Little Baba Yaga is a witch. I still have somewhere (or is) the Soviet edition of “Little Baba Yaga” with the translation of Yuri Korinets, and this book was (and remains) one of my favorites, because its world is cozy and attractive, adventures – enough, and with humor complete order. Everything the doctor ordered.
My favorite children’s works with screen adaptations are not very lucky – both feature films and animation either contain five percent of the original source, or are rethought by the creators, or are spoiled by unsuccessful, in my opinion, artistic decisions, or made of matches and acorns for three pennies.
The main problem with The Little Witch seems to be the lack of marketing, because outside of Germany, nobody seems to know about it at all. A couple thousand ratings here, even less on IMDB, and the international box office probably didn't even pay off the witch extras.
As for the film itself, the good in it is enough to regret that it is unknown to the mass audience. The picture (and special effects) is very pleasant for both children and adults, the soundtrack is worthy. Actually, the text was treated with respect, and not every adaptation can boast of this, everyone usually strives to fix what is not broken. There is no obvious miscast, the actors’ play is quite good (liked the Main Witch and Aunt Rumpumpumpel), although it did not do without sometimes replaying, this, perhaps, can be forgiven.
Cons, however, there are also, and they will be obvious primarily to those who are familiar with the original source. Not all chapters of the book are transferred to the screen, I would even say that almost all the best, the richest of all kinds of fun and “action”, are omitted (not five percent left, of course, but still very hurtful). And what is, although cute, but very chamber, the book is much more air. The impression is that the film was filmed with funds from the sale of something unnecessary, like the debut project of Kevin Smith. Although individual scenes, on the contrary, seem quite expensive and beautiful. Apparently, all the money went to the graphon – even what was put aside for marketing (if at all).
Frankly unsuccessful, rotten ending of the book tried to ennoble, even overlooked a good message (what a message, I won’t say, because spoiler), but they were immediately sacrificed – in order to show the hollywood superiority of one of the characters, who suddenly forgot to do what without any problems and most naturally did in the book (and this skill literally moved the plot of some chapters). Fur-fur-fur.
But in general, I must say that in the absence of fish, with many years of neglect of many cool children's books as material for film adaptation, the existence of such a movie is more joy than disappointment.