milicentbrovovich:

The Alkonost is, according to Russian folklore, a creature with the body of a bird but the head of a beautiful woman. It makes sounds that are amazingly beautiful, and those who hear these sounds forget everything they know and want nothing more ever again, rather like the sirens of Greek myth. The alkonost lays her eggs on a beach and then rolls them into the sea. When the alkonost’s eggs hatch, a thunderstorm sets in and the sea becomes so rough that it is untravelable. The name of the alkonost came from a Greek demigoddess whose name was Alcyone. In Greek mythology, Alcyone was transformed by the gods into a kingfisher.

Fellow MSTies who love The Magic Voyage of Sinbad—a.k.a. Sadko— like I do will understand why I had to reblog this. Bluebird of Happiness, my ass! Though Grackle of Weltschmerz still may work here…

(Source: norma-bara, via oldfilmsflicker)

MORGIANA: “You seem so gloomy…”
CROW: “Here, have some Prozac.”

The Magic Voyage of Sinbad (1953)—originally entitled Sadko & directed by Alexander Ptushko—was subsequently used in episode 505 of Mystery Science Theatre 3000 (1992). As previously noted, it’s my favorite MST3K episode, though I love & adore their treatment of all four Russian films in particular.

I’m not sure why all these unidentified photos of Morgiana keep showing up on my dash, but heck, she’s awful darn purty, so hey, why not? Especially since I’ve gone a-roving amidst the wilds of Google & have now learned that this lovely lady’s real name was Yelena Myshkova, Lidiya Vertinskaya who played the Bluebird was a major babe, & this clean-shaven photo of Sergei Stolyarov—Sinbad/Sadko himself—made me go awww.

*happily adds to vast storage of useless knowledge*

(Source: coteau, via gaude-mihi)