Comments | niffiwan: The Lost Letter (1945) - the first Soviet traditionally-animated feature

niffiwan

The Lost Letter (1945) - the first Soviet traditionally-animated feature

Apr 20, 2010 23:36

The premise: A Cossack living in the southern part of the former Russian Empire (what is now Ukraine) is tasked with delivering a letter to the Empress, and must journey to the imperial capital of St. Petersburg. Along the way he stops at a fair and makes friends with a tall and wild Dnieper Cossack. Only during the night does he find out that his ( Read more... )

1940s, translation, anipages daily, gogol, brumberg, subtitles, bredis

Comments 6

Incredible anonymous April 23 2010, 18:19:09 UTC

Thank you for translating this wonderful film! I was absolutely blown away. I'm a recent graduate from an animation school in Boston, and an amateur student of animation history.

I'm just now learning about the sheer breadth and quality of work coming out of Russia that none of my professors or peers ever told me about. This film sets me down a path to learn more about the Brumberg sisters.

Is this film in print in any sort of remastered form on DVD? I don't mind watching it without subtitles. I could inquire at my local Russian shop.

Re: Incredible niffiwan April 23 2010, 22:21:15 UTC

Thanks for the reply.

It was indeed released on DVD, a few times. The best image quality was on this one.

Until 2008, this film was in the public domain. (before Russia retroactively updated its copyright terms to what the US wanted - previously, Russian films until the year 1952 were P.D.)

As for the Brumbergs, you can search for their other subtitled cartoons here (click on the "Director(s)" column to sort alphabetically), and their unsubtitled ones can be found here. "Samoyed Boy" from 1928 is a particularly impressive early effort.

where disappeared story about this movie on cartoon brew? ext_232515 April 23 2010, 22:16:48 UTC

where disappeared story about this movie on cartoon brew?

Re: where disappeared story about this movie on cartoon brew? niffiwan April 23 2010, 22:22:30 UTC

Hmm? It's still there.

Thanks anonymous April 24 2010, 02:18:56 UTC

Thanks for posting and translating that. It's hard to watch for American eyes because we don't know all the cultural nuances and implications of what is going on.

But fascinating to see none-the-less.

Re: Thanks niffiwan April 24 2010, 02:26:54 UTC

Yes, I realize that it's quite a culture shock. If you don't understand anything in particular, feel free to ask about it here and I'll try to answer.

This animated feature is from the far south of Russia. Here's one that feels very different, which is from the culture of the far north (from near the White Sea):
http://niffiwan.livejournal.com/3063.html