The Story of the Voyages (1983)

Tied for the best movie I have ever seen

Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

Amazing worth wacthing. So good. Biased but well made with many good points.

The film follows two orphans, a sister and her younger brother, separated when the youngest is stolen for his magical ability to feel gold, something which at the same time tortures the young boy. The sister runs, looks, even sees him at a distance, but her struggles only continues. Luckily she gets aide from a philosopher and healer, who in many ways serves as the film's main comic relief, but his journey is not a happy one either. From the very beginning, as the camera closed in on the town, as the music played, as the colors exploded, I knew I would love this film. Almost every frame was perfect, and they drew up the magical world we are visiting in the most perfect way imaginable. This is a beautifully dark and twisted fairytale, in the way only Eastern Europeans can make them. It created it's own world with an amazing eye for details, and managed to be absurd and funny, at the same time as it told a very, very bleak story. It could be described as an odyssey, a tragic chase, a voyage into strange lands, and visions we will see. And beyond it all, there is color. Nearly every image seems perfectly crafted. The full glory of soviet cinematography. It was so masterly directed and shot I bookmarked all films directed by Aleksandr Mitta, and even looked into other films by the cinematographer, Valeri Shuvalov. Two names I had never heard of before. This was a truly amazing discovery, and I can't wait to search out more.

I first saw "Skazka Stranstviy" in my early teens. Loved it but waited almost ten years to see it again. The film is brilliant, and invokes a lot of emotions and thoughts. Until I was adult it was too dark and too deep to comprehend and deal with. I definitely wouldn't recommend showing it to children. But for adults it's a must see. Every time I've seen it I've ended up crying through most of the film. Especially touching are the part where Orlando dies, and the end when Mai draws the diagram in the ruins. While dark and disturbing, the film provokes thoughts and emotions that modern films fail to touch. Like one reviewer mentioned it's a true classic fairytale. Not a Utopian fairytale we're used to in United states, but a true dark fantasy. The score is wonderful and adds on to the overall mood of the film. While the whole film is dark and gloomy, the end is very beautiful and hopeful.At the time I first saw it, I just became a sister. So for me, at the time the plot and the story were particularly real and threatening. I wouldn't let my baby brother out of my sight after seeing the film. I could understand what Martha was feeling when she lost her brother, and the end of the film provoked thoughts on what I would feel if my brother grew up to be an individual I wouldn't be proud of. Even with all the fantasy involved, the film is really easy to connect to.

A good movie but certainly not suitable for children. Some episodes can give nightmares even to a grown-up. More of that, though "The Story of the Voyages" is sort of a magic tale, it has some complicated psychological themes in it that only an adult can comprehend. It's a weird movie to say the least, filled with strange images that seem to have come from a hallucination of some kind. But it's still very, very good. The acting in this movie is superb. Andrey Mironov playing Orlando is one of the best Soviet actors, that's all one needs to say. And Tatiana Aksiyuta is very touching and believable as Martha, the girl in search for her little brother. The atmosphere is dark, haunting and heartbreaking, filled with hope that shines through despair.I can think only of one movie that "The Story of the Voyages" resembles me: "The Labyrinth" with David Bowie. They are alike in some ways, I think. Probably because of the dark and bizarre atmosphere and psychological implication. But "The Story of the Voyages" is much, much more grim and dark. This movie is unique, so it's worth watching at least for that. Though you probably wouldn't want to re-watch it for a long time after.

This movie is supposed to be a fairytale. Is not. I saw it some years ago and I tell you: it's really dark, dark fantasy. The plague, personalized as a female beggar or beautiful lady brought me several nightmares. Well, this movie is really good! But don't allow your children watch it!