I love the idea that the USSR tried to censor this movie in Russia, and it took about 55 years and a bloody steamed hams parody for people in north America to learn of it
I'm curious now about the history of the animation and I've always been interested in Russian history but it's hard to find time to research as a construction worker trying to make ends meet
You gotta love the RUclips rabbit hole. I started out watching a video on the Simpsons, which led to "steamed hams" meme videos, which led to an important and banned Soviet era cartoon. What a time to be alive.
which in turn led me to a video where someone played an actual glass harmonica and I found out Ben Franklin and Mozart did a collab for a solo piece for that instrument. Or, well, Franklin invented the thing, mozart wrote the solo piece.
Genes are important for passing on the blueprint for replication of the organism for next generation. Memes are important for passing on the work and legacy of the organism for next generation.
Genes are important for passing on the blueprint for replication of the organism for next generation. Memes are important for passing on the work and legacy of the organism for next generation.
The way I interpereted things The glass harmonica represented worker solidarity and education. The man in the bowler hat represented the bourgeois and the state apparatus that keeps them in power, smashing the glass harmonica and keeping the people ignorant and subservient. The old man represented past generations of communist thought leaders, while the young man represented a new generation of young socialists. The undying rose represents the undying ideas passed on to the new generation. I think that the men with the glass harmonicas coming to singlehandedly enlighten and save society from the bourgeois might mean to represent the need for a strong leadership to protect and lead the revolution, but I'm not cofident about that one as the people take matters into their own hands near the end. Freaky aah animation.
Considering how I've seen folks interpret this the exact opposite way you have, this is fantastic. Soviet double entendres are utterly fantastic in how subversive they are, and you've opened my eyes as to how they work in this film.
@@tracefoster8358 Yeah, I think my interpretation might have been off from how it was intended to be read. Either way, the creepy and abstract nature of the film would have had it shot down for veering so far from the "soviet aesthetic" of state propaganda from the time.
man everyone in this comment section sucks. The film is critiquing three things. The soviet bureaucracy, the west, and capitalism. The Soviet Union at this time had a bit of an economic reform which introduced some capitalist aspects to the economy (hence money being represented heavily in the film). These were later reversed in the 70s. Additionally, the soviet bureaucracy had a direct contradiction to the socialist ideals they espoused. By creating a bureaucracy, they inherently created class divides between the proletariat citizens and the bourgeoisie bureaucrats. As for why the film was banned, there are two reasons. 1) it was too weird. The art-style unnerved many people at the time (and today) and it went directly against the soviet realism that the party used heavily 2) it critiqued the government That's about it. That's all the bureaucracy cared about.
I think the idea it's commenting on the osmosis of Western ideals into Eastern is certainly an interesting take on it. That and the cyclical nature of history, and working together to break that circle, probably represented by the huge clock. And probably at least part of the intention.
Another important point is the use of medals. The early USSR used to reward people with medals for outstanding behaviour to the party and fatherland. Without going into detail, these were such an effective propaganda technique that children would report their parent to the government - effectively making themselves orphans - all for a tiny tin medal and a bag of candy. I think it also has to do with how the Soviet government (and for that matter, many many others, including ours) tried to get people to focus more on just trying to get by than on thinking of what could be. In trying to create a communist republic, they ended up making a rather money-hungry society, as symbolized by the film.
@@penand_paper6661 But the only one who is seen taking money is the big nose character, which most likely represents the Jew as it is so close to how jews were portrayed in the 19th and 20th Century specially on the latter
I thought the same thing. And Madonna with the Long Neck. Also the model Botticelli always used. So many art references, all reflecting the "Western" influences the State hated so much.
Yes I did come here from the steamed hams parody but I swear I've seen this style before, I think in the Beatles animated Yellow Submarine. It had a strangely similar style during some scenes
This film is far more about the ideas of the enlightenment vs authoritarianism than anything about socialism/communism. There's a lot of incredibly evoking imagery that directly parallels it. And thematically with the glass harmonica being created by 'craftsmen' as it represents the enlightenment. 10:10 Shows someone from the new generation becoming an intellectual as represented by the flower growing, also interesting to note is they are taken up an impossible street into the light of enlightenment. And since the flower represents Enlightening one's self the scene at 15:37 is representing a utopian society where everyone is gifted an enlightened mind, they have the power to empower themselves and they can do anything they want, even fly. 11:30 Butterflies represent the intellectuals who grow up in a closed off society, 'in the dark' where their it hinders their growth, most of them do not escape but one of them is able to make it into the light and become enlightened. 12:00 Then we see the people in the windows, the 'butterflies' who did not escape are malformed humans, incorrect and unfulfilled versions of their true selves. It's only at 13:10 that we see a new enlightened individual return, bringing with them the power to enlighten others, and we see the common people turn straight up into Romanticism art pieces depicting the countryside's of Italy and France 14:29 12:39 You think they've lost their chance at enlightenment but like a miracle you see flickers of the light of truth returning as from one from a new generation becomes enlightened. The Glass Harmonica itself seems to represent Western ideas being brought into Russia, the state as it exists cannot accept that level of freedom and so takes it away. At the end the film essentially poses the question what will the people do after they've all had a chance at enlightenment? They turn their backs on the one who brought it and allows the instrument to be destroyed. But instead of returning back into darkness the film suggests that the people are still able to rebuild all by themselves, as long as they keep their morals and ideas Also I like how the suit guy looks like the son of Putin and Chris-Chan
It is clearly also Cristian. It is pro renaissance and Cristian enlightenment. The man and woman become beasts when they fight over money, showing they are material and not moral. The scene starting at around 8:50 shows a depiction of decadent chaos and false idol worship. One of the beasts is a man with a goat head, and the fact that they are beasts allude to the beast from the bible. This scene is reminiscent of the painting "The garden of earthly delights", it shows a degenerated society, and the man with the hat is the one who directs them to this immorality with his hands waving at first. Then the music enlightens them to see a good society. And this is shown to be Cristian, since you can see the virgin Mary with baby Jesus.
