Soviet cartoons and movies

Soviet animation as a movie, was special. Talking about school is not necessary: ​​great artists were too different, each maestro himself. Experts appreciate the masterpieces Norstein or Khrzhanovsky. But what thoughts cause unusual cartoons conventional western audience?





Of course, one of the greatest obstacles to explore foreign audience with our good old movies and cartoons - it's a problem of copyright. Our adaptation of "their" authors may be paradoxical, interesting, accurate and even brilliant, but that does not prevent them from being "pirated" (filmed Govorukhin "Ten Little Indians", presumably, without the high permission of the rights holders on the novel by Agatha old woman). So often the way to a foreign audience - a guerrilla trails leading through some online retailers. The path to the west to the TV have almost booked.
For these reasons, only the most stubborn in their desire to see the "other movie" foreign audience gets to the prize: he often looks our cinema and our cartoons in bad quality, cropped or without English subtitles. Although there are exceptions. Encountering on the Internet at reviews of Western viewers about our children's cinema and our animation (mostly, as you know, the Soviet period), I am always the one hand, placidly note much of a coincidence in the evaluation of these films with my feelings, and often it is - an impression "from childhood." On the other hand, some replica baffled. Sometimes domestic films and cartoons appear in inverted binoculars, if they were created by aliens.
For example, a viewer from the US honestly trying to understand the strangeness of the film "The Adventures of Pinocchio" - do not understand the genre, the style is not clear, it is surprising combination of "old-fashioned cinema" with modern songs, jingles, but in general it all creates a wonderful atmosphere. Fan fiction animation completes its review of the cartoon "The Mystery of the Third Planet" as follows: "That in itself is strange - this is what a Russian cartoon, in which the story is completely different culture, a different mythology and aesthetics." Especially interesting is the "they" look at our film and cartoon creation, when the reviewer is coming to creative - including these films and cartoons known to Western audiences in the cultural context. There are interesting comparisons. For example, our Vitsin, Morgunov and Nikulin, parodied "The Bremen Town Musicians", English audience compared to the same American trio.
"Internet competition" between our Winnie the Pooh and Disney in the eyes of Western audiences often (and on many points) wins the creation Khitruk. With "Alice in Wonderland" is more complicated. Sometimes, on YouTube comments can be found in English, that the Russian cartoon (in fact, this studio Kievnauchfilm) some terrible and claustrophobic elements, although there are enthusiastic replica. Americans (and not only them) look like, "Well wait a minute!" (Usually they look the same on YouTube). The absolute favorite was the relatively new cartoon Alexander Bubnov "Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson" (2005) - foreign viewers delighted with him (as, indeed, our).

Many letters and photos, do not break, please.

The Bremen Town Musicians (1969)
Pets (who do not have names, as I understand it) traveling with his friend (the man), designated as "Il Trovatore" on a cart pulled by a donkey. They come to the city, where they played in front of people and falls in love with Il Trovatore royal daughter. But he's just a poor itinerant musician, and the king, who somehow spends a lot of time eating eggs, cooked in a cool, prohibits daughter marry musician married. Troubadour and his musical friends leave the city "empty-handed».
Somewhere in the woods in a small hut three robbers sit-lazy, and like I told my cousin, a parody on the popular 1960s comedy trio. Together with them, stately lady who probably The leader of the gang, or maybe she's just their "entertaining." Animals take to the consternation of bandits - that in the spirit of the brothers Grimm - and then plotting ingenious plan for the king, sending in a carriage in the voyage. They wear masks bandits - disguised in this way, its "beyond recognition" they do something in the spirit of McGraw with predatory glove on his head. And now - the royal escort is ambushed, the unfortunate monarch tied to a tree.
Soon the five friends take off the mask and return to "save" the king, who, of course, they are so grateful that immediately authorizes marriage between the troubadours and their daughter. After a fun-filled celebration, the animals leave the city, and, alas, without his friend - but Troubadour and his bride run them, jump - and ... they're all together.
If we talk about this film, I can easily keep track of everything that happens, even though that does not say a word in Russian. The cartoon is no conversational cues, all sung in songs, involved to the tune of pop music of the 1960s and the traditional Eastern European folk music. While it is clear that the whole entourage is made in the spirit of the Middle Ages, Troubadour is flared pants, a daughter of the king wears a dress in the style of "small" and a donkey wearing a baseball cap! Animation is made easy with the frequent use of repetitive moments, but is made with an undeniable charm.



