“Kaschey the Immortal” (1945) was a special effects-fantasy film from the Soviet Union, made by the “Russian Walt Disney,” Alexander Ptushko. Ptushko was a special effects pioneer who primarily made fairy tale and fantasy films, and considering the time, it might be more accurate to say he was a Soviet George Pal instead of Disney. 

The plot was based on old Russian stories, about a powerful undead sorcerer, Kaschey, who rules from an always night goblin kingdom of terrifying mountains, and has a sword made of lightning. Kaschey kidnaps a beautiful Russian princess to try to make her his bride. Kaschey cannot be killed because his heart is not inside his body, so the heroes have to venture deep into a lost cavern to destroy his heart.

Released in the USSR on Victory Day, 1945, “Kaschey the Immortal,” feels like an exhuberant victory celebration, as a good vs. battle where good wins in the end. The imagery of a tyrant rampaging across the world and wrecking Russian cities with his hordes in black must have felt all too familiar to its original audience.