Ivan Vasilievich: Back To The Future - Production

Production

• The beginning and ending scenes are in black-and-white, while the rest of the movie is in color. This was done to show the contrast between reality and dream (respectively).
• In the scene where Bunsha meets with the Swedish ambassador, the first thing he says is "Hitler kaputt!" It's one of the most recognizable phrases on German for majority of Russians. However, the original script had him say "Peace - friendship!", but the Soviet censors thought it inappropriate. The resulting change ended up being more humorous.
• Not only is Bunsha mistaken for the tsar, but Ivan IV has to deal with Bunsha's wife who believes him to be her husband.
• Bunsha's wife's hair keeps changing every scene. This is revealed to be because she wears wigs.
• There are several events which could have had dire consequences to the timeline had the whole thing not turned out to be a dream:
  • Ivan IV sees a painting in Shurik's apartment - Ivan the Terrible killing his son by Ilya Repin, but the event itself is only supposed to happen later in his life. It is clear, though, that he does not recognize the person (himself) in the painting.
  • Before stealing the Swedish ambassador's medallion, Miloslavsky distracts him by giving him a novelty ballpoint pen centuries before they are invented.
  • Ivan IV at one point is listening to the "Hare's Song" on the tape-player, a song from Gaidai's The Diamond Arm.
  • Ivan IV finding out that Boris Godunov would succeed him by hearing about Pushkin's play.
• The movie is an inspiration for an Indian movie starring Paresh Rawal called fun2sh.