| Winnie-the-Pooh | |
|---|---|
 Image from the film. | |
| Directed by | Fyodor Khitruk |
| Screenplay by | Boris Zakhoder Fyodor Khitruk |
| Starring | Yevgeny Leonov Iya Savvina |
| Narrated by | Vladimir Osenev |
| Music by | Mieczysław Weinberg |
Production company | |
Release date |
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Running time | 11 minutes[1] |
| Country | Soviet Union |
| Language | Russian |
Winnie-the-Pooh (Russian:Винни-Пух,romanized: Vinni-Pukh,IPA:[ˈvʲinʲːɪˈpux]ⓘ) is a 1969 Soviet animated film bySoyuzmultfilm directed byFyodor Khitruk.[2] The film is based on chapter one in the book series byA. A. Milne. It is the first part of a trilogy,[3] along with two sequels:Winnie-the-Pooh Pays a Visit (Винни-Пух идёт в гости, 1971) andWinnie-the-Pooh and a Busy Day (Винни-Пух и день забот, 1972).[1]
Khitruk studied the original book by Milne first in English and only later in Russian, translated byBoris Zakhoder who became a co-writer of the first two parts of the trilogy. Khitruk had not seen theDisney adaptations while working on his own. He created the prototype drawings of the characters together with Vladimir Zuikov, a fellow animator fromFilm, Film, Film.[4]
Khitruk followed the original book byA. A. Milne and based his first two parts of the trilogy on the Pooh's love for honey. However, while Milne accentuated the relationships between a boy (Christopher Robin) and his favorite toy Pooh, Khitruk removed Christopher Robin and made Pooh the leading character; his narrator is a "true" narrator who has no relation to the story whatsoever. In all of the films, Pooh is accompanied by his best friend Piglet, who follows his lead and gives him advice.[5] The main reason for the omission of the human Christopher Robin was to give all of the animal characters an equal power dynamic.[4]
Khitruk followed his style and drew all scenes in two dimensions. His animation was relatively simple and slow-paced compared to other Milne adaptations. Instead, Khitruk put much emphasis on the dialogues and timing – every move of his characters and every character line are intended to bring hidden details and irony to viewers of all ages.[5]
In 1976, Khitruk was awarded theUSSR State Prize for theWinnie-the-Pooh trilogy.[8] The animation characters, as designed by Khitruk's team, are featured on the1988 Soviet and2012 Russian postal stamps; they are permanently painted on apublic streetcar running through theSokolniki Park, and their sculptures are installed inRamenki District in Moscow.[9]
When Khitruk visited theDisney Studios,Wolfgang Reitherman, the director ofWinnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day that won the 1968Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film, told him that he liked the Soviet version better than his own.[8][10]
Kevin Scott Collier.Fyodor Khitruk's Vinni-Pukh: Russia's Animated Winnie-the-Pooh. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2018.ISBN 1731277113