it shows how money breaks society apart and makes them dumb and blind through individualism. It literally starts saying that the town was enslaved by money. But yeah yeah western culture big hero, please uncle sam fuck my ass wit that giant rifle. It also shows the defeat of power through art and community. See the people ORGANIZED to fix the clock that represents public goods, the common benefit. A shared society. Even in the last frames before credits it seems like they are arranged in COMMUNITIES.
my interpretation of this film: 1. we start in a society where the people are ruled by money, and having wealth means having power. 2. we have a craftsman who created an instrument that promotes good thoughts, good deeds. he starts playing this instrument, and we see that the man who ends up holding the flower is enlightened, and he appears to be a person of a newer generation. 3. we have the bureaucrat appear, and, take this man away, and the man suddenly “disappears”, and we see the bureaucrat has destroyed the glass harmonica, as it promoted good thoughts. 4. the jewish man then snitches on the person with the flower (enlightened person), and he also disappears, the jew is then rewarded with money for snitching (just like in soviet union where people would get rewarded for snitching on other people who questioned authority) 5. the bureaucrat offers the entire town money to go destroy their clock tower ( this was hard for me to understand the meaning of, but maybe it could have meant the destruction of national monuments and heritage, as the soviet union destroyed many old Russian buildings and monuments) 6. the jew is swimming in his treasure but then he accidentally loses a coin and it slips through a small window, which then the man starts following the coin on his 4 legs, he clearly has no control over himself and is only thinking about getting that coin, then the coin goes to his wife which she hides under her dress; the man then tries to get it from her and it seems to escalate to a fight, the wife turns into a some sort of hippo-beast, then shortly after the man becomes a rhino, this symbolizes that they are so deep into money that they have become beasts that will do anything to get money. 7. we have the drums start playing (another part for me to understand the meaning of, possibly could be symbolizing State-propaganda and authority) then we have the entire town come out which we see they have turned all into disgusting money loving beasts (so the drums are the opposite of the glass harmonica) then they seem to start worshiping this monument (the soviet union also had many pro-communist monuments) the people are corrupt and rotting in their own misery. 8. the drums have stopped playing and the people are all on the ground, helpless and miserable, until the magical sounds slowly start to be heard, and the butterflies start flying, and we see the boy with the flower, who has recreated this harmonica, has come to the town and is playing the instrument, and slowly everyone starts to transition back to normal, and everyone and everything seems to have become way more beautiful and detailed than before, and the scenery has become peaceful and full of light, and the people start ascending to the heavens and skies. 9. but the bureaucrat is back, and just by his presence, the scenery become dark again, the people start falling back to the ground, and he notices the glass harmonica in the boys hand, and he goes to give him the same treatment as he did with the craftsman, we can see that he destroyed the glass harmonica. 10. the people are still enlightened and stand against the bureaucrat, despite the bureaucrat showing the people the gold coin again, the people don’t show any reaction to it, it no longer has an effect on them, and they start grabbing the flowers one by one, showing their enlightenment and resistance, and the bureaucrat, just by seeing this, he loses his eyes, turns his back, and disappears. 11. the people finally group back together to build their clock (many destroyed monuments and buildings in Russia were created again so this may be symbolizing the peoples pride in their true identity and heritage). with that being said, this film shows itself as what might come off to some to be anti-capitalist propaganda, but when we look at it again, we see the Anti-propaganda in it, we see that the reason it was banned was because it was too familiar to what was happening to the people of the soviet union, and we see the true meaning of the film, carrying Anti-authoritarian and Pro-people message, and specifically aimed towards a Russian audience and against the soviet state. while also carrying some pro-christian and anti-semetic messages as well. but in my eyes it now applies to almost all governments and states to this day.
Your comment is truly a gift since I think you got it spot on. Sometimes it's not even about any particular political side but rather those who try to keep us down and those who try to lift us up with something more powerful than authority, beauty.
