Ilya Muromets: Standard Edition – Deaf Crocodile (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Soviet Union, 1956
Director: Aleksandr Ptushko
Writer: Mikhail Kochnev
Cast: Boris Andreyev, Shukur Burkhanov, Andrei Abrikosov, Natalya Medvedeva, Yelena Myshkova

Release Date: September 16th, 2025
Approximate Running Time: 91 Minutes 44 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Russian
Subtitles: English (Non-Removable)
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $29.95

"a stunning Cinemascope ballad of heroic medieval knights, ruthless Tugar invaders, wind demons, and three-headed fire-breathing dragons. Based on one of the most famous byliny (oral epics) in Kievan Rus’ culture, the film stars Boris Andreyev as the bogatyr (warrior) Ilya, waging a decades-long battle against the Tugars who threaten his homeland, kidnap his wife, and raise his son to fight against him." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "The film has been restored in 4K for its first-ever official U.S. release in its original form by Deaf Crocodile, in association with Seagull Films."

Ilya Muromets comes on a 25 GB single layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 22 GB

Feature: 21.3 GB

The source is in excellent shape; flesh tones and colors look correct, image clarity and compression are solid, black levels are strong, and there are no issues with digital noise reduction.

Audio: 4/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in Russian with non-removable English subtitles. Although dialogue always comes through clearly, sometimes the score and ambient sounds are noticeably louder.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a restoration trailer (3 minutes 26 seconds, DTS-HD mono with text in English), an audio commentary with film historian Steve Bissette, and a 28-page booklet with a text piece titled Remembering Film Scholar Alan Upchurch written by Dennis Bartok, a reprint of Alan Upchurch’s article titled Russian Fantastika Part One that originally appeared in Video Watchdog, archival images, cast & crew information, a synopsis and production notes, and information about the restoration.

Summary:

Ilya Muromets was directed by Aleksandr Ptushko, who's been referred to as the Soviet Ray Harryhausen because of his work in special effects, notably stop-motion animation. Notable films he directed are Sampo, The Tale of Tsar Saltan, and Ruslan and Ludmila. Ilya Muromets is one of three films he directed that received U.S. release, albeit in truncated and dubbed-into-English versions that greatly altered them. Ilya Muromets was released in the U.S. under the title The Sword and the Dragon. Besides retitling Ilya Muromets, he added a voice-over narration and changed character names.

A crippled man receives a magical potion from pilgrims after barbarian invaders kidnap his fiancée. This potion cures his paralysis, and they present him with a magical sword to aid in his battle against the barbarians.

The narrative immediately engages you with a gripping tale of a hero whose legend grows with each new conquest. While the narrative is quite effective in driving the story forward, there are a few lulls; fortunately, they never disrupt the overall momentum. That being said, the narrative includes a sufficient number of well-timed twists, which significantly enhance the tension.

Although Aleksandr Ptushko creates a world firmly entrenched in the realm of fantasy, when it comes to the visuals, they do an exceptional job blending real locations with sets. And in the case of the latter, the production design is exemplary; the attention to detail is astounding. Another strength of the visuals is how effectively it uses the 2.35:1 scope frame, filling every inch with picturesque landscapes and arresting moments that heighten the mood.

Content-wise, Ilya Muromets is much more than a fantasy film; it is a melting pot of genres. There’s fantasy, action, romance, and even a musical number. For many, the main draw of Ilya Muromets is its use of practical special effects, most of which hold up extremely well. The biggest and most impressive special effects moment is saved for an epic battle that culminates the film, where a three-headed dragon shows up. The action sequences, some of which feature hundreds of extras, give them an epic feel. Ultimately, Ilya Muromets is an extraordinary cinematic experience that creates a magical world that’s utterly believable and filled with symbolism.

Ilya Muromets gets an excellent release from Deaf Crocodile that comes with a strong audio/video presentation and insightful extras; highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer