Heart of a Dog_
"Heart of a Dog" is a Soviet film adaptation of Mikhail Bulgakov’s iconic novella. Set in 1920s Moscow, it tells the satirical and darkly humorous story of a stray dog named Sharik, who is transformed into a human by Professor Preobrazhensky through a daring medical experiment. The resulting man, Poligraf Poligrafovich Sharikov, embodies the social and ideological tensions of early Soviet society. With its sharp critique of class struggle, human nature, and the perils of radical change, the film is celebrated for its faithful adaptation, brilliant performances, and rich allegorical depth.
Starring
Evgeniy Evstigneev, Boris Plotnikov, Vladimir Tolokonnikov
Updated Feb 16, 2026
WHERE TO WATCH
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Cast
Evgeniy Evstigneev →
Evgeniy Evstigneev stars as Professor Filipp Preobrazhenskyy in Heart of a Dog.
Evgeniy Evstigneev →
Year context
Heart of a Dog was released 38 years ago in 1988.
Overview
"Heart of a Dog" is a Soviet film adaptation of Mikhail Bulgakov’s iconic novella. Set in 1920s Moscow, it tells the satirical and darkly humorous story of a...
Heart of a Dog is a Drama, Comedy, Science Fiction film with a runtime of 2h 16m.
CAST (20)
Evgeniy Evstigneev
Professor Filipp Preobrazhenskyy
Boris Plotnikov
Doctor Bormental
Vladimir Tolokonnikov
Sharikov
Nina Ruslanova
Darya Petrovna
Olga Melikhova
Zinochka
Aleksei Mironov
Fyodor
Roman Kartsev
Shvonder
Anzhelika Nevolina
Vasnetsova
Natalya Fomenko
Vyazemskaya
Evgeniy Kuznetsov
Pestrukhin
IG
Ivan Ganzha
Zharovkin
Valentina Kovel
Sergei Filippov
The Patient
Roman Tkachuk
Nikolai Nikolayevich Persikov
AS
A. Savostyanov
AR
A. Ruden
YV
Yu. Volkov
Anatoly Slivnikov
Yury Eller
Yuriy Kuznetsov
DETAILS
Release
Status
Released
Runtime
136 min (2h 16m)
Country
SU
Rating
7.9/10 (179 votes)
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is Heart of a Dog about?
"Heart of a Dog" is a Soviet film adaptation of Mikhail Bulgakov’s iconic novella. Set in 1920s Moscow, it tells the satirical and darkly humorous story of a stray dog named Sharik, who is transformed into a human by Professor Preobrazhensky through a daring medical experiment. The resulting man, Poligraf Poligrafovich Sharikov, embodies the social and ideological tensions of early Soviet society. With its sharp critique of class struggle, human nature, and the perils of radical change, the film is celebrated for its faithful adaptation, brilliant performances, and rich allegorical depth.
How long is Heart of a Dog?
Heart of a Dog has a runtime of 136 minutes (2h 16m).
Who stars in Heart of a Dog?
The cast of Heart of a Dog includes Evgeniy Evstigneev, Boris Plotnikov, Vladimir Tolokonnikov, Nina Ruslanova, Olga Melikhova.
What is the rating of Heart of a Dog?
Heart of a Dog has a rating of 7.9 out of 10 based on 179 votes on TMDB.
GENRES (3)
Drama
Comedy
Science Fiction