It is also important to remember that the USSR was not only butchering communism but was also a very anti-Semitic country for a large chunk of its existence
Here is how I understand the meaning of the film: 1. The people are living in an oppressive Capitalist society (a city ruled by the "Golden devil"). The people themselves are good, but the system makes them alienated from each other, and depressed, only thinking of work and rush hours (the clock with the bell is the symbol here). 2. There was a good-willed person who entered the city and started playing the glass harmonica. His only goal was to help people feel more cheerful and to feel like they belong to something bigger than an endless pursuit of money. The musician symbolizes people like Marx, Lenin, and, basically, all Communists. The rose symbolizes the Socialist ideas. 3. The men in bowler hats symbolize the oppressive state apparatus that hates the Communists, because the Golden Devil that commands the state apparatus, only wants people to work more without thinking and enjoying the contemplation of music and the rose, with their only goal in life being to bring more profits to their masters. 4. The state apparatus destroys the means of the Communists to bring the Socialist ideas to the masses (the bowler hat men break the harmonica). 5. In the absence of the Communists to spread the Socialist ideas, the people start adopting the false consciousness, directing their hatred towards the minorities, and an ever-growing scramble for limited resources intensifies (the mice plundering the clock tower). 5.1 The scene of the mice plunder 100% reminded me of the aggressive privatization that occurred in the 1990s in the post-Soviet republics, as well as to the "Reaganomics" in the United States and in Great Britain, so, in a way, this cartoon was prophetic. 5.2. The authors of the original cartoon probably alluded to the Nationalist ideas that turn people into mindless crowds, leading to WW1 and WW2, and that can lead to WW3. 6. All the ensuing scenes refer to the mindless pursuits of pleasure that people get into to try to escape the oppressive Capitalist reality. And the ever-growing hatred and the levels of competition make them fight each other in their scramble for resources. 7. Eventually, more and more people realize that they don't need to indulge in petty infighting and endless hedonism. People start discussing Socialist ideas more and more. People cooperate to start building a better future. Rich people realize that their endless pursuit of money, that turns them into some kinds of "vegetables", is futile. The "shell cracks" and everyone can finally show their true, humane face. 8. People finally become stronger than the oppressive Capitalist system, and become the masters of their own destinies (people start to fly). 9. People finally start building a better future (the new clock tower). I assume the flying might also symbolize that people finally started colonizing the Solar System and beyond.
1:11 that's what's outside of the kitchen window 1:22 the beginning sequence (including the doorbell) 9:09 the fire truck's legs 15:44 not the exact same but Chalmers flying off 16:57 the living room painting in the table scenes 18:49 the living room painting behind Chalmers there's 4 other paintings but I cannot tell what they are :p
Here is how I understand the meaning of the film: 1. The people are living in an oppressive Capitalist society (a city ruled by the "Golden devil"). The people themselves are good, but the system makes them alienated from each other, and depressed, only thinking of work and rush hours (the clock with the bell is the symbol here). 2. There was a good-willed person who entered the city and started playing the glass harmonica. His only goal was to help people feel more cheerful and to feel like they belong to something bigger than an endless pursuit of money. The musician symbolizes people like Marx, Lenin, and, basically, all Communists of the past (that is why it's an old man). The rose symbolizes the Socialist ideas. 3. The men in bowler hats symbolize the oppressive state apparatus that hates the Communists, because the Golden Devil that commands the state apparatus, only wants people to work more without thinking, with their only goal in life being to bring more profits to their masters. 4. The state apparatus destroys the means of the Communists to bring the Socialist ideas to the masses via police brutality and McCarthyist witch hunting (the bowler hat men break the harmonica). 5. In the absence of the Communists to spread the Socialist ideas, the people start adopting the false consciousness, directing their hatred towards the minorities, and an ever-growing scramble for limited resources intensifies (the mice plundering the clock tower). 5.1 The scene of the mice plunder 100% reminded me of the aggressive privatization that occurred in the 1990s in the post-Soviet republics, as well as to the "Reaganomics" in the United States and in Great Britain, so, in a way, this cartoon was prophetic. 5.2. The authors of the original cartoon probably alluded to the Nationalist ideas that turn people into mindless crowds, leading to WW1 and WW2, and that can lead to WW3. 6. The only person who still holds the Socialist ideas is a child who is not corrupted by the hunger for power and is not yet brainwashed into thinking that money is everything in life. 7. The ensuing scenes refer to the mindless pursuits of pleasure that most adults get into to try to escape the oppressive Capitalist reality. And the ever-growing hatred and the levels of competition make them fight each other in their scramble for resources. 8. The child grows to become a Communist, re-creates the glass harmonica, and starts spreading the Socialist ideas. 9. Eventually, more and more people realize that they don't actually need to indulge in petty infighting and endless hedonism. People start listening to and discussing Socialist ideas more and more. People realize that their endless pursuit of money, that turns them into some kinds of "animals" and "vegetables", is futile. The "shell cracks" and everyone can finally show their true, humane face. 10. People finally become stronger than the oppressive Capitalist system, and become the masters of their own destinies (people start to fly). 11. The state apparatus, in its last attempt to save Capitalism, re-initiates the repressions and arrests the Communist leaders, but the people are already educated enough to understand that Capitalism and its oligarchic state apparatus (the golden coin and the bowler hat man) are parasites that bring no value to the society, and that Socialism and Democracy (the rose, and people exchanging it) is the future that the people want to adopt. 12. The state apparatus cannot change the course of history and fades away. 13. The people themselves become Communists and start building a better future, based on the scientific view of the world (the new clock tower). I assume the flying might also symbolize that people finally started colonizing the Solar System and beyond.
