave her a not too hammy sinister vibe. Aleksandr Rumnyov clearly had a ball as Koschei.
Overall, wonderful. Anybody who loves the story or any of its variants should love it. 10/10