In the wake of Bremen Town Musicians (1973)
This is a direct continuation of 1969 in comparison with the "Bremen Town Musicians" demonstrates clear progress, and not just as animation and design, but also in the penetration of Western culture in the Soviet Union.
In this part of the king's daughter decides to return, to escape from the vagabond troubadour on the nature of the city, along with four animal friends. He hires the service quirky private investigator. Dressed in flashy checkered suit and riding on an eccentric old car, this character reminded me of a parody of Sherlock Holmes in "The Mystery of jumping fish».
The plot is quite simple: the detective grabs the royal daughter and carries her back to the city, he was haunted by Troubadour with friends. Returning to the city, Troubadour saves the girl until the animals distract people by staging the town square pop concert. Generally speaking: the cartoon more pleased with elements of folk vulgar comedy, in comparison with the first - the bandits again briefly appear on the screen - and all this, of course, connected to the folk / pop songs.
What's interesting - in this cartoon influence of Western pop music and pop culture has increased markedly. Musicians in the first cartoon look like Russian folk group with an accompanying ballad singer in flared pants. In the second, they have changed, but not much, but it is possible to recognize them pop group. I do not know - Does the "Yellow Submarine" in the Soviet Union - can someone just saw some pictures from there, but the scene with the performance of animals in the town square, in my opinion, demonstrates the obvious Western influence.



The Mystery of the Third Planet (1981)
Animation style is very similar to the early and middle period of the Japanese sci-fi "anime." Do today Russian animation examples of this kind or not - I do not know how, and how similar all could be created then in 1981, and whether the economic circumstances of the time allowed it to create?
Everything in this futuristic sci-fi cartoon develops slowly, introduces us to the world and its characters. The heroes have nothing sensational - fantastic technologies that surround them, the circumstances unusual "sociology" - but the characters themselves - are very real. Here it seems especially remarkable as seems plausible, as it should be in a good science fiction. (And they use the word "parsecs»!).
Characters oblong shape, which is also typical of Japanese anime. Sounds of the vehicle start brilliantly written and in its style, rather, slightly reminiscent of science fiction 70. The music is also very good. Heroes go look "strange beast" for the Moscow zoo! On other planets! Extremely bizarre ... but great! Grand - because it is the most appropriate word to describe all that can be ... do you charge for a particular job, without any reservations, bearing in mind that you it's just interesting. Metacognition, yes! Voice "Govorun» (the "chatterer" 's voice) looped and modulated! Sound Effects - quite innovative and at times simply stunning. (Author: blogger magazine Gognitive Zest (Taste for knowledge))
It is the most stunning cartoon that I saw. Great graphics, an incredible imagination. If you think about it, you can even look for the music alone. The film tells about a little girl Alice and her dad, with whom she flies through space, where he meets a huge number of strange characters and creatures unimaginable. It looks like a psychedelic dream, like a strange fi movie from the 1970s. I came across a Russian version, so I do not fucking understand what was going on, but in fact from that film was made even more mysterious. What Russian cartoon, confirms a very special style of animation. I know that he has been completely renovated and is redubbed here in the US famous Hollywood actors; It was written even new music. This version was published in the series "Stories from My Childhood" (and I would advise everyone to avoid it as death, because she was a disgusting way "disneefitsirovana"). By the way, on DVD, which I bought on e-bay, there were other Russian cartoons, which are a hundred times I have paid money for them. (Author note: GOVARIAN, United Kingdom)
Some of my favorite cartoons - a mysterious, dusty relics that have to shake off from time to time. Today I will try to describe one of them, I found the online store a few years ago. Cartoon same strange as "Yellow Submarine," and as much captures the imagination. The plot tells the story of a girl and her dad scientist, flying to the edge of the galaxy to unravel one convoluted puzzle. By and large, the story is not important, in general, does not even make sense to describe it. What is impressive - so it's the visual side of the cartoon. During his view there is a feeling that before you dream carefully recorded. When it ends, you exclaim in amazement: "What did I just see?" That in itself is strange that a Russian cartoon, in which the story is completely different culture, a different mythology and aesthetics.