I particularly like the fact that the creator used old humanist and Renaissance paintings for the 'liberated' humans. It alludes to the beauty and freedom of the pre-capitalist world, a theme also present in Pasolini's trilogy of life. Not only that, but it also aludes to a 'Renaissance' of the human spirit under socialism.
I thought that, whilst the people became animals and such as they lost their humanity and were warped by their society to act only for themselves, this doesn't happen to the bowler man/ he isn't mutated at all because unlike the other people he is evil/ has no humanity to begin with. Perhaps his appearance is a disguise, or dictated by what they think of themselves, and he thinks nothing wrong of himself (strikes me as a psychopath, as many in power are). Another small thought I had is that the floating up and dancing in the sky had more of a symbolic meaning around them becoming enlightened.
Yours is a more straightforward analysis of the cartoon, but it misses some semiotic elements that support the script, thus changing the meaning of the content. To better understand the real message, we should begin by asking ourselves: why was this particular animation banned in the Soviet Union? In Marxist theory, human history is a class struggle within modes of production, nominally slave-owning, feudal, and capitalist, and eventually socialism. Capitalism, due to astronomical improvements in the forces of production, breaks with the former modes of production, giving birth to modernity, where tradition is constantly replaced by innovation (first, innovation in the commodity itself, and then in the realm of ideas). I believe the movie proposes a return to tradition, especially the Christian tradition, where love (and God) binds a civic community towards salvation. However, this proposition must be disguised in some way. For instance, what is the effect of the glass harmonica when played by the "prophet"? It provides people with a sense of love, which is condensed in the red flower picked by those willing to share the word with others (17:36). Isn't it interesting that a red flower (which, by the way, is a symbol of social democracy, a non-Leninist political position) when shared, does not provoke the destruction of the status quo (that is, revolution)? Rather, people REconstruct the old clock and REinstall the normative rules prior to destruction. One could argue that the movie is criticizing capitalism, with money being the devil that people worship. Here we should be very careful. In some sense, it is true that a "coin" is the evil that is rotting society. When the Glass Harmonica threatens the hegemony of the "Coin," what does the bureaucrat do? He takes the prophet to a street between *two walls* (3:14), kills him, imprisons the guy that received the flower, reinforces the ideology of the "Coin" (4:11), and incites the people to a savage destruction of the clock. It is obvious. The *two walls* closely represent the Berlin Wall (erected in 1961), the Head-faced coin is the ideology, and the destruction of the tower is the revolution. This "coin" revolution beastializes human behavior. Later, the flower is picked by the boy. This newborn flower takes the character to a street that leads to the sun above. From there, the boy returns with once again the Glass Harmonica. When the music is played, the good news touches everyone's souls, breaking with the 'sins'. From the bestial form, people return to a non-distorted image of themselves, and what do we see? A woman with a baby (14:56). Clearly, the Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus. I really liked this animation and how it subverted ideology using the same premises of the ideology. It is a shame that it is virtually unknown.
Here from the Steamed Hams Parody but this short film is actually really cool and eerie. It reminds me of "I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream" and "Metropolis (1927)". It feels like something David Firth would voice act in (the art style also reminds me of The Cat Lady)
"hikayenin başında, belirsiz bir zamanda bir usta, bir müzik aleti yapıyor. bu alet sihirli ve çok güzel bir sesi var. bu kısım felsefi gelişme ve sanat unsurlarına bir göndermedir. bu şekilde insanlar bir araya geliyorlar. o ilk görünen mekanizmalar ve saat kulesi insanlığın yararına olan icatları simgeliyor. sonrasındaki sahnelerde meydanı hep insanların doldurduğunu fark etmişsinizdir. her türden insanın bu şekilde bir araya geldiği gösteriliyor. daha sonra usta müzik aletini çalıyor ve bu herkese umut ve sevgi dağıtıyor ve kalabalığa ilham veriyor. o mavi giyimli gencin elinde tuttuğu çiçek bunların sembolüdür. daha sonrasında o avrupalı olduğu her halinden belli olan kişi elinde parayla devreye giriyor ki giyim tarzına bakılırsa muhtemelen ingiliz. önce ustayı ortadan kaldırıyor. o yükselen duvarlar ustanın hapsedildiğini