Hoffmaniada: Standard Edition – Deaf Crocodile (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Russia, 2018
Director: Stanislav Sokolov
Writers: Stanislav Sokolov, Viktor Slavkin
Cast: Vladimir Koshevoy, Aleksey Petrenko, Pavel Lyubimtsev, Vyacheslav Polunin, Anna Artamonova, Nikolay Kondrashov, Natalya Fisson, Anvar Libabov, Aleksandr Shirvindt, Aleksandr Lenkov

Release Date: September 22nd, 2026
Approximate Running Time: 73 Minutes 34 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.90:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD 5.1 Russian
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $29.95

"One of the most luminously beautiful and richly detailed stop-motion features in recent memory, Russian director Stanislav Sokolov's masterwork finally arrives in North America. Adapted from the writings of famed Gothic fantasy author E.T.A. Hoffmann (best known for The Nutcracker & The Mouse King), HOFFMANIADA is a visually stunning cross between Henry Selick circa JAMES & THE GIANT PEACH and THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS and Mozart's The Magic Flute, filled with operatic dreams, clockwork automatons, fire salamanders, witchcraft, love, magic, and the legendary city of Atlantis. Interweaving plots from three Hoffmann stories ("The Sandman," "The Golden Pot" and "Little Zaches Called Cinnabar") with the real-life drudgery of the writer's job as a government clerk, the film utilized over 150 stop-motion puppets and was the first feature project in decades from legendary animation studio Soyuzmultfilm (THE SNOW QUEEN)." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5

Hoffmaniada comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 42.5 GB

Feature: 21 GB

The source looks excellent; colors look correct, and image clarity, black levels, and compression are solid.

Audio: 5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD 5.1 mix in Russian with removable English subtitles. The audio sounds excellent; Diaglue always comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced and robust when it should.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a video essay by animation historian John Adkins of Animation Obsessive titled Not Only Human (12 minutes 8 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a behind-the-scenes documentary titled Hoffmaniada: Frame by Frame (26 minutes, Dolby Digital stereo Russian with non-removable English subtitles), a conversation with acclaimed British stop-motion animator Barry J.C. Purves and Deaf Crocodile’s Dennis Bartok discussing Hoffmaniada, Barry J.C. Purves' career as an animator, Ray Harryhausen, and King Kong (40 minutes 16 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an audio commentary with animation producer and podcaster Adam Rackoff, podcaster and film critic James Hancock, and filmmaker and podcaster Martin Kessler, and a short film directed by Stanislav Sokolov titled A Black-and-White Film (19 minutes 15 seconds, 1.37:1 aspect ratio, Dolby Digital mono with text in Russian and removable English subtitles).

A Black-and-White Film: A man who drifts away from his own party and into memories of his childhood days.

Summary:

The narrative revolves around Ernest Hoffman, an author who inhabits two dimensions simultaneously: reality and the imaginary world of his fictional works.

The above synopsis is a distilled overview of what unfolds. That said, the engrossing narrative does a superb job blending present, past, reality, and fantasy. The protagonist shares a name with author E. T. A. Hoffmann (Ernst Theodor Amadeus Hoffmann), and Hoffmaniada is a combination of three stories written by E. T. A. Hoffmann: Little Zaches Called Cinnabar, The Golden Pot, and The Sandman.

Hoffmaniada was a passion project for Stanislav Sokolov, who began making the film in 2001, and 17 years later, after a few stops and delays, the film finally premiered. Hoffmaniada’s making was an incredibly time-consuming project with about 5 seconds of animation each day, and one 30-minute portion reportedly took 9 years to make. While Stanislav Sokolov was the main driving force behind Hoffmaniada, one must not undervalue the role that his collaborators and voice actors played.

While the story that unfolds quickly grabs you and holds your attention, the real star is the stop-motion animation featuring puppets who move with anatomical realism. Even if you have seen other films populated by puppets, nothing can prepare you for the limitless imagination on display throughout. Hoffmaniada is a visual feast for the eyes that has a dreamlike quality that is overflowing with atmosphere. Ultimately, Hoffmaniada is a monumental feat of stop-motion animation that far exceeds the sum of parts.

