Inventor Shurik has constructed a time machine in his humdrum Moscow apartment. Accidentally the contraption sends the inventor, the apartment house manager, and a thief to the palace of Ivan the Terrible, while the notori... more »ous monarch switches places with them in time. Hilarious complications ensue in this giddy mixture of science fiction and comedy.« less
"It is one of the best Russian comedies of the Soviet period. This film is about a scholar who invents a time machine and by accident sends his neighbour and a burglar who happens to be in his neighbour's flat to the time of Ivan the terrible. It is absolutely hysterical. Great cast. Great acting. I have seen this film many times and every time I laugh my head off. I would recommend all the films by Leonid Gaiday."
I wish everyone understood Russian humor
alex | USA, CA | 04/12/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"God everytime i think about this movie I cave in, because it hurts me to think that none of my friends will ever see it and if they do, they won't get it. It is at times like these I wish we were all one nation. I am myself from Russia and I remember watching this film over and over again and then coming to America and renting it here over and over again. And I just feel angry and sad that no one I know will be able to enjoy this masterpiece...and also all those other masterpieces like: Operation Y, Gentlemen of Fortune, The Adventures of Shrulik and etc. All those films are just plain genius."
Russian Comedy at its best
nikola | Orlando, FL United States | 01/10/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This movie is hilarious. A "modern" Soviet scientist builds a time machine and mistakenly ends up in Ivan the Terrible's palace... and he is transported to the USSR! The premise itself is enough to make you laugh... but the hilarity that follows is indescribable!"
Fantastic
Shawn Irwin | Tempe Arizona USA | 09/21/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The first time you view it you may not get it well if you do not understand Russian, and it may seem a little goofy, because it is in Russian with English subtitles, but after you have seen it a few times, you develop a real appreciation for it. It is one of the funniest comedies I have seen, and it is amazing that it came out as it did considering the era in which it was made. All of the actors are fantastic, and after you have really got it, you'll probably want to watch it a few more times, or every now and then, it is a classic."
Simple Comedy!
Danilo A. Almeida | Provo, UT USA | 11/28/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Some russian movies are great and this is one of them. It is a simple, no "harm-making" comedy. Just the way it should be."