Customer Reviews

Masters Of Russian Animation - Volume 2

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

If you have any love of animation at all - the artistry, the depth, the impact - the Masters of Russian Animation volumes are a MUST OWN. In this edition, Norstein's "Hedgehog in the Fog" will tickle and please your visual imagination like NOTHING else! I presented this short film to an American suburban community center audience and they were SPELLBOUND! I've owned a lot of films on DVD (and sold a lot - crazy recession), but I'll never relinquish any of the four volumes in this series. NEVER! Enjoy, with my regards.

This DVD is worth gold just for the "Seasons" and the "Battle of Kerzhenets". The Seasons is one of the most exquisitely beautiful films I've ever seen by one of the greatest animators of the previous century, the Russian Ivanov-Vano. It is made on a multiplane (I think), using traditional russian lace designs and russian toys. The music is the "Seasons" (naturally) by Tchaikovsky. It's stunning and whenever I get a chance to watch it, I always get a sense of beauty and peace. Sometimes, I just wish I could live in that magical, fairytale world that Ivanov-Vano created.

The "Battle of Kerzhenets" is another film by Ivanov-Vano based on Russian Orthodox icons. A feast for the eyes, beautiful and original in all respects. The score is Rimsky-Korsakov.


Higly, highly recommended.

Yes my Amazon name is a nod, if not an outright ripoff, from the Y. Norstein short included here. This disc is awesome! Norstein, the Miyazaki of Russia, is featured in this disc with four of his films represented here. I gain so much joy from watching these shorts. Just when we built up the notion of the evil red empire, our preseption will be forever changeed when we see these gems from our former enemy. The true masters of world animation are included here!

I really, really enjoyed this collection. Yuri Norstein's shorts, "Hedgehog in the Fog" in particular, are absolutely incredible. The kind of depth he can create with only two dimensions to work with is truly impressive. Also prepare to be amazed by "Butterfly" and "Ballerina on the Boat."

Geez, I did not know that Russian animators used to smoke the same stuff The Beatles did! I've just finished this collection, and although almost all are enjoyable in some way, I especially liked three: "Ballerina on a boat", which resembles the UPA cartoons of the same era in its minimalism, "Butterfly", which resembles Yellow Submarine's trippiest parts, and "Crane Feathers", which is curious because it is a Japanese folk story told by Russian animators. The last one, "Contact", is also very, very "Pepperland" (The town in "Yellow Submarine"). I have a couple of gripes with this collection:

1) Although "Seasons" and "Battle" are widescreen, they are presented within a 4:3 frame.

2) English subtitles are hard-coded in the four shorts that have dialogue: Fox, Heron, Hedgehog and Firing Range.

3) Two of the shorts, "Battle at Kerzhenets" and "Crane Feathers", should have more detailed explanation in the booklet. The first one depicts historic Russian events and the second one, a Japanese folk tale.

All in all, I liked this DVD and I think it is a fine addition to my collection of mainstream and not-so-mainstream animation. Even my mother liked some of the shorts and started to found morals in some of them.

Note to parents (warning: spoiler): All these shorts are family-friendly. Most of them were made for children. The only short that would deserve a PG is "Firing Range" for stylized violence (people dying in explosions, but we see no blood or gore).

I'll add a still image extracted from each short so you can see for yourself the quality of these works. I hope this helps you to make up your mind and buy it.

As a big fan of stop-motion animation, I was impressed by the offerings this DVD had. Highly recommended!

after watching the first three of the masters of russian animation id have to say this is easily the best. included are the extraordinary hedgehog in the fog, the underrated contact, the beautiful ballerina on the boat. vol. 2 contains a large and varied assortment of russian animation greatness.

"Hedgehog in the Fog" is the most magical piece of animation I've ever been privileged to witness. Eastern European animation in the late '60s and 70's shares a vision of the world that can be dark, yet soulful and deeply courageous. "Hedgehog in the Fog" evokes the same sense of magic that many of us experienced as young children. Vince Bonavoglia's depiction of this 10 minute short as "dreary" and "dismal" simply indicates what different universes each of us occupy.

Having watched this gem countless times on YouTube, I'm thrilled I can buy it as a DVD, along with other animation classics from Russia.

This collection is a must-have for every animation lovers. Yuri Norstein's shorts are absolutely magnificent (and you have 4 of them on this DVD). «Hedgehog in the fog» is a true masterpiece, poetic and full of hope and magic. Buy this collection today. You won't regret.

This is a great collection! for those who is unfamiliar with Soviet cartoons and never seen one it will be hard perhaps to understand the appeal of some of them. But considering most of them were made in 70's and remembering what was available in 70's as far as cartoons go will help. The best cartoon of this bunch is "The Hedgehog In The Fog." This piece was immensely popular in USSR at the time it was made. It certainly reflects what Russians value in animation - the story, the feelings, a little abstract thinking and the zen attitude. Great selection!