Shooting Gallery (1979)
Wow! I do not even know what to say. The first question is: how easy it was to get the Soviets LSD in the 70s?
Despite the fact that the cartoon "Tir" is clearly caught in a widely interpreted by the concept of "propaganda", - an evil American capitalists, using mass unemployment, exploiting workers - political message here seems to be focused on something else. And this, in my opinion, is not surprising. I believed anyone in 1979 to Marxism? Whether to buy while Soviet citizens to this kind of political slogans? Since I'm not an expert in Soviet theme, then, to be honest, I do not know. But it is clear that the political message is obscured skill.
Animation is made very interesting. Great used the shade, color and other technical methods - because of what has turned out very expressive cartoon. Music no less fantastic. And once again we can not pay attention to what the Soviets borrow American music to sharpen the subject. As often happens in these cartoons (from the series "Soviet animated propaganda"), jazz plays the role of "whipping boy." Cartoon "Tir" disharmonious resorts to free-jazz to drum the idea of ​​the American venality. However, as is often the case, attempts to criticize Soviet jazz, lead to the opposite effect: in front of us - quite persuasive and powerful soundtrack to the film. Considering how popular was experimental jazz and related music in the direction of Eastern Europe willing to bet that the audience of the cartoon did not even took it as a "criticism" of jazz.
Yet some remarks: The scene at the beginning of the second part, where the main characters fall in love, may directly stems from something close counterculture animation. Rabbit rainbow extracts from his violin, two of the seven dwarfs thrashy on the anvil - a completely arbitrary psychedelia. It amazes me that in many of these cartoons flashed everywhere American products and corporate brands. Of course, I understand that it wants to say that "Coca-Cola" - it's bad, but it just does not say, but just use the logo, although, in fact, it looks like a blatant advertisement. You will immediately realize that the cartoon made by the Soviets, who are increasingly coveted American goods. How I would like to get the soundtrack. But to be honest, I have not enough words to describe everything. (Author note: Eric Loomis)



Hedgehog in the Fog (1975)
With the rating that is assigned here for Hedgehog in the fog, it seems, it is the most significant animated film in history. But if you talk about me, I could not understand why such a fuss about him. A large number of people claim that history is full of different ideas, but I have not tried much, I could not detect any subtext. For me, everything I saw - this is another animated film, which are humanized, anthropomorphic animals. I believe that, as in all Soviet films, there is a vague message that all need to do together (at least, all the animals here - friends), but this is a long conversation. Note, however, that I watched the English version, so it is possible that something very important was lost in translation.
(Author note: Theo Robertson, Scotland)



About Little Red Riding Hood (1977)
It is - in my opinion - the best children's foreign language film of all time. But in fact, even adults will find it a lot of opportunities to laugh. Say whatever you like about this movie, but do not call it primitive. The plot is intricate, funny and rhythmic. Actors are simply stunning. Music is simply gorgeous. (Interestingly, by the way, whether they are produced ever soundtrack?) The plot twists at once: the Wolf Clan Wolf hires an outsider, that he tracked down and killed the Little Red Riding Hood (most, however, cap - in Russian interpretation). But Wolf Clan has no unity. Little cub learns human book! In the mystery! And he is no longer a primitive predator. A charismatic Wolf - he was just full of wisdom Battle! And his shy companion, which should take care of the wolf? A cowardly betrayal of a man who calls himself a hunter? Eh! The plot is very intricate. Always worth a look. (Author note: EXCITER-2, Los Angeles)



The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn (1981)
Of course, not fair to judge the 225-minute film on the barbaric, Myasnikovskaya way abridged version, but I managed to see the movie for a delightful stupid rewiring and raunchy sound arrangement. I hope that one day the entire film is available on DVD! It's hard to say what makes this film better than all the Hollywood version of the famous story. I think that the main secret of the fact that the children are here as children and not as a damn movie star, tried to look on the screen and charmingly cute. Needless to say, reinstalling adheres to our moral standards and all the scenes with bathing naked children removed except one-second scene that deliberately shot out of focus. (Author note: RICKNORWOOD, Mountain Home, United States)



The Adventures of Pinocchio (1975)
It seems that the fabulous films were the most important genre for the Soviet film industry as a studio isolated on them a lot of money. I bought this movie on a single website dedicated to Russian DVD. Select this film was not easy. And when the film finally sent me, I was not prepared for how stupid and at the same time he was serious. It was as strange and even much more strange than the "5000 Finger Doctor T" (fantasy fairy 1953 fairy tale Dr. Seuss. Buratino (ie Pinocchio) plays a prominent boy actor whose amusing baby figure turned in the maniacal, terrifying beast, achieving this strange and monstrous costume makeup. His high-pitched voice and laughter make your ears ring when you are certainly not accustomed to this, but he plays accurately and charmingly. Most of the young actors in the film playing the traditional theater dolls (Pierrot, Harlequin, etc). A couple of scenes appeared to me to play live scenes from Japanese anime: funny little kids in strange costumes, acting unimaginable, surreal scenery. In the film, there are several of these dolls, including one that depicts








Source:

Tags

See also

New and interesting