An introduction to the films of the first season dealing with American Imperialism. Almost exclusively drawn from the Cold War era, the recurring image is of the money hungry industrialist self-destructing because of his greed.
Based on “Black and White,” a poem by Vladimir Mayakovsky. Mayakovsky is often called the loudspeaker of the Bolshevik Revolution. Yet he was also a most talented poet, whose works are widely quoted even today. As a graphic artist, he was one of the founders of the Okna Rosta (Rosta Windows) a massive media publicity blitz which used posters to spread word of the Revolution via the Russian telegraphic agency. The animation in “Black and White” is based on his drawings. In 1922, Mayakovsky received special permission to travel to America. En route he stopped in Cuba where Americans controlled the sugar and tobacco industries. “Black and White” tells the story of Willie, the shoe shine boy, who makes the fatal mistake of asking the White Sugar King Mister Bragg, “Why should white sugar be made by a black man?” Only fragments of the film were found, without restorable sound. It was decided to underscore the fragments with excerpts from “Sometimes I feel like a Motherless Child,” recorded by Paul Robeson in 1949 at the Tchaikovsky Theatre in Moscow. The son of an American slave, Robeson was an athlete, actor, singer, cultural scholar, author, and political activist. He spoke fluent Russian. Although he never officially joined the Communist party, he supported the USSR politically which brought him to the attention of the House Un-American Activities Committee, and ultimately probably cost him his American career. In 1952 Robeson was awarded the Stalin Peace Prize. He translated the Soviet national anthem into English. His rendition, also recorded in Moscow in 1949, underscores the end credits of this episode.
Based on the popular children’s poem written in 1933 by Samuel Marshak who is also credited with writing the script, “Mister Twister” tells the story of a wealthy American who travels with his family to Leningrad for a vacation. When he learns there are “guests of color” at the Angleterre hotel, he cancels his reservation. The concierge calls ahead to all other hotels in Leningrad and advises them not to give the American racist and his family a room. Mr. Twister returns to the Angleterre, and after spending the night in the lobby decides he has overcomes his prejudices. During the USSR school children regularly memorized the Marshak poem.
Written by Sergei Mihalkov, a popular children’s poet who also wrote the lyrics to the Soviet National Anthem. Jazz was an early victim of the Cold War, condemned as “an enemy of the people.” In this film for children, a Soviet bird returns home from abroad and gives a concert. When she sings jazz, a new kind of music she learned on her travels, the Soviet birds boo and hiss and drive her from the forest. Note: Whatever the official policy, jazz was popular in the USSR and was used in the score of many later films in this series.
Also known as “Against American Aggression in Vietnam,” his film is as anti-war as anti-American and portrays the Church as an actively malignant social influence. Underscored by Schubert’s “Ave Maria.” Ivanov-Vano, who worked as an animator on some of the animation films made in the 20s such as “China in Flames,” went on to become the USSR’s foremost director of animated films for children.
Also based on a poem for children by Sergei Mihalkov. A rich American woman leaves a million dollars to her beloved bulldog. The theme is that in America, money can buy anything; the bulldog becomes rich and powerful and eventually a member of the U.S. Congress.
Based on a play by V. Slatkin. An unemployed American gets a job in a shooting gallery as a live target; the greedy capitalist owner charges patrons double for the chance to shoot at a human being. Tarasov, a fan of J.D. Salinger’s “The Catcher in the Rye,” modeled the film’s hero on Holden Caulfield. An artist as well as an animation director, Tarasov combed through back issues of “America,” a magazine published by the U.S. government during the Cold War, and American comic books, to lovingly create the film’s fabulous New York City back drop. The attention to detail is amazing (and sometimes off base), from the graffiti on the buildings to the brand name on the back of the hero’s tennis shoes.
Based on the drawings of renowned political caricaturist Boris Yefimov who is interviewed in Part 4 of this series. A wealthy American retires with his family to the “Island of Peace.” All is well until oil is discovered and greed trumps Mr. Wolf’s peaceful attitudes. In the end the U.S. military arrives to protect Mr. Wolf’s private island and his oil.
An overview of films included in the second season which focus on Anti-Nazi Propaganda. These films are a reaction to the Nazi invasion of 1941. While Americans were mocked relentlessly, at least they remained human. After breaking the non-aggression pact and declaring war, the Nazis became animals in the propaganda films, turning into snarling warthogs and depraved vultures.
One of a handful of animated short “political posters” that survived World War II, this one ridicules Hitler and his cronies. The master of ceremonies is a caricature of the USSR’s most famous clown, Karandash, whose name means pencil in Russian.