belirtmek için. daha sonrasında kalabalık içerisinde bu mesajı almış olan kişileri ortadan kaldırıyor. yere düşen çiçek soluyor, yani umut kayboluyor. bunun yapılmasını sağlayan yine kalabalığın içerisinden biri ve bunun karşılığında para alıyor. yani insanlar umutlarını parayla satıyorlar. bu davranışın kalabalık içerisindeki zayıf kişilerde yayılışı gözünüzden kaçmamıştır. bu şekilde bir para dini doğuyor, böyle davranmak insanlar arasına hemen yerleşiyor. sonrasında saat kulesi devreye giriyor ki bu insan yararına olan mekanizmaların, teknolojik gelişmenin bir sembolü. insanlara para karşılığında bu mekanizmaları kaldırtıyorlar. burada işi yapanların yine topluluktan olduğunu görebilirsiniz. sonuçta bireyin gücü kullanılmadan hiç bir şey yapılamaz ve sermaye sahiplerinin de ihtiyacı olan tek şey bireyin gücüdür. yani günümüz insanının düşündüğü gibi, asıl büyük sermayedarlar para kazanmak için uğraşmazlar. para zaten onlarındır. onlara gereken şey birey. bireyi manipüle edebilmek ve toplumlar yön verebilmek için parayı kullanırlar, ki animasyon içerisindeki gösterilen paralarda hep o şahsın resminin olduğunu fark etmişsinizdir. anahtar deliği sahnesinde anlatılan da para işin içine girdiğinde nasıl insanların nasıl insanlıktan çıktığını görüyoruz. önce eşler birbirlerini kullanmaya başlıyorlar, sonra insanlar birbirlerini gözleyip, birbirlerinin başarısızlıklarından ve kötü durumlarından zevk almaya başlıyorlar. insanların insanlıktan çıkmalarına ithafen, hepsinin birer birer başka başka şekillere büründüğünü görebilirsiniz. meydandaki ikinci toplanmada, topluluk hayvanlara ve daha bir sürü garip mahlukata benziyor. eşeği taşıyan bir insan geliyor sahneye. bu sizin de tahmin edebileceğiniz gibi para işin içine girdiğinde, vasıflı insanların nasıl vasıfsızlar tarafından kullanıldığını anlatmaya çalışıyor. örneğin günümüzde bir çalışan her zaman işi patrondan daha iyi bilir, daha zekidir ve daha yeteneklidir. çünkü çalışanlar için bu bir zorunluluktur aksi halde iş yaşamında tutunamazlar ama patronlar sadece bencil olabilmelidirler. bu onların varlıklarını sürdürebilmek için sahip olmaları gereken tek kabiliyettir. cambazlar ve kafes dansçıları, para için kırk takla atan zayıf karakterli insanlara atfen orada. sonrasında bölüm ölü kelebeklerin dirilmesiyle başlıyor. kelebekler ışığa karşı uçuyorlar ama dışarı çıkmayı başaramıyorlar biri hariç. ilk bölümde umudu devralan çocuk o kelebek işte, o başarıyor. ve o çalgıya tekrar hayat veriyor, aynı zamanda insanlığa da. geri geldiğinde çalgıyı çalıyor ve insanlıktan çıkan yozlaşan toplum tekrar insanlığa dönüyorlar. yavaş yavaş güzellikler geri geliyorlar. bu bize kurtuluşun yeni neslinde olduğunu söylüyor. çünkü tüm insanlar yozlaşmışlar ve toplum sermayedarlar tarafından ele geçirilmiş durumda. herkes ya paraya esir olmuş ya da direnip yok olmuş. kurtuluş yeni nesilden, sisteme sonradan dahil olandan gelmeli, ancak o sistemdeki tutarsızlığı fark edebilir. kafese yeni giren maymun için öğrenilmiş davranışların tutarsızlığından bahsedebiliriz. sonrasında toplum güzelleşiyor, ayağa kalkıyor. parayı terk ettikçe güzelleşiyor insanlar. bu sistemin işine gelmiyor tabi ve tekrar topluma müdahale ediyorlar ama artık başaramıyorlar. umut kişiden kişiye geziyor ve çoğalıyor. insanlar direninca, yani sistem bireyi değiştiremediğinde kaybediyor yok oluyor." -Ekşi sözlük yazarı.
I can see the deep anti capitalist message, but I can see a deeper running, anti authorization vibe. But at the same time there is an "even deeper" message to this, Art is what separates Man fro Beast.
Have we ever found out what Andrey Khrzhanovskiy thought about what they thought about the film being banned? Apparently it's meant to be a critique of capitalism and western society, so I'm curious about what the reactions of the film's creators were when it was banned.
Do you know anything about who created the clocktower or who inspired it? The gears and aesthetic of it line up exactly with what I'm looking into for my current artwork portfolio. I tried reseaching online (I even googled all the artists in the end credits) but I couldn't really find anything.
gears are common motif in modern dystopian visions seen by psychedelic seekers- i don't know anything of inspiration but the astronomical clock in Prague might be useful in your search, and has an interesting story behind it, with its creator being put to death over its creation.
"I understand that you're trying to say greed is bad but in doing so you seem to be suggesting authoritarian repression is bad. So we need to ban your movie"
ENDUT! HOCH HECH! I enjoyed that this cartoon is now popularized as it is an interesting aesthetic and depressive feeling we don't often see from that time. It seems to somehow predict the fall of the Soviet Union and the repressed anger rush thereby. However I find the antisemetism is over the top and unnecessary.
