The film was completed after the New Wave movement. It portrays the tug-of-war between the forces of darkness and light in the world of dreams. The story combines two Hans Christian Andersen fairy tales: "The King's Daughter with the Long Beard" and "The Hill of the Elves." These two tales were actually intended by Andersen to convey social, moral, and philosophical messages to adult readers. Director Sokolov, having moved beyond his earlier pioneering stage, applied many new techniques in "Большой подземный бал," creating a unique and distinctive realm.