SimilarScreen
Heart of a Dog

Heart of a Dog

19887.92h 16m

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 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.

Directed by Vladimir Bortko
Written by Mikhail Bulgakov, Nataliya Bortko, Yuli Kim
0

Top Cast

Evgeniy Evstigneev

Evgeniy Evstigneev

Professor Filipp Preobrazhenskyy

Boris Plotnikov

Boris Plotnikov

Doctor Bormental

Vladimir Tolokonnikov

Vladimir Tolokonnikov

Sharikov

Nina Ruslanova

Nina Ruslanova

Darya Petrovna

Olga Melikhova

Olga Melikhova

Zinochka

Aleksei Mironov

Aleksei Mironov

Fyodor

Roman Kartsev

Roman Kartsev

Shvonder

Anzhelika Nevolina

Anzhelika Nevolina

Vasnetsova

Natalya Fomenko

Natalya Fomenko

Vyazemskaya

Evgeniy Kuznetsov

Evgeniy Kuznetsov

Pestrukhin

Themes & Keywords

experimentrussian revolution (1917)wonderanimal transformation

About Heart of a Dog

Heart of a Dog is a drama, comedy, science fiction film released in 1988 exploring themes of experiment, russian revolution (1917), wonder, animal transformation. Directed by Vladimir Bortko, it stars Evgeniy Evstigneev, Boris Plotnikov, Vladimir Tolokonnikov. "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.

Movies Similar to Heart of a Dog

Discover titles like Heart of a Dog — ranked by similarity and community votes

We found 15 movies similar to Heart of a Dog

If you enjoyed Heart of a Dog, you'll love these handpicked recommendations. Each title below shares similar themes, tone, and storytelling style. Our algorithm analyzes genres, keywords, director filmography, and cast connections to find the closest matches. Whether you're looking for the same emotional depth, narrative structure, or visual style, these picks are curated to deliver the best viewing experience for fans of Heart of a Dog.

Human Nature
22% Match

Obsessive scientist Nathan and his lover, the naturalist Lila, discover Puff: a man born and raised in the wild. As Nathan trains the wild man in the civilized ways of the world, Lila fights to preserve the man’s natural state. In the power struggle that ensues, an unusual love triangle emerges.

Animal Farm
22% Match

Animals on a farm lead a revolution against the farmers to put their destiny in their own hands. However this revolution eats their own children and they cannot avoid corruption.

Je T'Aime, Je T'Aime
22% Match

Recovering from an attempted suicide, a man is selected to participate in a time travel experiment that has only been tested on mice. A malfunction in the experiment causes the man to experience moments from his past in a random order.

On the Count of Three
18% Match

Val has reached a place where he feels the only way out is to end things. But he considers himself a bit of a failure—his effectiveness lacking—so he figures he could use some help. As luck would have it, Val’s best friend, Kevin, is recovering from a failed suicide attempt, so he seems like the perfect partner for executing this double suicide plan. But before they go, they have some unfinished business to attend to.

Beyond Re-Animator
18% Match

Once again tampering with mother nature to disastrous results, Dr. Herbert West continues his research while serving time in a maximum security prison for his previous exploits. West's limited prison-cell experiments are suddenly interrupted by the arrival of a new prison doctor and the brother of the girl who suffered from West's experiments 13 years earlier.

Idiocracy
17% Match

Idiocracy(2006)

Movie6.4/10

To test its top-secret Human Hibernation Project, the Pentagon picks the most average Americans it can find - an Army private and a prostitute - and sends them to the year 2505 after a series of freak events. But when they arrive, they find a civilization so dumbed-down that they're the smartest people around.

Underdog
15% Match

Underdog(2007)

Movie5.5/10

A lab accident gives a beagle named Shoeshine some serious superpowers -- a secret that the dog eventually shares with the young boy who becomes his owner and friend.

Project X
15% Match

Project X(1987)

Movie6.3/10

A young inductee into the military is given the task of looking after some chimpanzees used in the mysterious 'Project X'. Getting to know the chimps fairly well, he begins to suspect there is more to the secret project than he is being told.

Station for Two
12% Match

Platon Ryabinin, a pianist, is traveling by train to a distant town of Griboedov to visit his father. He gets off to have lunch during a twenty minute stop at Zastupinsk railway station. He meets Vera, a waitress, after he refuses to pay her for the disgusting food he doesn't even touch and misses his train due to police investigation of the incident. His passport is then accidentally taken away from him by Andrei, Vera's fiancé, and his money is stolen as he waits for the next train to Griboedov. Vera learns that Platon is about to get sentenced and sent to prison in the Far East for a car accident he isn't guilty for. During the few days that Platon has to spend in Zastupinsk he and Vera develop feelings for each other...

Fingernails
11% Match

Anna and Ryan have found true love together. It's been proven by a controversial test. There's just one problem: Anna still isn't sure. Then she meets Amir.

Jonathan
11% Match

Jonathan(2018)

Movie5.9/10

Jonathan is a young man with a strange condition that only his brother understands. But when he begins to yearn for a different life, their unique bond becomes increasingly tested.

XX/XY
11% Match

XX/XY(2002)

Movie5.8/10

Three friends begin a dangerous three-way relationship that spirals out of control, leading to dire consequences that haunt them ten years later.

Mary Shelley's Frankenstein
10% Match

Victor Frankenstein is a promising young doctor who, devastated by the death of his mother during childbirth, becomes obsessed with bringing the dead back to life. His experiments lead to the creation of a monster, which Frankenstein has put together with the remains of corpses. It's not long before Frankenstein regrets his actions.

Chéri
10% Match

Chéri(2009)

Movie6.1/10

The son of a courtesan retreats into a fantasy world after being forced to end his relationship with the older woman who educated him in the ways of love.