In Slavic folklore, Baba Yaga is a renowned witch who is both feared and respected. Described as an old hag with a bony nose and iron teeth, Baba Yaga lives in a hut that stands on chicken legs and can move through the forests at will. She is known for her unpredictability and is often said to be the bringer of both blessings and misfortune. Legend has it that Baba Yaga could grant wishes to those who approached her with humility and respect. However, she was also known to be cruel and vengeful towards those who angered her or showed disrespect. Many tales have been told of her encounters with various heroes and heroines, each facing unique challenges and trials.
Oreck’s version of a well-known Slavic fairy tale replaces a wicked stepmother with hostile soldiers as the reason two children must venture into the woods. There they encounter Baba Yaga, a fearsome witch who flies around in a giant mortar and lives in a movable hut mounted on chicken feet. She demands near-impossible tasks of the sister and brother, threatening to eat them if they fail. But, aided by small representatives of nature — a talking mouse, cat and sparrow — the duo accomplish her bidding. Foiled, Baba Yaga must allow the children to leave, reluctantly giving them a magic comb; fleeing marauding soldiers, the boy throws the comb on the ground whereupon it transforms into an impenetrable thicket. The siblings wander in the forest where they are reunited with their mother and all live happily ever after.
Though these illustrations do not literally constitute animation there is no frame-by-frame character movement linking one drawing to the next the camera simulates storytelling by constantly roaming the panels, zooming in and out and slowly panning across surfaces. But after It is in the objectification of the world that man becomes unknowable, the camera travels, picking up speed, past a Weekend -like traffic jam of stalled vehicles.
Many tales have been told of her encounters with various heroes and heroines, each facing unique challenges and trials. One particularly famous story involves a young girl named Vasilisa, who is sent by her evil stepmother to Baba Yaga's hut to fetch some fire. Vasilisa is terrified but determined to complete the task, as her stepmother hopes she will never return.
Film Review: ‘The Vanquishing of the Witch Baba Yaga’
A poetic, mesmerizing fusion of fairy tale and cultural commentary from director Jessica Oreck.
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Nature and civilization square off in Jessica Oreck’s poetic meditation-cum-documentary “The Vanquishing of the Witch Baba Yaga.” Alternating between two complementary narratives (fairy-tale and cultural-anthropological) in two languages (Russian and Polish) and two formats (animation and live-action), Oreck spins a mesmerizing web that appropriates a wealth of disparate Eastern European images — of mushrooms, farmers, falling trees and war-destroyed buildings — to illustrate its lyrical discourse. Probably less accessible than Oreck’s feted entomological curio “Beetle Queen Conquers Tokyo,” “Baba Yaga” ventures closer to experimental film, breaking new ground with calls to the collective unconscious that should lure adventurous arthouse auds.
The story Oreck tells is simple: Man, fearing nature’s wildness, builds walls against it and demonizes it in folklore. But there is another, far more violent force within man himself that, once unleashed, sends him fleeing to a wilderness that now affords sanctuary. Eastern Europe, with its war-torn history and amalgam of ancient and modern customs, seems an obvious setting for Oreck’s dual narrative. And using alternating voices — Tatyana Zbirovskaya dramatizing the fairy tale in Russian, Mariuz Wolf offering selected cultural insights in Polish — adds immeasurably to the film’s mystique. It is doubtful that the film would pack a similar wallop in English: The almost unbroken flow of unfamiliar syllables (so that subtitles need to be deciphered by another part of the brain) hypnotically streams into the very unconscious of which it speaks, gathering eclectic imagery on the way.
Oreck’s version of a well-known Slavic fairy tale replaces a wicked stepmother with hostile soldiers as the reason two children must venture into the woods. There they encounter Baba Yaga, a fearsome witch who flies around in a giant mortar and lives in a movable hut mounted on chicken feet. She demands near-impossible tasks of the sister and brother, threatening to eat them if they fail. But, aided by small representatives of nature — a talking mouse, cat and sparrow — the duo accomplish her bidding. Foiled, Baba Yaga must allow the children to leave, reluctantly giving them a magic comb; fleeing marauding soldiers, the boy throws the comb on the ground whereupon it transforms into an impenetrable thicket. The siblings wander in the forest where they are reunited with their mother and all live happily ever after.
