This Soviet-Finnish co-production was condemned by Finnish critics and other nationalists even before it was made, on the grounds that only Finns could and should ever make a film about the Kalevala. When it was released, their reviews mainly listed things about it that were "un-Finnish". This was most unfair - visually "Sampo" is far more impressive than anything Finnish film-makers could have achieved at the time with their meagre resources. They haven't achieved anything comparable later either.
The digitally restored 2014 Finnish-language version is a pleasure to watch, but torment to hear because of the poorly dubbed verse dialogue and Igor Morozov's totally boring music. I would like to see the Russian-language version, which is probably better - hopefully the dialogue is not in verse. The butchered American version should be ignored.
The digitally restored 2014 Finnish-language version is a pleasure to watch, but torment to hear because of the poorly dubbed verse dialogue and Igor Morozov's totally boring music. I would like to see the Russian-language version, which is probably better - hopefully the dialogue is not in verse. The butchered American version should be ignored.