Hoffmaniada gets an excellent release from Deaf Crocodile that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and insightful extras. Highly recommended.

Note: There is a deluxe release of Felidae that comes in a slipcase and a 60-page book with an interview with director Stanislav Sokolov, an essay written by animation historian Maria Tereshchenko, an essay written by documentarian and film critic Kevin McNeer, and an essay by film critic Walter Chaw (Film Freak Central).

Written by Michael Den Boer

The Short Films of Yuri Norstein: Treasures of Soviet Animation Vol. 3: Standard Edition – Deaf Crocodile (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Dates: Soviet Union, 1968 (The 25th, the First Day), Soviet Union, 1969 (Children and Matches, Seasons), Soviet Union, 1971 (Battle at Kerzhenets), Soviet Union, 1973 (The Fox and the Hare), Soviet Union, 1974 (The Heron and the Crane), Soviet Union, 1975 (Hedgehog in the Fog), Soviet Union, 1977 (A Day Before Our Era), Soviet Union, 1979 (The Tale of Tales)
Directors: Yuri Norstein (All Films), Arkadiy Tyurin (The 25th, the First Day), Ivan Ivanov-Vano (Seasons, Battle at Kerzhenets), Fyodor Khitruk (A Before Our Era)
Cast: Viktor Khokhryakov (The Fox and the Hare), Innokentiy Smoktunovskiy (The Heron and the Crane), Aleksandr Kalyagin (The Tale of Tales)

Release Date: February 24th, 2026
Approximate Running Times: 9 Minutes 31 Seconds (The 25th, the First Day), 4 Minutes 33 Seconds (Children and Matches), 9 Minutes 28 Seconds (Seasons), 10 Minutes 12 Seconds (Battle at Kerzhenets), 12 Minutes 15 Seconds (The Fox and the Hare), 10 Minutes 15 Seconds (The Heron and the Crane), 10 Minutes 28 Seconds (Hedgehog in the Fog), 5 Minutes 37 Seconds (A Day Before Our Era), 29 Minutes 8 Seconds (The Tale of Tales)
Aspect Ratio: 1.37:1 Aspect Ratio / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (All Films Except Seasons, Battle at Kerzhenets, A Before Our Era), 2.35:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (Seasons, Battle at Kerzhenets, A Before Our Era)
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Russian (All Films)
Subtitles: English, English SDH (All Films)
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $30.95

The 25th, the First Day: "Norstein's first film is a visually striking tribute to the Bolshevik Revolution on October 25th." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Seasons: "A man and woman ride through the forest while the seasons change around them in this lovely, elegiac short set to music by Tchaikovsky." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Children and Matches: "Norstein’s rarely-seen educational short about the dangers of matches, from ancient times up to today." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Battle at Kerzhenets: "Arguably Norstein's first great animated film, inspired by the legend of the City of Kitezh which disappeared into a lake to avoid Mongol invaders." - synopsis provided by the distributor

The Fox and the Hare: "Norstein’s utterly charming short about a temperamental 'house-filching fox' who boots a poor rabbit out of its home." The rabbit turns to a wolf, bear, bull and rooster for help, with surprising results." - synopsis provided by the distributor

The Heron and the Crane: "An awkward crane and a high-spirited heron go back and forth on marrying each other in this heartbreaking short about romantic misunderstandings." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Hedgehog in the Fog: "The deceptively epic journey of the tiny hedgehog, filled with impossible marvels and dangers: a shimmering white horse and a crafty owl. A fluttering bat, a falling leaf, and the ever-present curtain of fog. Widely considered one of the greatest animated films ever made." - synopsis provided by the distributor

A Day Before Our Era: "This experimental collage of images of the French Revolution was apparently abandoned before it was finished and remains one of Norstein’s rarest films." - synopsis provided by the distributor

The Tale of Tales: "Norstein's longest film to date, TALE is a story about stories, a dream of many dreams. A giant bull and a little girl skip rope. Couples dance under a streetlight until the male partners disappear, headed off to war. And through it all, the Little Grey Wolf watches silently at the rondo of human loves and losses." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5 (All Films)

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfers, "This first-ever U.S. Blu-ray release of Norstein’s films features several rare shorts new to home video, all newly restored by Deaf Crocodile and co-presented with Seagull Films."

