10 best films and cartoons about heroes.

From Soviet classics to modern film adaptations of fairy tales and epics.

Films about heroes

1. The last hero

• Russia, 2017.
• Comedy, adventure, fantasy.
• Duration: 114 minutes.
• KinoPoisk: 6.8.

An ordinary guy Ivan from modern Moscow is miraculously transported to a fairyland. The epic heroes, Baba Yaga and Koschey the Immortal live here. But it is Ivan who will become the main character in the struggle between good and evil.

In 2009, Walt Disney Pictures studio already filmed the modern fairy tale “The Book of Masters” in Russia. However, the second work of the company, “The Last Hero,” was more successful. Although, of course, most of the humor is based on the discrepancy between the rules of two worlds: modern reality and fantasy.

The film performed well at the box office, and later a sequel was filmed for it, “The Last Hero: The Root of Evil.”

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2. Vasily Buslaev

• USSR, 1982.
• Fantasy, drama.
• Duration: 81 minutes.
• KinoPoisk: 7.2.

Vasily Buslaev learns that Prince Gleb of Polotsk and his squad were captured during the campaign. Having gathered the warriors, the hero sets off to free his relatives. But soon he becomes aware of the impending raid on Rus'.

Vasily Buslaev is one of the popular heroes of the Novgorod epic. In epics, this character served as a model of nobility: he respected his mother and often stood up to greedy merchants. All these features migrated into the picture. Although the plot itself is based on a poem by Sergei Narovchatov.

The main role in the film was played by Dmitry Zolotukhin. Everyone probably remembers this actor for his role as Peter I in the film “Peter’s Youth” and the TV series “ Young Russia ”.

3. The Tale of Tsar Saltan

• USSR, 1966.
• Adventure, fantasy.
• Duration: 87 minutes.
• KinoPoisk: 7.3.

The film adaptation of the famous work of Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin tells about Tsar Saltan and his son Guidon. Due to the slander of envious women, the heir and his mother end up on Buyan Island.

The film was directed by the great Soviet storyteller Alexander Ptushko. Everyone knows the plot of this film, and the director used a maximum of unusual technical solutions to show the fantastic world on the screen.

As for the 33 heroes, the authors selected tall and strong sailors from the base in Sevastopol for these roles.

4. One, two - grief is not a problem

• USSR, 1988.
• Adventure, fantasy.
• Duration: 109 minutes.
• KinoPoisk: 7.6.

Soldier Ivan returns victoriously to his native Far Away Kingdom. Due to a conflict with the king, he refuses honors and awards and leaves service. However, at the same time, King Jean-Jean of the Overseas attacks the state. And now we can’t do without Ivan.

Mikhail Yuzovsky directed a film based on the satirical play by Yuli Kim. In the supposedly fairy-tale story, it is easy to notice hints of the Cold War and other social themes. And here they call a hero not the most pleasant hero - Ivan’s brother Thomas, who is appointed to this position by the tsar himself.

5. Ruslan and Lyudmila

• USSR, 1972.
• Fantasy.
• Duration: 149 minutes.
• KinoPoisk: 7.6.

The hero Ruslan marries his beloved Lyudmila, the daughter of Tsar Vladimir. However, when the newlyweds are alone, an unknown force kidnaps the girl. Ruslan sets out to find a bride, but he has three competitors at once: Rogdai, Farlaf and Ratmir, who also dreamed of marrying Lyudmila.

As in the case of “The Tale of Tsar Saltan,” Pushkin’s poem was adapted by director Ptushko. And in this film you can again see many large-scale battle scenes and combined filming. Of course, now the flying Chernomor and the huge head of the hero look simple, but at the time of the film’s release the special effects seemed magnificent.

6. Kashchei the Immortal

• USSR, 1944.
• Adventure, fantasy.
• Duration: 64 minutes.
• KinoPoisk: 7.7.

Nikita Kozhemyaka returns to his native village and learns that Kashchei the Immortal has attacked Rus' with his hordes. Now the hero must defeat the invader and at the same time save his beloved. Another hero, Bulat Balagur, helps him in his noble cause.

The famous Alexander Rowe shot this picture during the Great Patriotic War, and in it it is very easy to notice the current theme of liberating the homeland from the threat. The main role in the film was played by Sergei Stolyarov, who has repeatedly appeared in films in the images of heroes. But many viewers remember more the charismatic Georgy Millyar, who played Kashchei.

7. Finist - Clear Falcon

• USSR, 1975.
• Adventure, fantasy.
• Duration: 79 minutes.
• KinoPoisk: 7.7.

A simple plowman named Finist was a real hero and always defended Rus' from enemies. But the villains managed to outwit him and turned him into a monster. The hero will be able to return to his appearance only if the girl falls in love with him in a creepy way. Meanwhile, the invader Kartaus decides to attack the defenseless homeland of Finist.

This picture was invented by the great Alexander Rowe. He worked on the script and selected the actors for the main roles himself, but did not live to see the filming. Therefore, his student Gennady Vasiliev was responsible for the production.

8. Ilya Muromets

• USSR, 1956.
• Fantasy.
• Duration: 93 minutes.
• KinoPoisk: 7.8.

Ilya Muromets receives heroic strength and the sword of Svyatogor from passers-by. He is going to defend Rus' together with his new comrades Alyosha Popovich and Dobrynya Nikitich. Because of a conspiracy by the boyars, the hero falls out of favor with the prince, but when the Tugars attack his homeland, he is again ready to fight the villains.

The painting by Alexander Ptushko, based on epics about Russian heroes, shows a rather harsh plot: there was enough room for death and betrayal. In addition, the director showed large-scale battle scenes.

It is often written that more than 100 thousand extras took part in the filming. In fact, Ptushko, together with the cameramen, used combination filming to show the same extras several times and turn them into countless hordes.

Cartoons about heroes

1. Alyosha Popovich and Tugarin Zmey

• Russia, 2004.
• Adventure, comedy, fantasy.
• Duration: 79 minutes.
• KinoPoisk: 7.6.

Alyosha Popovich was considered unlucky for a long time: his ideas did more harm than good. But after the nomads led by Tugarin the Serpent take a large tribute from the residents of Rostov, the hero decides to return the wealth. Following him are grandfather Tikhon, the girl Lyubava, who is in love with Alyosha, her grandmother and the donkey Moses. And on the way they come across an excessively talkative horse, Julius.

With this cartoon from the Melnitsa studio, an almost endless series of stories about heroes began. The next two parts told about Dobrynya Nikitich and Ilya Muromets. And then the heroes met and continued their exploits together. To date, 10 parts of the franchise have already been released. Alas, the plots are becoming weaker every time.

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2. The Tale of the Dead Princess and the Seven Knights

• USSR, 1951.
• Adventure, fantasy.
• Duration: 32 minutes.
• KinoPoisk: 7.7.

After the death of his wife, the king married again. The new queen disliked his daughter, who became more and more beautiful every day. By order of the queen, the maid Chernavka takes the girl into the forest and leaves her to be devoured by the wolves. But she ends up in the dwelling of seven heroes.

Pushkin's work, on which this cartoon is based, draws on many folk tales. A similar plot can be found in the Brothers Grimm's Snow White and even in the African Magic Mirror. Except that in the Russian version, the beautiful girl ends up with the heroes, and not with the dwarves or hunters.

The story was adapted for the screen by the famous Ivan Ivanov-Vano. Later he would stage “ Twelve Months ” and “The Snow Maiden”.

What films about heroes do you like? Do you prefer Soviet classics or ironic re-interpretations of plots? Or maybe your favorite painting was not included in this list? Then tell us about it in the comments!