History Film / Sadko

''Sadko'' is a 1952 Soviet fantasy film directed by Aleksandr Ptushko and is based on the opera of the same name by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov. It centers on the Russian hero Sadko and his attempts to bring happiness to the inhabitants of Novgorod, and employs a number of elements from the original Sadko mythos, such as a wager with wealthy merchants to catch a golden fish from the sea.

* [[{{Bowdlerise}} Bowdlerisation]]: It can be argued that the DubNameChange was made so that American audiences of TheFifties wouldn't have to watch [[GloriousMotherRussia a Russian movie with a Russian hero]]. However, the bowdlerisation meant that various plot and character threads were rendered nonsensical; for example, Sadko is a minstrel, so it makes sense that the Sea Tsar would know him by reputation and thus want to hear him perform, but Sinbad is a seafaring adventurer, so Neptune's request for a performance from him seems to come out of nowhere.
** Despite that, the film's glaring Russian influence can be seen in the main Copasand set which appears to have a huge Russian Orthodox church in every other shot (which you can tell because of the three-beamed cross on its spires).

In 1963, a English dub of the film, produced by Creator/RogerCorman, was released, with the adapted script written by a young (though uncredited) Creator/FrancisFordCoppola. The dub significantly altered the film to instead be a ''Literature/SinbadTheSailor'' story, and several names and places were altered to disguise their Russian origins; perhaps most significantly (other than the lead character's name), the city of Novgorod was renamed "Copasand". The dub was also noted to shortening the film from 85 to 79 minutes (mostly through removing scenes containing songs), and giving it a slightly {{Camp}}ier tone.

''Sadko'' is a 1952 Soviet fantasy film directed by Aleksandr Ptushko and is based on the opera of the same name by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov. It centers on the Russian hero Sadko and his attempts to bring happiness to the inhabitants of Novgorod. Employing a number of elements from the original Sadko mythos, such as a wager with wealthy merchants to catch a golden fish from the sea.

In 1963, a English dub of the film, produced by Creator/RogerCorman, was released, with the adapted script written by a young (though uncredited) Creator/FrancisFordCoppola. The dub significantly altered the film the instead be a ''Literature/SinbadTheSailor'' story, and several names and places were altered to disguise their Russian origins; perhaps most significantly, the city of Novgorod was renamed "Copasand". The dub was also noted to shortening the film from 85 to 79 minutes (mostly through removing scenes containing songs), and giving it a slightly {{Camp}}ier tone.

Sadko, aka Sinbad, arrives in his home city Novgorod/Copasand to find a vast social gap between the wealthy merchants of the city and the lower-class citizens. In an attempt to even the playing field and bring happiness to the people, Sinbadko makes a bet with the merchants that, if he can catch a golden fish from the sea, they will give him the keys to their storehouses. He catches his fish with the help of MagicalGirl the Ilmen Princess (Morgyana in English), the Daughter Of Neptune (aka the Sea Tsar), gets the merchants' loot, and promptly gives it all away. In the midst of all this, Sinbadko develops (mostly offscreen) a relationship with a Scandarabian girl by the name of Lyubava (or, Luberia).

* BluebirdOfHappiness: The MacGuffin.

A Soviet film that centers on the Russian hero Sadko and his attempts to bring happiness to the inhabitants of Novgorod (called Copasand in the English dub), employing a number of elements from the original Sadko mythos, such as a wager with wealthy merchants to catch a golden fish from the sea.

The original Russian version was directed by Alexander Ptushko, whose other credits include ''Film/IlyaMuromets'' (AKA ''The Sword and the Dragon'') and ''Sampo'' (AKA ''Film/TheDayTheEarthFroze''). Creator/FrancisFordCoppola was involved in the English adaptation of the script for Creator/RogerCorman.

The quest eventually brings them to India, where a Jamie Farr-ish prince holds in his possession a reputedly magical bird. Prince Farr challenges our heroes to a game of chess with the bird as a prize, and [[BoringInvincibleHero naturally Sinbadko wins]]. But the prince is a sore loser and locks them all inside the vault with the bird. The bird, for its part, is not a "Bluebird Of Happiness" but rather a "Phoenix Of Ennui" (or something) which sings only of sleep with [[BrownNote a remarkably hypnotic voice]]. Sinbadko is disappointed but takes the bird with him anyway, using its hypnotic song to escape the Indian armies.

* BoringInvincibleHero: Even if Sinbadko has to have the help of a sea goddess.

** Despite that, the film's glaring Russian influence can be seen in the main Copasand set which appears to have a huge Russian Orthodox church in every other shot (which you can tell because of the three-beamed cross on its spires.