Noch pered Rozhdestvom

Drawing equally from folklore, contemporary culture, and regional interpretations of religious mythology and holiday practices, Nikolai Gogol's 1832 story 'Christmas Eve,' or 'The night before Christmas,' is a charming, lighthearted tale of whimsy that remains enchanting nearly two centuries later. It stands to reason that most any cinematic adaptation of that tale would be rich and imaginative, and indeed we saw this with Aleksandr Rou's film of 1961. Even the earliest years of the medium boasted creative innovators, however, like French pioneer Georges Méliès - and I think we can surely say that Ladislas Starevich also deserves to be counted among such company. In all capacities the production values may be simple and modest compared to what would be developed in subsequent years, yet the relative lack of sophistication does not mean that there is any less detail or ingenuity in the visions to greet us. On the contrary, I'm of the mind that such unassuming presentation has helped this 1913 feature to age better than some of its successors. As technology and techniques have continually improved for computer-generated imagery and post-production wizardry the digital splendor of today may well be tomorrow's laughable trash; on the other hand, even the most uncomplicated practical effects and tangible creations will always look better than the most pristine sights conjured from a motherboard, and the endearing fancifulness of the silent era endures unbothered by the passage of time.

Thus do the sets here remain striking and inviting, and we wish could could step through our screens and explore them inch by inch. The costume design is lovely, not to mention the hair and makeup. Any effects that are employed are of a nature that plainly betrays the inauthenticity, yet as our own imagination is engaged with suspension of disbelief there is a magical appeal thereto that lasts even in 2023, meeting or beating whatever otherworldly grandeur we might get in the latest superhero flick or space opera. Why, comparatively elementary as some effects may be, the use and achievement here are arguably more impressive, and genuinely more special, given that the medium was still only in its infancy. Factor in the animated performances of the cast, and the result is an inventive realization of Gogol's story of witchcraft, devilish mischief, and romance during the holiday season. With all this in mind I don't think Starevich's rendition is wholly perfect; there are details and nuances in the original prose, and in other adaptations to follow, that are missing from these forty-one minutes. In some measure the filmmaker cut corners, and not every beat is given its full due. Even at that, though, the movie is solid as a whole, and thoroughly enjoyable. Both on its merits and as a surviving silent film it is a treasure that deserves continued recognition and viewership, and anyone who appreciates such classics will feel right at home here. It may not be a total must-see, and it certainly won't appeal to all, but especially given its brisk runtime 'The night before Christmas' is a minor delight that's worth watching if you have the chance.

Bizarre silent Russian movie which takes forever to get to the point of its tale, but does at least look impressive. Many men end up in sacks for some reason.

If you combine Starewicz's cinematic creativity with Gogol's literary imagination, you know that you are going to get something interesting. This filming of "Christmas Eve" is filled with manic activity, offbeat characters, and amusing developments. It was quite an ambitious undertaking for 1913, and it is also a live-action feature, rather than one of the animated gems for which Starewicz is probably better-remembered. But the material provides opportunities for both comedy and fantasy, giving Starewicz plenty to work with.

The story takes place in a small village, with a popular witch, the devil, a smith, a Cossack's daughter, and several others getting involved in a long series of escapades. In Gogol's original story, everything ties together more neatly, and it's all inter-related. This film version never quite pulls everything together (whether because it assumed familiarity with the story, or whether it just proved a little too difficult without spoken dialogue). But most of the sequences hold up well enough by themselves anyway, since they usually have enough humor to carry them off even when is not as clear how they connect with the main story.

Whether or not you are familiar with the original story, there's quite a bit to see. It's crazy stuff that's fun to watch.

Wladyslaw Starewicz (Ladislas Starewitch in France) was a genius of early stop-motion puppet animation. His humorous tales involving toys, replicas of insects, frogs and such remain delightful to this day; "The Cameraman's Revenge" is especially amazing for 1912. This, "Christmas Eve", is a live-action film, though. There is some animation and mild special effects. It's amusing in parts, but, overall, it's unremarkable.

The camera-work and film-making are mostly straightforward: a stationary camera without much scene dissection or close shots. Scenes become rather dull as a result. The exceptions are two brief forward, shaking camera movements involving the devil flying. That's innovative film-making; if only he'd built upon it, this film might have went somewhere. It reminds one of the startling camera movements he accomplished in "The Mascot" (1934), which also involved a devil.

Additionally, Ivan Mozzhukhin (Ivan Mosjoukine in France), a star in his day and unrecognizable in the costume, seems to relish his role as the devil. The Gogol story of connected stories is promising material, but this adaptation doesn't appear to be on the right scale for Starewicz. As a film made in 1913, it's okay and has its moments; however, as a film by Starewicz, it's unsatisfactory. "The Cameraman's Revenge" is nearly unbelievable as a film made in the early 1910s; "Christmas Eve", however, is clearly such.

This, unusually, is a live action feature from stop-motion pioneer Wladyslaw Starewicz. It still incorporates some fantasy elements, however. In fact those parts are certainly the best moments in this feature. When it veers away from the fantastic and concentrates more on the comedy it becomes a little mundane. The strongest imagery involves the character of the devil. He is a hairy bear-like creature with a creepy face. An excellent monster. All scenes involving him are good and the ones to watch this for. He even takes to the air and travels through the night sky on a broomstick, which is a great image. On the whole though, this film suggests that Starewicz was much better with animation. His strange, wholly original features, such as Cameraman's Revenge are what he will always be remembered for. This is more uneven, although it does have great parts as I have said.