If I remember the history correctly, the magic and villain sequences were in there because of the myths surrounding Rasputin as "the mad monk," who supposedly possessed mystical powers. Rasputin was poisoned with cyanide but didn't die. Next, he was shot. Some reports said he died then and came back to life. The person who shot him said his face came off and his eyes came out of their sockets-- thus the scene in the movie when Bartok says Rasputin is losing his head and the eyes pop out.
Also, Vladimir (in real life) was one of the conspirators in the death of Rasputin. Vladimir he believed the tsar was secretly helping Germany in WWI. So I guess in that manner it makes sense to have him as a villain.
And if you're wondering why on earth I know this stuff, it's just because I like looking at animated portrayals of history, and then looking up the actual stories to compare.
Updated On: 7/29/12 at 11:30 AM