Like many contributors I remember being quite scared by this film, watching it in the mid 1960s as a young child. It left a big impression, and it remained in my memory for over 40 years.
We bought this on DVD recently and I joked with my wife that it was pure propaganda; the 'haughty' princess representing the third Reich, the enchanted bear was revolutionary Russia, and the evil dwarf the manipulative and cynical forces of capitalism - it only works to a certain point, and will go right over the head of most viewers!
This is a hugely enjoyable film, at many levels, and whilst many of the special effects look very dated it doesn't detract from the story at all.
We bought this on DVD recently and I joked with my wife that it was pure propaganda; the 'haughty' princess representing the third Reich, the enchanted bear was revolutionary Russia, and the evil dwarf the manipulative and cynical forces of capitalism - it only works to a certain point, and will go right over the head of most viewers!
This is a hugely enjoyable film, at many levels, and whilst many of the special effects look very dated it doesn't detract from the story at all.