Мультики!*
*pronounced "mooltiki," meaning "cartoons."
REJOICE, I said!
My roommates recently discovered my ignorance of classic Soviet cartoon shorts (their faces contorting into various expressions of What?!?") and took to remedying my dire situation with a vengeance. And so began an impromptu film festival of all the glorious childhood gems from ye olde USSR (or, as the locals call it, the CCCP) including my newest acquaintances: Cheburashka, the Hedgehog and...Winnie the Pooh?
That's right: had Stalin survived yet another decade he would've been treated to the many adventures of Pooh-Bear, Piglet, Eeyore, Owl and Rabbit (no Tigger, unfortunately), which, quite possibly, could have melted even that heart of Slavic stone. Alas. But at least we can enjoy them ourselves - though approaching them with an open mind is a must, for this ain't no Disney:
Винни-Пух (Vinni-Pukh, or, "Winnie-the-Pooh [and the Honey Tree]"
(For many of these, you'll have to click the "Subtitles/CC" button to get the excellent English translation)
Винни-Пух Идёт в Гости (Vinni-Pukh Idyot v Gosti, or, Winnie-the-Pooh Goes Visiting)
Винни-Пух и День Забор (Vinni-Pukh i Den Zabor, or, "Winnie-the-Pooh's Busy Day PART ONE"
Винни-Пух и День Забор (Vinni-Pukh i Den Zabor, or, "Winnie-the-Pooh's Busy Day PART TWO")
One of the most iconic characters in Russian animation is a little critter named Cheburashka, who stars in his own small series of short films from the 60's-80's along with his friend Gena the Crocodile:
Чебурашка и Гена Крокодил (Cheburashka and Gena Crocodile)
Another classic is "Hedgehog in the Fog," which won a couple of those "Best Animated Short of All Time" prizes worldwide, as well as being a personal favourite of filmmakers such as Michel Gondry and Hayao Miyazaki:
Ёжик в тумане (Yozhik v Tumane, or "Hedgehog in the Fog")
And there you are - instant film festival!
Though for the more ambitious, the longer "Аленький Цветочек" (The Scarlet Flower) is absolutely stunning. And so I take my leave with some of the most elegant animation I have ever seen:
Аленький цветочек (Alenkiy Tsvetochek, or "The Scarlet Flower")