I wonder why it was baned. It's as socialistic as it gets, even the flower part, socialsm symbol, even the boy in red which made society function. And all the anti-capitalist message. Why would soviets ban this, friendly fire?
i assume it's because the animations are too weird + there are many references to western art and culture from the Renaissance and the 1500s/1600s/1700s
Because a lot of things about the man who destroyed the harmonica and incentivized people to snitch on each other also mirrored the soviet union. People who were free thinkers and liked to question things were a threat to the government, a lot of art was banned because it either showed a different way of life from communism or made people think. And thinking was bad. People also received rewards for informing authorities about people who questioned communism or created/held types of art which were banned by the government. So often times people and their possessions would "disappear" the same way the harmonica guy and the guy who held the rose did.
Its very clearly anti soviet union and pro civilisation through cristianity, and western culture and tradition. It really pretends to talk about capitalism by making coins be evil, and having a red rose be good, but theese symbols are ultimately just there for this pretence and are meaningless, cause they had to pretend its anti capitalist, but its way to obvious this is not at all the message.
I honestly thought the "government guy" was a direct representation of the communist government of USSR (and I assume they also went like "Hey is this bad guy supposed to be us?" and banned it)
It looks like something critiquing state capitalism and the resulting resurgence of the Dark Ages. The harmonica seems to represent enlightenment and/or liberty.
![Twenty One Pilots - “The Line” (from Arcane Season 2) [Official Music Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/E2Rj2gQAyPA/mqdefault.jpg)
I love the idea that the USSR tried to censor this movie in Russia, and it took about 55 years and a bloody steamed hams parody for people in north America to learn of it
So there are a few more people from that vid bleeding into here, as I did. Soviet animation is pretty cool so I was interested fast.
I'm curious now about the history of the animation and I've always been interested in Russian history but it's hard to find time to research as a construction worker trying to make ends meet
@@unexpected2475 I took the same trip for the same reason.
I instantly recognised that Steamed Hams thumbnail, just forgot about it.
wow... you caught me red handed!
are you also here because of the incredible steamed hams parody? Congratulations!
yes actually thanks
Lol yes
Yep. The steamed hams videos have been getting crazy lately and I'm all for it
I made it, despite your directions.
Well, thank you kind sir, I'm honored to belong to the distinguished steamed hams "banned in the USSR" parody club.
i like how someone watched this video and thought to themselves "you know what would make this better? steamed hams."
I mean to be fair Steamed hams does make a lot of things better
You gotta love the RUclips rabbit hole. I started out watching a video on the Simpsons, which led to "steamed hams" meme videos, which led to an important and banned Soviet era cartoon. What a time to be alive.
which in turn led me to a video where someone played an actual glass harmonica and I found out Ben Franklin and Mozart did a collab for a solo piece for that instrument. Or, well, Franklin invented the thing, mozart wrote the solo piece.
That video is the only reason I'm here
@@STYX129same.😅
U
7😅
@@STYX129
Genes are important for passing on the blueprint for replication of the organism for next generation.
Memes are important for passing on the work and legacy of the organism for next generation.
I find the fact that the next of kin to this video that we Will ever get so far Is a fucking steamed hams parody so fucking funny
*Memes... the DNA of the soul!*
This is how memes help us find new amazing things that we would've never found otherwise.
Yes
Saw it on Galileo a few years back.
Genes are important for passing on the blueprint for replication of the organism for next generation.
Memes are important for passing on the work and legacy of the organism for next generation.
This is terrifying to watch while high and I kinda regret it.
I'm gonna watch it again though.
The way I interpereted things
The glass harmonica represented worker solidarity and education.
The man in the bowler hat represented the bourgeois and the state apparatus that keeps them in power, smashing the glass harmonica and keeping the people ignorant and subservient.
The old man represented past generations of communist thought leaders, while the young man represented a new generation of young socialists. The undying rose represents the undying ideas passed on to the new generation.
I think that the men with the glass harmonicas coming to singlehandedly enlighten and save society from the bourgeois might mean to represent the need for a strong leadership to protect and lead the revolution, but I'm not cofident about that one as the people take matters into their own hands near the end.
Freaky aah animation.
Considering how I've seen folks interpret this the exact opposite way you have, this is fantastic.
Soviet double entendres are utterly fantastic in how subversive they are, and you've opened my eyes as to how they work in this film.
This is what I was thinking as well. Especially with that opening section. The Soviets dropped the ball by banning priceless gem
Interesting but they would t have banned a pro state cartoon
@@tracefoster8358 Yeah, I think my interpretation might have been off from how it was intended to be read. Either way, the creepy and abstract nature of the film would have had it shot down for veering so far from the "soviet aesthetic" of state propaganda from the time.
man everyone in this comment section sucks. The film is critiquing three things. The soviet bureaucracy, the west, and capitalism. The Soviet Union at this time had a bit of an economic reform which introduced some capitalist aspects to the economy (hence money being represented heavily in the film). These were later reversed in the 70s. Additionally, the soviet bureaucracy had a direct contradiction to the socialist ideals they espoused. By creating a bureaucracy, they inherently created class divides between the proletariat citizens and the bourgeoisie bureaucrats.
