A Lively and Fun fairy tale like horror based on a short story by russian literary gigant Nikolaj Gogol and supposedly the only horror film,
or officially released one, made during the Soviet Union era. It's short and simple but great entertainment to watch and this mostly because
of the highly inspired special effects created or supervised by the legendary russian filmmaker and film effect maker Aleksandr Ptushko.
Everything in this film is building up to the 3 nights of terror ending where the revengeful witch brings down all sorts of demons to make
mincemeat out of the unlucky priest seminar student Khoma Brutus.

When i first watched this film classic i couldn't find it on a DVD or a Blu-ray disc but was able to see it on Youtube in streaming video and
with english subtitles, and in OK picture quality. yes, and now i re-watched it on the US Severin Films Blu-ray released in 2019.

Leonid Kuravlyov as Khoma Brutus

Natalia Varley as the young witch

This film is based on the Gogol story and that supposedly is based on an old ukrainian folktale, so the film
starts at the Kiev Seminary where we see the students leave for some vacation. Khoma Brutus (very well
played by Leonid Kuravlev) and 2 fellow seminarists lose their way and asks for night accommodation at
a house somewhere in the countryside. A delightfully ugly old woman takes them in ... and yes, i'm not
misogynistic here, she's really ugly and was played by a male actor (Nikolai Kutuzov) just to be that.
However, there won't be any peaceful night with nice sleep for Khoma as the witch jumps on his back and
takes him on a ride through the night skies and happily cackles with a broom in her hand.

Khoma does not like it and after landing he severely beats the old "lady", and badly injured she transforms
into a girl (played by Natalya Varley). Full of horror Khoma flees.
Back at the seminary he's told that the daughter of a landowner/Cossac has been beaten badly by some
unknown miscreant and is dying, and that she has asked for Khoma to come and pray for her.
Khoma tries to avoid this duty but finally has to go and when he arrives the girl's dead, and ...

Demons

The Viy

... now we're in for the Big Ending and the reason for this film being made - The Triple Night of Horrors

Khoma has to spend 3 nights with prayers at the dead girls side, lying in her coffin in the small chapel placed
on the estates premises. The friendly farm workers give him a lot of booze to endure the tests to come.
Well, it doesn't take long for the girl to wake up and to rise from her coffin (see pic above).
She's furious for revenge and wisely Khoma draws a protective circle with a piece of chalk, so she can't
reach him, but does she try ... And here's a mighty impressive scene where The Girl tries to get into his circle
and moves around and around and the camera swirls around and around, it's GREAT filmmaking with small
means and this beautiful girl, she's a bit scary. Also, there's a great scene where she flies around in her coffin.

As she can't get into his circle she now invokes all dark forces to attack poor Khoma, an assortment of strange
vampires, demons and including the curious looking and powerful slavic spirit The Viy. Clearly as some comic
relief as he/she/it looks like a 1960's mexican film monster made out of papier-maché.
This film is GREAT FUN for every true horror film lover and very recommended - essential viewing.
I've seen re-makes of this horror classic, as the 2018 Gogol.Viy TV movie and with the beautiful but angry witch
made up as a demon or something, BUT the original scenes from 1967 with the gorgeous Natalia Varley swirling
around and scaring Khoma is by far the Superior. Less is more.

The film is presented by Severin Films in 4:3 1.37:1 aspect ratio with russian (or english) audio mono with
english subtitles. Region All. Extras:

Viy, The Vampire: An interview with Richard Stanley (23 minutes, 2019), From the Woods to the Cosmos:
John Leman Riley on the history of Soviet Union fantasy and sci-fi film (35 minutes, 2019), Trailer and 3 Soviet
Silent Horror films: The Portrait (8 minutes), The Queen of Spades (16 min) and Satan exultant (19 minutes).

NOTE: When watching the documentary above My copy froze between 5.36 and 6.15 - Fast Forward over it