Treasures of Soviet Animation Volume 3 comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 42.5 GB

Feature: 8.4 GB (The Tale of Tales), 4.6 GB (The Fox and the Hare), 3.5 GB (Hedgehog in the Fog), 3 GB (The Heron and the Crane), 2.9 GB (Battle at Kerzhenets), 2.9 GB (The 25th, the First Day), 2.7 GB (Seasons), 1.6 GB (A Day Before Our Era), 1.3 GB (Children and Matches)

The sources look excellent; this is another solid encode from Fidelity in Motion. Flesh tones look healthy, colors look correct, image clarity, black levels, and compression are solid, and the image retains an organic look.

Audio: 5/5 (All Films)

Each film comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in Russian or text in Russian. All audio tracks sound clean, clear, and balanced, and ambient sounds are well-represented. There are two subtitle options: English or English SDH; these can only be changed via the setup menu and not during playback.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a video essay by film historian Evan Chester titled Nature, Texture, and Patience: The Films of Yuri Norstein (21 minutes 12 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English with non-removable English subtitles for Russian film clips), audio commentaries with film scholar Michael Brooke for each film, and a documentary titled Yuri Norstein: Making the Overcoat (112 minutes 39 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Russian with non-removable English subtitles).

Summary:

This collection presents the 11 completed films directed/co-directed by Yuri Norstein. What sets his animation apart from other animators is that he uses a technique that involves multiple glass planes to give it a three-dimensional look. Known for his perfectionism, his nickname is “The Golden Snail." Although all of his completed works are short films, his first feature film, The Overcoat, has been in production since 1981, and as of this writing, only about 25 minutes have been completed. Accompanying this release is a feature-length documentary that provides details about The Overcoat.

While he is known for using glass panes, when it comes to one style of animation, each of his films has a distinct look. Many of his films have no dialog and rely solely on their striking imagery. The absence of dialogue is never problematic, as most films maintain a certain brevity. While visuals are crucial, when dialogue is included, it is crafted in a way that does not complicate the unfolding story. Hedgehog in the Fog is widely considered the greatest animated film, while his most ambitious film, The Tale of Tales, is also held in high regard.

One of the best things about being a fan of cinema is discovering a new filmmaker. The quality of Yuri Norstein’s filmography is outstanding, and when watched in the order they were made, it's astonishing the amount of growth he displayed as an artist. That said, Yuri Norstein is a filmmaker who deserves all of the acclaim he’s received, and hopefully this release will introduce his films to a wider audience.

Deaf Crocodile’s The Short Films of Yuri Norstein: Treasures of Soviet Animation Vol. 3 is an exceptional release and a must-have for fans of Russian animation. Highly recommended.

Note: There is a deluxe release of The Short Films of Yuri Norstein: Treasures of Soviet Animation Vol. 3 that comes in a slipcase and a 60-page book with an essay by film historian Jennifer Lynde Barker, an essay written by animation expert John Adkins and an essay by film critic Walter Chaw (Film Freak Central).

