Soviet Animation and the Thaw of 1960s: Not Only for the Children

Soviet Animation and the Thaw of the 1960s examines the remarkable animation that emerged during the post-Stalin period of liberalization in the Soviet Union as an avenue of expression for a new spirit of aesthetic freedom. Drawing on extensive archival research, Laura Pontieri reconstructs the dynamics inside Soviet animation studios and the relationships between the animators and the political establishment. Pontieri offers a meticulous study of Soviet animated films of the period, using the world of Soviet animation as a lens for viewing the historical moment of the thaw from a fresh and less conventional point of view. Contents 6 Acknowledgements 8 Introduction 10 Chapter 1 From Propaganda to Children’s Films: The Earliest Beginnings and the Stalinist Era of Soviet Animation 14 Insects in motion: the first Russian animated films 14 Moving caricatures and propaganda posters: the beginning of Soviet drawn animation 15 Enlightening the masses: educational and scientific films 23 Entertaining and educating: the first animated films for children 24 Waiting for cel animation: drawings and flat marionettes 27 Puppet and stop-motion animation 28 The Leningrad experience: book illustrations meet avant-garde works in Mikhail Tsekhanovskii's films 31 The advent of sound: Tsekhanovskii’s experiments 38 The 1930s: the last satirical animated films 45 A change of direction: animation for children only, the Disney influence 47 The animation of World War II and the restrained reawakening of political films 51 Animation after World War II: fables and folk art 53 Chapter 2 Russian Animation of the Thaw in its Socio-Political and Cultural Context 60 Khrushchev’s Thaw: innovations and restrictions 60 Animation shifts in new directions: from the Stalin Era to the Thaw 64 Space flights, sport, and the “Seientific-Technological Revolution” 66 Propaganda and social criticism: new agitational films on the problem of alcoholism 70 Satire in Soviet animation 74 Popular culture and western influence 78 From thematic to stylistic changes 84 Foreign influence on stylistic choices 87 General characteristics of the new stylistic tendencies 90 Chapter 3 Case Studies: The Early 1960s 92 Introduction 92 Great Troubles (Bol'shie nepriiatnosti, Valentina and Zinaida Brumberg, 1961) 94 Story of a Crime (Istoriia odnogo prestupleniia, Fedor Khitruk, 1962) 108 Chapter 4 Russian Animation in the Second Half of the 1960s: Between the Khrushchev Thaw and the Brezhnev Stagnation 130 Context 130 Attacks on the bureaucrat: The Man in the Frame (Chelovek v ramke, Fedor Khitruk, 1966) 133 Bureaucratic world once more under attack: There Once Lived Koziavin (Zhil-byl Koziavin, Andrei Khrzhanovskii, 1966) 148 Animation as a means for political criticism: The Glass Harmonica (Stekliannaia garmonika, Andrei Khrzhanovskii, 1968) 156 Chanter 5 Conclusion: The Beginning of New Tendencies 178 Bibliography 192 Archival material 192 Soviet animation bibliography and works cited 193 Suggested readings on animation art and critical and historical works 219 Filmography 226 Soviet animated films 1910-1979 226 Films and TV programs on Soviet animation 249 World animated films cited 249 Index 250 Contents......Page 6 Acknowledgements......Page 8 Introduction......Page 10 Insects in motion: the first Russian animated films......Page 14 Moving caricatures and propaganda posters: the beginning of Soviet drawn animation......Page 15 Enlightening the masses: educational and scientific films......Page 23 Entertaining and educating: the first animated films for children......Page 24 Waiting for cel animation: drawings and flat marionettes......Page 27 Puppet and stop-motion animation......Page 28 The Leningrad experience: book illustrations meet avant-garde works in Mikhail Tsekhanovskii's films......Page 31 The advent of sound: Tsekhanovskii’s experiments......Page 38 The 1930s: the last satirical animated films......Page 45 A change of direction: animation for children only, the Disney influence......Page 47 The animation of World War II and the restrained reawakening of political films......Page 51 Animation after World War II: fables and folk art......Page 53 Khrushchev’s Thaw: innovations and restrictions......Page 60 Animation shifts in new directions: from the Stalin Era to the Thaw......Page 64 Space flights, sport, and the “Seientific-Technological Revolution”......Page 66 Propaganda and social criticism: new agitational films on the problem of alcoholism......Page 70 Satire in Soviet animation......Page 74 Popular culture and western influence......Page 78 From thematic to stylistic changes......Page 84 Foreign influence on stylistic choices......Page 87 General characteristics of the new stylistic tendencies......Page 90 Introduction......Page 92 Great Troubles (Bol'shie nepriiatnosti, Valentina and Zinaida Brumberg, 1961)......Page 94 Story of a Crime (Istoriia odnogo prestupleniia, Fedor Khitruk, 1962)......Page 108 Context......Page 130 Attacks on the bureaucrat: The Man in the Frame (Chelovek v ramke, Fedor Khitruk, 1966)......Page 133 Bureaucratic world once more under attack: There Once Lived Koziavin (Zhil-byl Koziavin, Andrei Khrzhanovskii, 1966)......Page 148 Animation as a means for political criticism: The Glass Harmonica (Stekliannaia garmonika, Andrei Khrzhanovskii, 1968)......Page 156 Chanter 5 Conclusion: The Beginning of New Tendencies......Page 178 Archival material......Page 192 Soviet animation bibliography and works cited......Page 193 Suggested readings on animation art and critical and historical works......Page 219 Soviet animated films 1910-1979......Page 226 World animated films cited......Page 249 Index......Page 250 Du site de l'éd.: Soviet Animation and the Thaw of the 1960s: Not Only for Children shows how a new phase in Soviet animation that emerged during the 1960s was at the same time a product of the post-Stalin Thaw, and a means for pressing the pace of liberalization and helping foster the new spirit and new aesthetics of that era. After presenting a brief overview of the production of animated films from its origins until the late 1950s, the book analyses the various factors that took Russian animation from being, during the Stalin years, an artistic form dedicated to children, to becoming a medium that addressed an adult public. Successive close analyses of key films track the progression of the new trends in animation over the course of the 1960s, starting with the early attacks on social ills, followed by covert and even open dissent, and culminating in a move away from the political to give expression to the artist's subjective world. The book draws on extensive archival research which has enabled the author to reconstruct the dynamics within the Soviet animation studio Soiuzmul'tfil'm, and to explore the relationships between the animators and the political establishment. The book not only offers a thorough study of Soviet animated films of the 1960s, but it also uses the world of Soviet animation as a lens for viewing the particular historical moment of the Thaw from a fresh and less conventional point of view This Title Examines The Remarkable Animation That Emerged During The Post-stalin Period Of Liberalization In The Soviet Union As An Avenue Of Expression For A New Spirit Of Aesthetic Freedom. Drawing On Extensive Archival Research, Laura Pontieri Reconstructs The Dynamics Inside Soviet Animation Studios And The Relationships Between The Animators And The Political Establishment. Pontieri Offers A Meticulous Study Of Soviet Animated Films Of The Period, Using The World Of Soviet Animation As A Lens For Viewing The Historical Moment Of The Thaw From A Fresh And Less Conventional Point Of View. From Propaganda To Children's Films : The Earliest Beginnings And The Stalin Era Of Soviet Animation -- Russian Animation Of The Thaw In Its Socio-political And Cultural Context -- Case Studies : Early 1960s -- Russian Animation In The Second Half Of The 1960s : Between The Khrushchev Thaw And The Brezhnev Stagnation -- Conclusion : The Beginning Of New Tendencies. Laura Pontieri. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 183-215), Filmography (p. 217-240), And Index.