As for why the film was banned, there are two reasons.
1) it was too weird. The art-style unnerved many people at the time (and today) and it went directly against the soviet realism that the party used heavily
2) it critiqued the government
That's about it. That's all the bureaucracy cared about.
I think the idea it's commenting on the osmosis of Western ideals into Eastern is certainly an interesting take on it. That and the cyclical nature of history, and working together to break that circle, probably represented by the huge clock. And probably at least part of the intention.
Another important point is the use of medals. The early USSR used to reward people with medals for outstanding behaviour to the party and fatherland. Without going into detail, these were such an effective propaganda technique that children would report their parent to the government - effectively making themselves orphans - all for a tiny tin medal and a bag of candy.
I think it also has to do with how the Soviet government (and for that matter, many many others, including ours) tried to get people to focus more on just trying to get by than on thinking of what could be. In trying to create a communist republic, they ended up making a rather money-hungry society, as symbolized by the film.
How about you follow your leader and balkanize yourself.
@@penand_paper6661 But the only one who is seen taking money is the big nose character, which most likely represents the Jew as it is so close to how jews were portrayed in the 19th and 20th Century specially on the latter
@@AnimeGirl-i6k edgy, and yet entirely ineffectual. try again later!
My favorite part was when the bowler hat guy said "🥁"
Lots of references to Pieter Bruegel and hyeronimus Bosch paintings in this. Amazing.
There is also a reference to Ionesco's classic rhinoceros
Also the typical Art style of Russian Ikonography
I thought the same thing. And Madonna with the Long Neck. Also the model Botticelli always used. So many art references, all reflecting the "Western" influences the State hated so much.
So glad this has english subs. Dunno how I could've understood it otherwise
the dude bouta jump at 6:49 reminds me of scrooge mcduck diving into his coin pile
The fact that every scene shows depth in the background is Masterpiece. This is a true work
Terry Gilliam was clearly taking notes during the monster sequence.
timestamp? (i adore gilliam)
I am also here after steamed hams, but oh my this art is wonderful. I dig this style a lot.
I am so glad you have uploaded this masterpiece of art.
This feels like something from another reality that we were never meant to see
It technically is
Yes I did come here from the steamed hams parody but I swear I've seen this style before, I think in the Beatles animated Yellow Submarine. It had a strangely similar style during some scenes
they came out the same year ;)
I knew the style was like something else! I couldn't just put my finger on it
EXACTLY what i was thinking
This film is far more about the ideas of the enlightenment vs authoritarianism than anything about socialism/communism. There's a lot of incredibly evoking imagery that directly parallels it. And thematically with the glass harmonica being created by 'craftsmen' as it represents the enlightenment.
10:10 Shows someone from the new generation becoming an intellectual as represented by the flower growing, also interesting to note is they are taken up an impossible street into the light of enlightenment. And since the flower represents Enlightening one's self the scene at 15:37 is representing a utopian society where everyone is gifted an enlightened mind, they have the power to empower themselves and they can do anything they want, even fly.
11:30 Butterflies represent the intellectuals who grow up in a closed off society, 'in the dark' where their it hinders their growth, most of them do not escape but one of them is able to make it into the light and become enlightened.
12:00 Then we see the people in the windows, the 'butterflies' who did not escape are malformed humans, incorrect and unfulfilled versions of their true selves. It's only at 13:10 that we see a new enlightened individual return, bringing with them the power to enlighten others, and we see the common people turn straight up into Romanticism art pieces depicting the countryside's of Italy and France 14:29
12:39 You think they've lost their chance at enlightenment but like a miracle you see flickers of the light of truth returning as from one from a new generation becomes enlightened.
The Glass Harmonica itself seems to represent Western ideas being brought into Russia, the state as it exists cannot accept that level of freedom and so takes it away. At the end the film essentially poses the question what will the people do after they've all had a chance at enlightenment? They turn their backs on the one who brought it and allows the instrument to be destroyed. But instead of returning back into darkness the film suggests that the people are still able to rebuild all by themselves, as long as they keep their morals and ideas
Also I like how the suit guy looks like the son of Putin and Chris-Chan
It is clearly also Cristian. It is pro renaissance and Cristian enlightenment. The man and woman become beasts when they fight over money, showing they are material and not moral. The scene starting at around 8:50 shows a depiction of decadent chaos and false idol worship. One of the beasts is a man with a goat head, and the fact that they are beasts allude to the beast from the bible. This scene is reminiscent of the painting "The garden of earthly delights", it shows a degenerated society, and the man with the hat is the one who directs them to this immorality with his hands waving at first. Then the music enlightens them to see a good society. And this is shown to be Cristian, since you can see the virgin Mary with baby Jesus.