Oreck presents this fairy tale as a series of animation storyboard panels, rendered with 3D perspectives. Though these illustrations do not literally constitute animation — there is no frame-by-frame character movement linking one drawing to the next — the camera simulates storytelling by constantly roaming the panels, zooming in and out and slowly panning across surfaces.
The Polish monologue, borrowing freely from evocative poetry, musings and memoirs, encompasses a far less cohesive procession of live-action images. Occasionally the images literally complement the words: When the narrator intones “Beyond the grasping reach of civilization, lost within the indistinct shadows of the forest, certainty falters,” the camera moves with disorienting swiftness through a contorted forest landscape, past Old World tableaux of bucolic enclaves where old men sit on wooden benches smoking pipes as horse-drawn wagons clomp past. But after “It is in the objectification of the world that man becomes unknowable,” the camera travels, picking up speed, past a “Weekend”-like traffic jam of stalled vehicles.
Rundown, modern-day apartment buildings afford a variety of long-shot vistas, with individuals on balconies engaged in sundry activities. Grocery storefronts at twilight assume a mystical glow, while the lights of oncoming vehicles are glimpsed between the shapely legs of high-heel-clad women. Deserted, war-ravaged edifices and a crumbling schoolhouse, littered with upturned benches and curling book pages, silently attest to the cost of civilization.
Though the alternation between Devin Dubrolowski’s carefully crafted drawings and d.p. Sean Price William’s freeform 16mm live-action sequences yields no overt throughline, Oreck’s vision holds fast to its premise.
As she approaches the hut, the gates open, and Baba Yaga appears. She tests Vasilisa and sends her on impossible quests, but with the help of a magic doll given to her by her dying mother, Vasilisa succeeds. In the end, Baba Yaga is vanquished by Vasilisa's cunning and resourcefulness. Using the doll, Vasilisa outsmarts the witch and escapes with her life. Baba Yaga is left humiliated and defeated, her power over the young girl broken. This victory serves as a testament to the strength of the human spirit and the power of wit and courage in the face of adversity. The vanquishing of the witch Baba Yaga showcases the triumph of good over evil, and the ability of even the most ordinary individuals to overcome seemingly insurmountable challenges. It serves as a cautionary tale, teaching the importance of kindness, humility, and perseverance in the face of injustice. Although Baba Yaga's power and influence were great, they were ultimately no match for the determination and cleverness of Vasilisa. In conclusion, the story of the vanquishing of the witch Baba Yaga has captivated audiences for generations. It serves as a reminder that even the most fearsome adversaries can be conquered with the right combination of courage, resourcefulness, and a little bit of magic..
Reviews for "The Mystery of Baba Yaga's Herb Garden: Herbs for Healing or Bewitching?"
1. John - 1 star
"The Vanquishing of the Witch Baba Yaga" was a complete waste of time for me. The story was choppy and confusing, with no clear plot or direction. The characters were flat and uninteresting, and I found it difficult to connect with any of them. The visual effects were also underwhelming, and failed to bring the story to life. Overall, I was extremely disappointed with this film and would not recommend it to anyone looking for an engaging and entertaining watch.
2. Sarah - 2 stars
I have mixed feelings about "The Vanquishing of the Witch Baba Yaga". While the concept was intriguing, the execution fell short for me. The film seemed overly pretentious, with long, drawn-out scenes that added nothing to the story. The pacing was slow and made the already confusing plot even harder to follow. Although the cinematography was visually appealing at times, it was not enough to salvage the overall experience. I can see how some may appreciate the artistic approach, but personally, I found it tedious and unsatisfying.
3. Michael - 2 stars
"The Vanquishing of the Witch Baba Yaga" had so much potential but failed to deliver. The story was convoluted and hard to decipher, leaving me confused and disconnected. The use of symbolism and allegory was heavy-handed and felt forced, overshadowing any emotional impact the film could have had. I wanted to like it, but unfortunately, the excessive artistic style and lack of cohesive storytelling left me disappointed. It's a shame because the concept had potential, but it was lost amidst the film's poor execution.