Eduard Nazarov's adaptation of a Ukrainian folk tale depicts a dog and wolf who come up with creative ways to help each other (unbeknownst to the dog's owners). Seeing how the dog's owners treated him, it's no wonder that he joined up with the wolf to devise a scheme. The animation in "Zhil-byl pyos" (alternately called "Once Upon a Dog" and "Once Upon a Time there Lived a Dog" in English) isn't what we think of as advanced, but I don't care about the animation looks. I care about the plot, and there's a good one here, with some impressive voice work. A lot of these old Eastern Bloc cartoons are worth seeing. Certainly more interesting than the these animated features starring the celebrities of the moment. I recommend it.
