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5.5/10
Archivist John
Senior Editor
A definitive 5.5/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Terrible Vavila and Aunt Arina remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you have a weird thing for 1920s Soviet history or just want to see what a propaganda cartoon looks like, then yeah, give it a go. Most people will probaly find it too loud and preachy, though. 🚜
It’s definitely not a popcorn movie. Don't go in expecting anything like Seven Sinners or something with a real budget.
The first thing you notice is how mean Vavila is. He just sits there like a big lump of dough while Aunt Arina does every single thing in the house.
He’s drawn with these heavy, shaky lines that make him look constantly angry. It’s almost uncomfortable how much he hates helping out.
The animation is super jerky. It’s like some frames just went missing over the last hundred years, or maybe they just didn't have the budget for smooth movement back then.
I noticed this one scene where the smoke from his pipe moves in a perfect, weird little loop. It’s distracting once you see it. 💨
Then the movie shifts gears and becomes a total lecture. It’s International Women's Day—March 8th—and all the village women suddenly have had enough.
They all gather in this big room and start talking about their rights. It feels a bit like those modern HR videos you have to watch at work, but with more revolutionary fervor.
It reminded me a bit of the instructional vibe in Daily Dozens, except instead of exercise, it's about not being a jerk to your wife. Both are pretty blunt about what they want you to think.
The way Arina changes is kind of funny. She goes from being this slumped-over, tired person to standing totally upright like she’s a statue. 🗽
There is a cat in the background of one shot that just... disappears. I spent three minutes rewinding to see if I missed it walking away, but no, it just blinks out of existence.
The writers, Nikolay and Olga Khodataev, were clearly trying to pack a lot of message into a tiny bit of film. It’s dense in a way that modern stuff usually isn't.
I wouldn't call it 'good' in a traditional sense. It’s more like looking at a very old, very angry postcard from the past.
Vavila’s face when he realizes he has to cook for himself is honestly the best part. He looks absolutely terrified of a pot of soup.
If you’ve seen The Best People, you know how these social message movies can get. This one is just shorter and way more scratchy.
The ending is so abrupt it feels like the film just broke in the projector. One second they're shouting, the next it's just blackness.
I guess if you want to see where animation started, or if you just really hate lazy husbands, this is for you. Otherwise, it’s just a weird relic that’s probaly better left on the shelf. 🎞️
I still can't get over how much Vavila looks like a potato. A very angry, bearded potato.
IMDb —
1924
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