MOSCOW — They were all there on scr

MOSCOW — They were all there on screen: Ivan and the mountain queen; Baba Yaga, the witch, who lives in a cottage perched on chicken feet; and even Kashchei the Immortal, who keeps his mortality locked in a goose’s egg.


Disney
Maxim Loktionov as Ivan, the film's hero, with Maria Andreyeva as his true love.

Disney
Liya Akhedzhakova as Baba Yaga.
Russia’s beloved folk characters are back in theaters some two decades after the Soviet collapse halted the country’s heavy production of fairy-tale films, appearing in a special-effects-infused rehabilitation of the tales told to Russian children for generations.

This new version, however, is told not by a Russian film studio but by the Walt Disney Company.

The movie — “Kniga Masterov,” or “The Book of Masters” — is Disney’s first attempt at a film specifically for a Russian-speaking audience. With a Russian cast and Russian writers, directors and producers, the film reflects a new reality at Disney and in Hollywood generally that dubbed American blockbusters are no longer enough to maintain a foothold in lucrative foreign markets. Some local flavor is now required.

In Russia, India, China, Latin America and elsewhere, Disney has been battling a host of Hollywood studios and local production companies for the hearts — and cash — of viewers, with an increasing array of entertainment produced in those markets. It released its first Chinese-language film, “The Secret of the Magic Gourd,” in 2007, and co-produced an animated film with a production house in India last year.

With “The Book of Masters,” Disney has sought to capitalize on a wave of nostalgia in an older generation as well as a renewed interest in Russian tradition and culture among the country’s youth. “Adults miss fairy tales of their childhood, and the younger generation simply is not familiar with the Russian folklore,” Vadim Sokolovsky, the film’s director, wrote in an e-mail message. “We wanted to bring back to the silver screen Baba Yaga and Kashchei, Bogatyr and the Mermaid, the Talking Horse and the smart Kolobok,” he said, referring to some of the film’s characters.

But filmmakers had to tread deftly. The Soviet Union churned out many fairy-tale-based films that have become classics. Russia’s greatest artists have incorporated fairy tales into plays and ballets, as well as poems that many Russians know by heart. And Disney, the home of Mickey Mouse and “The Pirates of the Caribbean,” had to be careful not to stoke anti-American sentiment here, and with it charges of cultural imperialism.

“We were definitely very, very cautious when we were telling the story,” said Marina Jigalova-Ozkan, the managing director of Disney’s operations in the former Soviet Union. She said her local staff “worked with our colleagues in Hollywood trying to make the story interesting and use all the Disney experience in telling the stories. But the whole movie is made by the Russian team.”

The formula, so far, appears to have worked. Ticket sales for “The Book of Masters” topped $10 million at the end of its second week, comparable to American-made Disney films here, Disney officials said. The film ranked No. 1 at Russian box offices in its first two weekends. The movie was released on Oct. 29 in 800 theaters across Russia, and dozens more in former Soviet countries.

Local movie productions have become even more important to Disney’s expansion strategy because its television efforts have been ensnared in Russian bureaucracy and restrictions on foreign media. Last year the company announced with fanfare that it had finally figured out a way to create a satellite Disney Channel — by partnering with a Russian broadcaster — but a government agency blocked the deal.

“The Book of Masters” is based loosely on the folklore of the Ural Mountains in central Russia. In the film Ivan, an orphan boy, must face off against the Stone Countess, who strives to claim dominion over the world, while her stone warriors, the Ardars, terrorize local villagers.

The film, a live-action adventure story aesthetically similar to recent productions like “The Chronicles of Narnia” series, is quintessentially Disney down to the inevitable happy ending — not always a given in Russian fairy tales (or in the sources of some of Disney’s best-known movies).

But “The Book of Masters” is not without local color. Ivan spends about as much time contending with the abuses of drunken bureaucrats as with the Stone Countess. And at one point he is tempted to give up his true love, Katya, in exchange for a large house on Rublyovka Road, also the name of the Moscow street where Russia’s leaders and oligarchs have their sprawling mansions. Ivan declines, choosing love over material wealth.

There was a time when Disney’s global prestige could rest on its American-made products, said Andrew Bird, chairman of Walt Disney International.