A political film-poster made in the first months after the Nazi invasion of the USSR. Sound track is from the popular march “Our Armor Is Strong and Our Tanks Are Fast.” Vocals by the Alexandrov Ensemble.
Fascist invaders portrayed as vultures. Original sound was not found.
Animated WWII propaganda newsreel.
This animated "political poster" grants "no mercy for Hitler's bloodthirsty sharks," which are depicted prowling international waters to sneakily "bite" Allied ships from beneath.
Animated WWI propaganda newsreel.
Animated propaganda newsreel about the WWII alliance of the Soviet Union and Great Britain.
An animated history of the city of Moscow, including the Nazi invasion, made to honor of the city’s 800th anniversary.
Boy scouts and girl scouts, known as Pioneer Pens, defy German forces occupying their village by flying a Soviet flag over Nazi headquarters. Captured as partisans, they are rescued by the Red army.
A Nazi soldier tries to force a young Soviet boy scout to play a German song on his violin. Instead he defiantly plays the [then] Soviet national anthem, “The International,” and is shot by the Nazi.
World War II left Soviet children without fathers and grandfathers. Vasilok searches everywhere for his grandfather, and finally discovers he was a war hero, so famous a ship was named for him.
Based on caricatures by Boris Yefimov, who is interviewed in Part 4 of the series. This film was made in reaction to “revanchism” – fear that Germany would reunite and seek revenge on Europe and the USSR for World War II. A disguised Nazi slips into the US zone of divided Germany. The Americans nurse him back to health as he plots how to reunite the Fatherland. His plans are ruined when he runs headlong into the Berlin Wall, erected by the USSR between East and West Berlin in 1961.
Based on “Blond Aryan Beast,” a story by L. Lagin. A Child is found in the wilderness of West Germany, living with wolves. He is captured and trained by ex-Nazis.
Made to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Soviet victory over the Germans. The film won second prize at the XXII Leipzig Festival of Films for Children. In a German concentration camp Russian prisoners fashion a Don Quixote doll from a bit of metal. It becomes their symbol of hope. The lyrical film is bracketed with references to the Spanish Civil War, which led to decades of authoritarian rule by Generalissimo Franco, and the 1973 coup d’etat in Chile which toppled the socialist, pro-Soviet regime of Salvadore Allende. (“Clear skies” was the codeword which launched Franco’s 1936 coup, supported by the fascist governments of Italy and Germany and opposed by the USSR and France).
An anti-war film about the ability of individuals to prevent war.
CAPITALIST SHARKS contains films that take on the bourgeoisie the world over - and sometimes beyond. In INTERPLANTERY REVOLUTION (1924), capitalists escaping to Mars discover the revolution has spread throughout the galaxy. This part is a 6-film assault on the bourgeoisie, weaving sci-fi narratives to envision dystopian scenarios for capitalists' world domination.
ONWARD TO THE SHINING FUTURE: COMMUNISM contains 11 works, most of which mythologize the state and and promise a utopian future of universal well-being. Dziga Vertov's SOVIET TOYS (1924), however, offers criticism of the state. Generally agreed to be the first Russian animated film, it satirizes the communist members who cashed in on Lenin's New Economic Policy (NEP), which introduced a limited form of capitalist enterprise.
Soviet animation from Vladimir Tarasov.
The first animated movie made in the Soviet Union, it portrays a bloated caricature of a Capitalist devouring a massive heap of food and drink.
Adventures of a Nenets boy, who returns to his homeland from Moscow an educated young man.
Visionary satire by Nikolai Khodataev.
Simple animation urges strength through solidarity: little farmers unite to compete with the big outfits. Also criticizes profiteering "company private shops."
Soviet propaganda film celebrating Stalin's five-year plans.
Animated Soviet Propaganda. The story of the invasion of Russia, during the revolution, by foreign troops from the United States, Canada, the U.K., Japan, Czechoslavakia and Poland.
A boy finds a magic stone that will allow people to live their lives over again. His bearded, noble Grandfather prefers his life of hardship, revolution and Communist victory to remain just as it is.
An abstract color celebration of Soviet perseverance under fire (the literal firepower of foreign and capitalist warmongers), this lyrical animated short aims to capture Mother Russia's essence like lightning in a bottle. There's a spaghetti western vibe at times to the striking silhouette imagery here. Florid patriotic folk songs on the soundtrack are often depicted line-for-line in the gorgeous animation.
"Plus Electrification" triumphs the USSR's drive to bring electricity to every town and village. It was a tenet of Vladimir Lenin that electrification plus Soviet power [vlast] would lead to Communism. Electricity is shown dramatically uniting the economies of USSR and the Eastern bloc countries through production of consumer goods like Czech crystal and Hungarian buses.