Written by Michael Den Boer

Treasures of Soviet Animation Volume 2: Standard Edition – Deaf Crocodile (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Dates: Soviet Union, 1952 (The Scarlet Flower), Soviet Union, 1957 (The Snow Queen), Soviet Union, 1961 (The Key)
Director: Lev Atamanov (All Films)
Cast: Mariya Babanova, Nikolay Bogolyubov, Olga Chepurova, Vladimir Gribkov, Nina Krachkovskaya, Mikhail Astangov (The Scarlet Flower), Vladimir Gribkov, Yanina Zheymo, Anna Komolova, Mariya Babanova, Galina Kozhakina, Irina Murzayeva (The Snow Queen), Vladimir Gribkov, A. Glushchenko, Anna Komolova, Georgiy Vitsin, Rina Zelyonaya, Vera Orlova (The Key)

Release Date: November 11th, 2025
Approximate Running Times: 41 Minutes 29 Seconds (The Scarlet Flower), 63 Minutes 14 Seconds (The Snow Queen), 56 Minutes 51 Seconds (The Key)
Aspect Ratio: 1.37:1 Aspect Ratio / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (All Films)
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Russian (All Films)
Subtitles: English, English SDH (All Films)
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $29.95

The Scarlet Flower: "A ship's captain promises his youngest daughter Nastenka (voiced by Nina Krachkovskaya) a scarlet flower as a gift. But when he plucks it, the enraged beast who owns it demands a sacrifice—and Nastenka offers herself up as the monster's prisoner on an enchanted isle." - synopsis provided by the distributor

The Snow Queen: "a resourceful young girl, Gerda (voiced by Yanina Zheymo), as she embarks on an epic journey to save her friend Kay (Anna Komolova) from the frozen embraces of the magnificent Snow Queen (Mariya Babanova)." - synopsis provided by the distributor

The Key: "a surreal parable about the benefits of magic vs. the value of good hard work. Three wonderfully wacky fairies come to bless a newborn child with the gift of an enchanted ball of yarn—but the boy's no-nonsense grandfather (voiced by A. Glushchenko) wants to give him more practical gifts, like common sense, a good hammer, and a strong work ethic." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5 (All Films)

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfers, "New restorations of all 3 films by Craig Rogers for Deaf Crocodile."

Treasures of Soviet Animation Volume 2 comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 45.5 GB

Feature: 10.3 GB (The Scarlet Flower), 15.8 GB (The Snow Queen), 14.2 GB (The Key)

The sources look excellent; this is another solid encode from Fidelity in Motion. Flesh tones look healthy, colors look correct, image clarity, black levels, and compression are solid, and the image retains an organic look.

Audio: 5/5 (All Films)

Each film comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in Russian. All audio tracks sound clean, clear, and balanced, and ambient sounds are well-represented. There are two subtitle options: English or English SDH; these can only be changed via the setup menu and not during playback.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a video essay by film historian Evan Chester titled Written With Ice Crystals: Lev Atamanov and The Snow Queen (19 minutes 5 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a video essay by film historian John Adkins titled Innocence & Cynicism: The Snow Queen and Hayao Miyazaki (10 minutes 48 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), and an audio commentary with film historian Rolf Giesen for each film.

Summary:

Lev Atamanov, one of the founders of Soviet animation, directed The Scarlet Flower, The Snow Queen, and The Key. His films are known for their vivid use of colors, exquisite backgrounds, and the unique way in which characters and animals move. His films are known for their well-crafted narratives, which have emotional depth, and most of them have moral lessons.

The Scarlet Flower: Before he goes on a long trip, a merchant father asks his three daughters what they want. His oldest daughter wants a shiny tiara, his middle daughter a magic mirror, and his youngest daughter a scarlet flower. Although he easily finds two of the gifts, his search for the scarlet flower proves challenging. When he finally locates it, he is compelled to strike a bargain with a hideous monster for taking the flower.

The Scarlet Flower is based on Sergey Aksakov’s story of the same name. If the story feels familiar, it is a variation of Beauty and the Beast written by Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve. That said, despite The Scarlet Flower’s similarities, the result is something that holds up really well on its own.

Don’t let its short running time of 41 minutes fool you; its narrative achieves more than most films do in twice the amount of time. The narrative does an exceptional job drawing you in and holding your attention while it effectively builds to a perfect coda. Another notable strength of The Scarlet Flower is the depth of its characters and the way they are developed. Ultimately, The Scarlet Flower serves as an excellent example of a fairy tale that is sure to delight fans of this genre.

