During the early 1960s, the Soviet film industry began exporting some lively animated features, perhaps to counter the influence of that capitalist Uncle Walt. After languishing for years, the best of the bunch have been scooped up by Moore Video for the Classic Russian Animation series.
Perhaps the best of this trio is the 1960 version of The Snow Queen. Although the Hans Christian Andersen tale gets lost in the telling (with diversions including a tubby prince, gabbing crows, and musical brigands), kids will love the superior, Disney-quality animation - particularly the sexy Snow Queen and her ice palace. Grown-ups will relish the witty voice characterizations dubbed by US cartoon regulars June Foray and Paul Frees and the campy live-action prolog starring an unctuous Art Linkletter.
For a slice of old Russia, check out The Magic Horse. This charming and often thrilling story features a young boy whose wild bragging lands him in crazy situations, only to be rescued by the celebrated equine of the title. The English-language soundtrack occasionally follows a route separate from the action, but the animation is a marvel of creative splendor, especially sequences involving the capture of the dancing peacocks and the arrival of the sublime Maid of the Moon across a shimmering lake. How this piece fell into obscurity is a mystery.
For Tex Avery-style craziness, *Mr. Wonderbird * more than fits the bill. Imagine a gregarious bird in a top hat, two lovers who emerge from a painting, police officers in bat costumes, a rueful polar bear, a singing gondolier, a blind hurdy-gurdy player, and a cheapo Gigantor-style robot chasing each other for 70 minutes. What Mr. Wonderbird lacks in coherence it more than makes up for in speed and surrealism, thanks in large part to Peter Ustinov's voicing of the wacky title character.
Pity the Soviet politicians of the '60s weren't as fun as their animators - the Cold War could have been much more entertaining.
Classic Russian Animation video series: US$19.99 each. Moore Video: +1 (804) 745 9785.
