Baba Yaga in “Yaga. The Nightmare of the Dark Forest”, 2020
Svyatoslav Podgaevsky/QS Films, 2020
Baba Yaga is undoubtedly the most recognizable face of evil in Russian folklore. Stories tell of an old hag resembling a corpse, guarding the gate to the underworld and feasting on lost children. This is exactly what happens in this movie.
The mermaid in “Mermaid: The Lake of the Dead”, 2018
Svyatoslav Podgaevsky/QS Films, 2020
Mermaids in Slavic legends looked very different from the Disney version. They had no tails and were extremely evil. Every mermaid supposedly was once a human girl who drowned herself due to unrequited love. The Slavic mermaid is the embodiment of the darkest legends.
Viy in “Viy”, 2014
Oleg Stepchenko/Marins Group Entertainment, 2014
Slavic legends tell of a creature from the Underworld whose gaze kills. Its eyes are covered by large drooping eyelids that hang to the ground, and which the creature can’t raise without outside help. Hence the famous phrase: “Raise my eyelids”, which it utters before killing.
Captain Zhurov in “Cargo 200”, 2007
Alexey Balabanov/STV, 2007
Cult director Alexei Balavanov’s 11th work isn’t really a horror movie, but its protagonist, Police Captain Zhurov, is the Devil incarnate. He kidnaps the daughter of a local politician and tortures her in unspeakable ways. Several leading actors said “No” to starring in this film, which deals with life in the final years of the USSR. Even the movie’s theatrical release was a big ‘If’.
Khagi-Tragger from “Khagi-Tragger”, 1994
Eldor Urazbaev / Film Studio "12A", 1994
This one is almost a Russian ‘Chucky’ - the famous murdering doll from “Child’s Play” and the current “Chucky” series. This Russian doll is powered by AI. It can teleport and possesses immense strength, but the worst part is that it can possess the ability to hypnotize. The props are no less creepy than the doll: this was the first Russian film to feature drawings from actual mental patients.
The hen and the child in “Hen, His Wife”, 1990
Igor Kovalev/Studio "Pilot" VTPO "Videofilm", 1990
The surrealistic characters in this animated film for adults are not for the faint of heart. We are shown an ordinary Soviet apartment where a very odd blue man lives with his wife - literally, a chicken. They have a freakish child that resembles a caterpillar with a human head. They are visited by a stranger who tells the husband that his wife is actually a hen. A family drama ensues, with plenty of metaphorical and psychedelic imagery. But the story isn’t as important as the cerebral horror you’ll experience watching these characters.
Pannochka in “Viy”, 1967
Konstantin Ershov, Georgy Kropachev/Mosfilm, 1967
“Viy” was among the most successful and popular Soviet horror films. The adaptation of the Nikolai Gogol novel by the same name strikes fear into the hearts of people today. The film version masterfully combines a depiction of supernatural evil, with good makeup and of course an appearance by the Devil. The best scenes in the movie are those that were filmed using a degree of realism - such as the one where Pannochka, the witch, simply stares without sound as she tries to penetrate the chalk circle on the floor - or flies around in a coffin. All of it to bone-chilling music.
Ivan the Bear in “Morozko”, 1964
Alexander Rou/M. Gorky Film Studio, 1964
Owing to his rude manners and cruelty, pretty boy Ivan is turned into a bear-man… of sorts. This really complicates his search for a wife. The character in this Russian folk tale is incredibly unsettling on the screen, thanks in large part to Soviet makeup efforts. And which is why he earned a place on our list.