The Snow Queen: A young girl embarks on a dangerous journey to rescue her friend whom the Snow Queen has abducted.

The Snow Queen is an adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen’s The Snow Queen. It is a story that’s been adapted numerous times, the most notable of which is Frozen. Animator, filmmaker, and manga artist Hayao Miyazaki is an admirer of The Snow Queen, a film that he considers one of the best animation films ever made.

It is easy to see why critics and audiences hold Lev Atamanov's The Snow Queen in such high regard. It is a film that never strays from the core essence of what makes Hans Christian Andersen’s The Snow Queen timeless. The well-constructed narrative does an excellent job building momentum to an exemplary finale. Ultimately. The Snow Queen is an extraordinary film that has not lost any of its potency. 

The Key: The grandfather of a child whose parents indulge his every whim tries to teach him the value of hard work.

The Key is pure fantasy; it is a film that rarely deals with the realm of reality. The opening setup: a couple who have just had a son are visited by three fairies, who provide the child a red ball that’s guaranteed to bring him happiness. Knowing life is about ups and downs that shape us, the boys' grandfather comes up with a plan that forces his grandson to learn how to work with his hands.

At just under an hour in length, the narrative covers a lot of ground. The narrative moves briskly and it does a superb job building momentum to its lessons-learned finale. Although The Key is a satirical film, it still offers a substantial amount of social commentary, particularly focusing on themes that were central to the Soviet Union. Ultimately, The Key is a highly entertaining, whimsical film that quickly draws you in and holds your attention.

Deaf Crocodile’s Treasures of Soviet Animation Volume 2 is an exceptional release and a must-have for fans of Russian animation. Highly recommended.

Note: There is a deluxe release of Treasures of Soviet Animation Volume 2 that comes in a slipcase and a 60-page book with an essay by film historian Rolf Giesen and an essay by film critic Walter Chaw (Film Freak Central).

Written by Michael Den Boer

Treasures of Soviet Animation Volume 1: Standard Edition – Deaf Crocodile (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Dates: Soviet Union, 1981 (The Mystery of the Third Planet), Soviet Union, 1980 (The Return), Soviet Union, 1988 (The Pass)
Directors: Roman Kachanov (The Mystery of the Third Planet), Vladimir Tarasov (The Return, The Pass)
Cast: Olga Gromova, Vsevolod Larionov, Yuri Volyntsev, Vasily Livanov, Grigory Shpigel, Vladimir Kenigson, Vladimir Druzhnikov (The Mystery of the Third Planet), Viktor Balashov, Aleksandr Kaydanovskiy, Vasiliy Livanov (The Return), Aleksandr Kaydanovskiy, Vasiliy Livanov, Aleksandr Pashutin, Alla Pokrovskaya (The Pass)

Release Date: October 14th, 2025
Approximate Running Times: 49 Minutes 32 Seconds (The Mystery of the Third Planet), 10 Minutes 35 Seconds (The Return), 31 Minutes 12 Seconds (The Pass)
Aspect Ratio: 1.37:1 Aspect Ratio / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (All Films)
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Russian (All Films)
Subtitles: English, English SDH (All Films)
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $29.95

The Mystery of the Third Planet: "A trio of intrepid space explorers, Professor Seleznyov, his 9-year old daughter Alisa and the hilariously doom-and-gloom Captain Zelyonyy set off on a rocket ship in the year 2181 to collect rare alien creatures for the Moscow Zoo. They’re immediately drawn into an amazingly convoluted mystery involving a sinister doctor named Verkhovtsev, a nearly-extinct Chatter-bird, and two legendary missing cosmonauts, while galaxy hopping from one wildly colorful planet to the next." - synopsis provided by the distributor

The Return: "a sleeping cosmonaut hurtles unaware towards his home planet -- but will he awake in time?" - synopsis provided by the distributor

The Pass: "a group of terrified human survivors on an alien world try to reach their derelict spacecraft 16 years after it crashed." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5 (All Films)

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfers, "Deaf Crocodile presents the first volume in a series of new restorations of classic and rare Soviet animated gems from the vaults of the legendary Soyuzmultfilm studios."