“We’ve found that as the world becomes more sophisticated, and consumers become more sophisticated, the need for people to stay in touch with their own local sensibilities is somewhat heightened as well,” he said.

That is not to say that American-made films are no longer popular. They still have the bulk of Russia’s market, though locally produced films are drawing an increasing share. Domestic films grew to 25 percent of the Russian market in 2008 from 4 percent at the start of the decade, Vladimir V. Putin, Russia’s prime minister, told a gathering of Russian filmmakers this month.

To remain competitive, Disney has expanded its operations in Russia, increasing its production staff from just a handful three years ago to nearly 200 today. Work has already begun on a new film, though Disney officials are not talking publicly about the details.

At a recent viewing of “The Book of Masters” at the large Pushkin Theater in Moscow, moviegoers applauded the finale. Even with the strong anti-American current here, many moviegoers seemed flattered by Disney’s attempt.

“It is nice that Disney took part in this because it shows that they are not simply interested in their culture across the ocean, but are branching into other regions,” Maxim Minyaichev, 22, said after watching the film.

Certainly, there have been plenty of complaints from critics: the special effects were too intrusive, a few scenes too syrupy and the filmmakers too concerned about avoiding ethnic stereotypes, some said. Lidia Maslova from the daily newspaper Kommersant wrote that the film was so dominated by Hollywood flash that it seemed as if the Russian filmmakers had been “forced to smuggle something contraband into a foreign commercial project to excite the soul of the ironic Soviet viewer.”

Many, however, applauded Disney for taking on a project not even local film companies had tried in 20 years.

“If we cannot make good films about Russian fairy tales, and they do it great, why can’t Disney do this?” said Daniil B. Dondurei, editor in chief of the film journal Iskusstvo Kino.

Still, Mr. Dondurei said he was amused at the thought of “Americans coming to us to help us break the spell on the secrets of Russia.”

Hasil (Bahasa Indonesia) 1:

Moskow — Itu semua ada di layar: Ivan dan Ratu Gunung; Baba Yaga, penyihir, yang tinggal di sebuah pondok yang bertengger di kaki ayam; dan bahkan Kashchei yang abadi, yang terus kematian Nya terkunci dalam telur angsa.DisneyMaxim Loktionov sebagai Ivan, pahlawan film, dengan Maria Andreyeva sebagai cinta sejati.DisneyLiya Akhedzhakova sebagai Baba Yaga.Karakter Rakyat Rusia dicintai kembali di bioskop dua dekade setelah runtuhnya Uni Soviet dihentikan negara berat produksi dongeng film, muncul dalam rehabilitasi diresapi efek khusus dari cerita-cerita yang diceritakan kepada anak-anak Rusia selama beberapa generasi.Versi baru ini, bagaimanapun, mengatakan bukan oleh sebuah studio film Rusia tetapi oleh the Walt Disney Company.Film — "Kniga Masterov", atau "Buku Masters" — Disney usaha pertama di film khusus untuk audiens berbahasa Rusia. Dengan gips Rusia dan para penulis Rusia, Direksi, dan produsen, film mencerminkan realitas baru di Disney dan di Hollywood umumnya yang dijuluki sebagai blockbuster Amerika tidak lagi cukup untuk menjaga pijakan di pasar luar negeri yang menguntungkan. Beberapa rasa lokal adalah sekarang diperlukan.Di Rusia, India, Cina, Amerika Latin dan di tempat lain, Disney telah berjuang sejumlah studio Hollywood dan perusahaan produksi lokal untuk hati — dan uang tunai — pemirsa, dengan berbagai peningkatan hiburan yang diproduksi di pasar tersebut. Itu dirilis film pertamanya bahasa Cina, "The Secret of the Magic labu," pada tahun 2007, dan memproduseri film animasi dengan rumah produksi di India tahun lalu.With “The Book of Masters,” Disney has sought to capitalize on a wave of nostalgia in an older generation as well as a renewed interest in Russian tradition and culture among the country’s youth. “Adults miss fairy tales of their childhood, and the younger generation simply is not familiar with the Russian folklore,” Vadim Sokolovsky, the film’s director, wrote in an e-mail message. “We wanted to bring back to the silver screen Baba Yaga and Kashchei, Bogatyr and the Mermaid, the Talking Horse and the smart Kolobok,” he said, referring to some of the film’s characters.But filmmakers had to tread deftly. The Soviet Union churned out many fairy-tale-based films that have become classics. Russia’s greatest artists have incorporated fairy tales into plays and ballets, as well as poems that many Russians know by heart. And Disney, the home of Mickey Mouse and “The Pirates of the Caribbean,” had to be careful not to stoke anti-American sentiment here, and with it charges of cultural imperialism.“We were definitely very, very cautious when we were telling the story,” said Marina Jigalova-Ozkan, the managing director of Disney’s operations in the former Soviet Union. She said her local staff “worked with our colleagues in Hollywood trying to make the story interesting and use all the Disney experience in telling the stories. But the whole movie is made by the Russian team.”The formula, so far, appears to have worked. Ticket sales for “The Book of Masters” topped $10 million at the end of its second week, comparable to American-made Disney films here, Disney officials said. The film ranked No. 1 at Russian box offices in its first two weekends. The movie was released on Oct. 29 in 800 theaters across Russia, and dozens more in former Soviet countries.Local movie productions have become even more important to Disney’s expansion strategy because its television efforts have been ensnared in Russian bureaucracy and restrictions on foreign media. Last year the company announced with fanfare that it had finally figured out a way to create a satellite Disney Channel — by partnering with a Russian broadcaster — but a government agency blocked the deal.“The Book of Masters” is based loosely on the folklore of the Ural Mountains in central Russia. In the film Ivan, an orphan boy, must face off against the Stone Countess, who strives to claim dominion over the world, while her stone warriors, the Ardars, terrorize local villagers.The film, a live-action adventure story aesthetically similar to recent productions like “The Chronicles of Narnia” series, is quintessentially Disney down to the inevitable happy ending — not always a given in Russian fairy tales (or in the sources of some of Disney’s best-known movies).But “The Book of Masters” is not without local color. Ivan spends about as much time contending with the abuses of drunken bureaucrats as with the Stone Countess. And at one point he is tempted to give up his true love, Katya, in exchange for a large house on Rublyovka Road, also the name of the Moscow street where Russia’s leaders and oligarchs have their sprawling mansions. Ivan declines, choosing love over material wealth.There was a time when Disney’s global prestige could rest on its American-made products, said Andrew Bird, chairman of Walt Disney International.“We’ve found that as the world becomes more sophisticated, and consumers become more sophisticated, the need for people to stay in touch with their own local sensibilities is somewhat heightened as well,” he said.That is not to say that American-made films are no longer popular. They still have the bulk of Russia’s market, though locally produced films are drawing an increasing share. Domestic films grew to 25 percent of the Russian market in 2008 from 4 percent at the start of the decade, Vladimir V. Putin, Russia’s prime minister, told a gathering of Russian filmmakers this month.To remain competitive, Disney has expanded its operations in Russia, increasing its production staff from just a handful three years ago to nearly 200 today. Work has already begun on a new film, though Disney officials are not talking publicly about the details.At a recent viewing of “The Book of Masters” at the large Pushkin Theater in Moscow, moviegoers applauded the finale. Even with the strong anti-American current here, many moviegoers seemed flattered by Disney’s attempt.“It is nice that Disney took part in this because it shows that they are not simply interested in their culture across the ocean, but are branching into other regions,” Maxim Minyaichev, 22, said after watching the film.Certainly, there have been plenty of complaints from critics: the special effects were too intrusive, a few scenes too syrupy and the filmmakers too concerned about avoiding ethnic stereotypes, some said. Lidia Maslova from the daily newspaper Kommersant wrote that the film was so dominated by Hollywood flash that it seemed as if the Russian filmmakers had been “forced to smuggle something contraband into a foreign commercial project to excite the soul of the ironic Soviet viewer.”Many, however, applauded Disney for taking on a project not even local film companies had tried in 20 years.“If we cannot make good films about Russian fairy tales, and they do it great, why can’t Disney do this?” said Daniil B. Dondurei, editor in chief of the film journal Iskusstvo Kino.Still, Mr. Dondurei said he was amused at the thought of “Americans coming to us to help us break the spell on the secrets of Russia.”

