Mama (1976)

Powerful

a film so unique, intoxicating and bizarre that it not only demands another viewing, but is also forgivable as a satirical comedy where the jokes eventually take the back seat.

This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

Well, it's a Russian-Romanian movie or Romanian-Russian as you like, produced by Romanian television and Mosfilm. I neither not know who and how much has contributed in it, nor I'm going to ponder on this, because Romanian television and Mosfilm did together a mega-work. If you want to have the authorship for individual strokes on the masterpiece canvas,go ahead, but I prefer to enjoy the canvas and to praise Mosfilm and Romanian television, may they both long live. As Russian I see our all-time mega-actors in the leading roles of wolf, mama goat, bears, one of the wolf's sidekicks, and I enjoy their acting as well as I enjoy the entire movie as one great piece of story telling, artistry, music, ballet, costumes, setting, you name it. All actors in the movie are up to their roles and do a fantastic performance. The original story is obviously Romanian, because Russian story of "Mama goat and seven bucks" has a different ending without gold ransom episode, leaving this alone the story is almost the same - bad wolf ends his life in fire pit. The Romanian ending of wolf's following the sack of gold into the icy river creates richer allusions, I think. They say Romanian television made the character's costumes,so I'm interested was it on purpose they added some gay details in the wolf's costume ? When wolf Suru sings in Russian "Grey wolf is innocent like a child" this makes me think it is more than a well-rhymed line. BTW I normally don't recognize such thing as musical, and I think rock'n'roll is not an appropriate music. And first I was prejudiced against this movie for much rock music is there. But giving myself a time to watch it to the end I found that this rich and deep mega-work is somehow an exception. How they did it ? Аsk Romanian television and Russian Mosfilm.

Hi, I am writing only because so many people on IMDb wanted to have it. Being a Russian-speaking person I could not imagine so many viewers around the world appreciate it so much! You guys made me feel sentimental together with the movie because I just bought it here in USA for my son after 30 years when I saw it. It's the Russian language version, but the video and sound quality is better than I expected. At least the music is still the same as you remember it - great! By the way L. Gurchenko(Mama goat) recently died in the age of 75, RIP. So, you can try the web-site "from Russia - dot - com" (it's in English), but write the link together as one word (IMDB system did not take it as one). The DVD is NTSC, $14.99 (plus shipping). Good luck and write me if there is a problem - may be I will help.

When is this ever coming out on DVD? There's a huge untapped nostalgic market waiting for you in Norway and Sweden. TVIN, the Russian TV-company who owns the rights to this, are you listening?If you are interested in seeing this come out on DVD, you can mail your interest in the DVD to: [email protected] contact page can be found at: http://www.tvin.ru/cgi-bin/section.cgi?IdS=15Please do not force us into piracy just to watch this great piece of work. Bring Christmas of days past into our hearts again! Songs like "Mommy" are forever classics, and so is this tale.

I give this a ten. Yes it's partly because I saw it several times as a child, so you do get a bit nostalgic when something reminds you of your childhood. In my case this has also very much to do with the music and of course the universal themes of mother/children and good/bad.When I see this movie as an grown-up, I can understand why this make so much effect on both children and adults. It has everything you can fantasize about. Great acting and choreography, and all the small and great details in costumes and makeup. The actors facial expressions are spot on for the animals they are playing. As a child you connect to them at once. The story is just as clever, funny, warm and a bit scary as you would expect from an old fairy-tale. On top of this you have the excellent music. It has a few melodies that you can remember for 20 years after just one or two listens. It has classical music, a bit rock'n roll, musical like, lullaby, disco, East-European... It never gets boring.This movie just has the magic soul that can touch you and stay in your heart for ever. Not many movies can do that. Not to me at least.NB: Funny how much 'top 1000 voters' are weighted on IMDb :(When I write this, this movie has 7.7 (133 votes). The ratings 1,2,3 and 4 have only 4 votes. 2 of those 4 votes are top 1000 voters. Incredible 70% gives this movie a ten. 94% of 133 voters give this movie 8 or more. Still it's weighted 7.7 only because of two top 1000 voters...