Treasures of Soviet Animation Volume 1 comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 30.4 GB

Feature: 13.4 GB (The Mystery of the Third Planet), 8.3 GB (The Pass), 2.8 GB (The Return)

The sources look excellent; this is another solid encode from Fidelity in Motion. Flesh tones look healthy, colors look correct, image clarity, black levels, and compression are solid, and the image retains an organic look.

Audio: 5/5 (All Films)

Each film comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in Russian. All audio tracks sound clean, clear, and balanced, and ambient sounds are well-represented. There are two subtitle options: English or English SDH; these can only be changed via the setup menu and not during playback.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a video essay by film historian Evan Chester titled Vladimir Tarasov (17 minutes 20 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English with non-removable English subtitles for Russian film clips), a video essay by Evan Chester titled Roman Kachanov and The Mystery of the Third Planet (21 minutes 10 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English with non-removable English subtitles for Russian film clips), an audio commentary with Adam Rackoff, James Hancock, and Martin Kessler for The Mystery of the Third Planet, an audio commentary with Adam Rackoff, James Hancock, and Martin Kessler for The Pass, and an insert with a URL that has a PDF for access to transcribed bonus content.

Summary:

The Mystery of the Third Planet: A trio of space explorers—a zoologist, his daughter, and Captain Greene—travel through space looking for rare space animals for the Moscow zoo.

The Mystery of the Third Planet is overflowing with imagination and stylish imagery, which heightens the mood. There is an array of colorful characters, like a diamond-shelled tortoise, invisible fish, a flying cow, and mirror-like flowers. While they try to collect animals for the zoo, the trio are attacked by robots, space pirates, a pig-faced fat man, and a nefarious individual in disguise.

The narrative does a fabulous job drawing you in and keeping you interested with a series of well-executed twists and turns. The finale provides one last surprise with a Scooby-Doo-like reveal where a character pretending to be someone they are not is unmasked. Another strength is the use of trippy space sounds and an exemplary score that greatly enhance the mood. Ultimately, The Mystery of the Third Planet is a film that the young and the young at heart should thoroughly enjoy.

The Return: A cosmonaut preparing for his reentry into Earth’s atmosphere does not awaken from his deep sleep until he hears familiar sounds of home.

The Return is a mix of striking black & white, vibrant use of colors, and photographs of live-action aerial shots of landscapes. Although the images drive the narrative, there is just enough exposition that relevant information is fleshed out. Ultimately, The Return is a film that far exceeds the sum of its parts, and its exemplary ending serves as a perfect coda.

The Pass: Earthlings living on an alien planet for 16 years since their plane crashed send out a group to retrieve things from the ship. To get there and back, they have to cross a pass that no one has ever returned from.

The first thing that grabs you about The Pass is how expressive its animation is. The animation does not conform to a singular style; it's filled with imaginative and surreal imagery, which does a phenomenal job heightening the mood. A remarkable eerie score that is a mix of piano and synth music cues reinforces the imagery. Although there are familiar things throughout The Pass, they are reshaped into something truly unique.

The opening setup does an excellent job laying the foundation, and a well-executed narrative does an effective job building momentum to its perfect resolution. Another strength of the narrative is its ability to create tense moments and sustain tension. Ultimately, The Pass is an evocative film that’s reminiscent of the cinema of Andrei Tarkovsky.

Don’t let their brevity deceive you; the three films that are part of Treasures of Soviet Animation Volume 1 are rich cinematic experiences. Deaf Crocodile’s Treasures of Soviet Animation Volume 1 is an exceptional release and a must-have for fans of Russian animation. Highly recommended.

Note: There is a deluxe release of Treasures of Soviet Animation Volume 1 that comes in a slipcase and a 60-page book with an essay by film historian Jennifer Lynde Barker and an essay by film critic Walter Chaw (Film Freak Central).

Written by Michael Den Boer