Hasil (Bahasa Indonesia) 2:

MOSKOW - Mereka semua ada di layar: Ivan dan ratu gunung; Baba Yaga, penyihir, yang tinggal di sebuah pondok bertengger di kaki ayam; dan bahkan Kashchei Immortal, yang membuat kematiannya terkunci dalam telur angsa itu. Disney Maxim Loktionov sebagai Ivan, pahlawan film, dengan Maria Andreyeva sebagai cinta sejatinya. Disney Liya Akhedzhakova sebagai Baba Yaga. karakter rakyat tercinta Rusia kembali di bioskop beberapa dua dekade setelah runtuhnya Soviet menghentikan produksi berat negara film dongeng, muncul dalam rehabilitasi khusus-efek-infused dari kisah yang diceritakan kepada anak-anak Rusia selama beberapa generasi. Versi baru ini, bagaimanapun, mengatakan tidak oleh studio film Rusia tetapi oleh Walt Disney Company. Film - "Memberi Judul Masterov," atau "The Book of Masters" - adalah usaha pertama Disney di film khusus untuk audiens berbahasa Rusia. Dengan pemain Rusia dan penulis Rusia, sutradara dan produser, film ini mencerminkan realitas baru di Disney dan di Hollywood umum bahwa film-film Amerika yang dijuluki cukup tidak lagi mempertahankan pijakan di pasar luar negeri yang menguntungkan. Beberapa rasa lokal kini diperlukan. Di Rusia, India, China, Amerika Latin dan di tempat lain, Disney telah memerangi sejumlah studio Hollywood dan perusahaan produksi lokal untuk hati - dan uang tunai - dari pemirsa, dengan berbagai peningkatan hiburan yang diproduksi di pasar tersebut. Hal merilis film pertamanya berbahasa Cina, "The Secret of Magic Labu," pada tahun 2007, dan co-menghasilkan film animasi dengan rumah produksi di India tahun lalu. Dengan "The Book of Masters," Disney telah berupaya untuk memanfaatkan pada gelombang nostalgia dalam generasi yang lebih tua serta minat baru dalam tradisi dan budaya Rusia di kalangan pemuda negara itu. "Dewasa lewatkan dongeng masa kecil mereka, dan generasi muda hanya tidak akrab dengan cerita rakyat Rusia," Vadim Sokolovsky, sutradara film, menulis dalam pesan e-mail. "Kami ingin membawa kembali ke layar perak Baba Yaga dan Kashchei, Bogatyr dan Mermaid, Berbicara kuda dan pintar Kolobok," katanya, mengacu pada beberapa karakter film. Tapi pembuat film harus melangkah dengan sigap. Uni Soviet bergejolak banyak dongeng-dongeng-berbasis film yang telah menjadi klasik. Seniman terbesar Rusia ini telah dimasukkan ke dalam dongeng drama dan balet, serta puisi yang banyak orang Rusia hafal. Dan Disney, rumah Mickey Mouse dan "The Pirates of the Caribbean," harus berhati-hati untuk tidak menyalakan sentimen anti-Amerika di sini, dan dengan itu biaya imperialisme budaya. "Kami jelas sangat, sangat berhati-hati ketika kami mengatakan cerita, "kata Marina Jigalova-Ozkan, direktur operasi Disney di bekas Uni Soviet. Dia mengatakan staf lokal nya "bekerja sama dengan rekan-rekan kami di Hollywood mencoba untuk membuat cerita yang menarik dan menggunakan semua pengalaman Disney dalam menceritakan kisah-kisah. Tapi seluruh film yang dibuat oleh tim Rusia. " Rumus, sejauh ini, tampaknya telah bekerja. Penjualan tiket untuk "The Book of Masters" mencapai $ 10 juta, akhir minggu kedua, dibandingkan dengan buatan Amerika film Disney di sini, kata para pejabat Disney. Film ini peringkat No 1 di box office Rusia dalam dua pekan pertama. Film ini dirilis pada 29 Oktober di 800 bioskop di seluruh Rusia, dan puluhan lainnya di negara-negara bekas Uni Soviet. produksi film lokal telah menjadi bahkan lebih penting untuk strategi ekspansi Disney karena upaya televisinya telah terjerat dalam birokrasi Rusia dan pembatasan media asing. Tahun lalu perusahaan mengumumkan dengan gembar-gembor bahwa mereka telah akhirnya menemukan cara untuk membuat satelit Disney Channel - melalui kemitraan dengan penyiar Rusia -. Tetapi lembaga pemerintah memblokir kesepakatan "Kitab Master" didasarkan longgar pada cerita rakyat Pegunungan Ural di Rusia tengah. Dalam film Ivan, seorang anak yatim, harus menghadapi off melawan Batu Countess, yang berusaha untuk mengklaim kekuasaan atas dunia, sementara prajurit batu-nya, Ardars, meneror penduduk setempat. Film, kisah petualangan live-action estetis mirip dengan produksi terbaru seperti "The Chronicles of Narnia" seri, yang dasarnya Disney turun ke happy ending tak terelakkan - tidak selalu diberikan dalam dongeng Rusia (atau dalam sumber-sumber dari beberapa film Disney paling terkenal). Tapi "The Book of Masters "bukan tanpa warna lokal. Ivan menghabiskan sekitar banyak waktu bersaing dengan penyalahgunaan birokrat mabuk seperti Batu Countess. Dan pada satu titik dia tergoda untuk menyerah cinta sejati, Katya, dalam pertukaran untuk sebuah rumah besar di Rublyovka Road, juga nama jalan Moskow di mana para pemimpin dan oligarki Rusia memiliki rumah-rumah terkapar mereka. Ivan menurun, memilih cinta di atas kekayaan materi. Ada suatu masa ketika prestise global Disney bisa beristirahat pada produk buatan Amerika, kata Andrew Bird, ketua Walt Disney International. "Kami telah menemukan bahwa dunia menjadi lebih canggih, dan konsumen menjadi lebih canggih, kebutuhan bagi orang untuk tetap berhubungan dengan kepekaan lokal mereka sendiri agak tinggi juga, "katanya. Itu bukan untuk mengatakan bahwa film-film buatan Amerika tidak lagi populer. Mereka masih memiliki sebagian besar pasar Rusia, meskipun film yang diproduksi secara lokal menggambar pangsa meningkat. Film dalam negeri tumbuh 25 persen dari pasar Rusia pada tahun 2008 dari 4 persen pada awal dekade, Vladimir V. Putin, perdana menteri Rusia, mengatakan pertemuan pembuat film Rusia bulan ini. Untuk tetap kompetitif, Disney telah memperluas operasinya di Rusia, meningkatkan staf produksi dari hanya segelintir tiga tahun lalu untuk hampir 200 hari. Pekerjaan telah dimulai pada film baru, meskipun pejabat Disney tidak berbicara secara terbuka tentang rincian. Pada tampilan terbaru dari "The Book of Masters" di Pushkin Theater besar di Moskow, penonton bertepuk tangan finale. Bahkan dengan arus anti-Amerika yang kuat di sini, banyak penonton tampak tersanjung dengan upaya Disney. "Memang menyenangkan bahwa Disney mengambil bagian dalam hal ini karena menunjukkan bahwa mereka tidak hanya tertarik pada budaya mereka di seberang lautan, tetapi bercabang ke daerah lain , "Maxim Minyaichev, 22, mengatakan setelah menonton film tersebut. Tentu saja, ada banyak keluhan dari para kritikus: efek khusus terlalu mengganggu, beberapa adegan yang terlalu manis dan pembuat film terlalu khawatir tentang menghindari stereotip etnis, beberapa kata. Lidia Maslova dari koran harian Kommersant menulis bahwa film ini sangat didominasi oleh Hollywood flash yang tampaknya seolah-olah para pembuat film Rusia telah "dipaksa untuk menyelundupkan sesuatu selundupan ke proyek komersial asing untuk merangsang jiwa penampil Soviet ironis." Banyak Namun, bertepuk tangan Disney untuk mengambil proyek bahkan tidak perusahaan film lokal telah mencoba dalam 20 tahun. "Jika kita tidak bisa membuat film yang baik tentang dongeng Rusia, dan mereka melakukannya besar, mengapa tidak bisa Disney melakukan ini?" kata Daniil B. Dondurei, pemimpin redaksi jurnal Film Iskusstvo Kino. Namun, Mr. Dondurei mengatakan dia geli memikirkan "Amerika datang kepada kami untuk membantu kami memecahkan mantra pada rahasia Rusia."