Absolutely amazing description of the messages and ideas from the film
Thank you for the 5 paragraph essay. A+
it shows how money breaks society apart and makes them dumb and blind through individualism. It literally starts saying that the town was enslaved by money.
But yeah yeah western culture big hero, please uncle sam fuck my ass wit that giant rifle.
It also shows the defeat of power through art and community. See the people ORGANIZED to fix the clock that represents public goods, the common benefit. A shared society. Even in the last frames before credits it seems like they are arranged in COMMUNITIES.
CWCville does need order and a financial system of C-quarters and W-quarters.
Came here from steamed hams, but didn’t watch that version in favor of seeing the original first. Very interesting!
Seeing the weird coin-hand-magic thing, and then rewatching the steamed hams one where it becomes just burger is incredibly funny.
I didn't slept a lot and I'm quite sleepy. Decided to watch this and it felt like a hallucination. Beautiful.
Why does watching this give me anxiety?
My next DnD villain will have a bowler hat and hold coins vertically in their palm.
my interpretation of this film:
1. we start in a society where the people are ruled by money, and having wealth means having power.
2. we have a craftsman who created an instrument that promotes good thoughts, good deeds. he starts playing this instrument, and we see that the man who ends up holding the flower is enlightened, and he appears to be a person of a newer generation.
3. we have the bureaucrat appear, and, take this man away, and the man suddenly “disappears”, and we see the bureaucrat has destroyed the glass harmonica, as it promoted good thoughts.
4. the jewish man then snitches on the person with the flower (enlightened person), and he also disappears, the jew is then rewarded with money for snitching (just like in soviet union where people would get rewarded for snitching on other people who questioned authority)
5. the bureaucrat offers the entire town money to go destroy their clock tower ( this was hard for me to understand the meaning of, but maybe it could have meant the destruction of national monuments and heritage, as the soviet union destroyed many old Russian buildings and monuments)
6. the jew is swimming in his treasure but then he accidentally loses a coin and it slips through a small window, which then the man starts following the coin on his 4 legs, he clearly has no control over himself and is only thinking about getting that coin, then the coin goes to his wife which she hides under her dress; the man then tries to get it from her and it seems to escalate to a fight, the wife turns into a some sort of hippo-beast, then shortly after the man becomes a rhino, this symbolizes that they are so deep into money that they have become beasts that will do anything to get money.
7. we have the drums start playing (another part for me to understand the meaning of, possibly could be symbolizing State-propaganda and authority) then we have the entire town come out which we see they have turned all into disgusting money loving beasts (so the drums are the opposite of the glass harmonica) then they seem to start worshiping this monument (the soviet union also had many pro-communist monuments) the people are corrupt and rotting in their own misery.
8. the drums have stopped playing and the people are all on the ground, helpless and miserable, until the magical sounds slowly start to be heard, and the butterflies start flying, and we see the boy with the flower, who has recreated this harmonica, has come to the town and is playing the instrument, and slowly everyone starts to transition back to normal, and everyone and everything seems to have become way more beautiful and detailed than before, and the scenery has become peaceful and full of light, and the people start ascending to the heavens and skies.
9. but the bureaucrat is back, and just by his presence, the scenery become dark again, the people start falling back to the ground, and he notices the glass harmonica in the boys hand, and he goes to give him the same treatment as he did with the craftsman, we can see that he destroyed the glass harmonica.
10. the people are still enlightened and stand against the bureaucrat, despite the bureaucrat showing the people the gold coin again, the people don’t show any reaction to it, it no longer has an effect on them, and they start grabbing the flowers one by one, showing their enlightenment and resistance, and the bureaucrat, just by seeing this, he loses his eyes, turns his back, and disappears.
11. the people finally group back together to build their clock (many destroyed monuments and buildings in Russia were created again so this may be symbolizing the peoples pride in their true identity and heritage).
with that being said, this film shows itself as what might come off to some to be anti-capitalist propaganda, but when we look at it again, we see the Anti-propaganda in it, we see that the reason it was banned was because it was too familiar to what was happening to the people of the soviet union, and we see the true meaning of the film, carrying Anti-authoritarian and Pro-people message, and specifically aimed towards a Russian audience and against the soviet state. while also carrying some pro-christian and anti-semetic messages as well. but in my eyes it now applies to almost all governments and states to this day.
Your comment is truly a gift since I think you got it spot on. Sometimes it's not even about any particular political side but rather those who try to keep us down and those who try to lift us up with something more powerful than authority, beauty.
It is also important to remember that the USSR was not only butchering communism but was also a very anti-Semitic country for a large chunk of its existence
Steamed hams but it was banned in the USSR, brought me here
me too
Same thing.
i personally expected to see a russian comment section 90% and 10% steamed hams.
russian here, came here from Streamed Hams video too
It was banned and also rather weird so a lot of people probably don't know about it.
man, this is such a strange film. I wanna understand the meaning behind it (yes, steamed hams brought me here).
Communism good, capitalism bad. Was too weird so the USSR film bord banned it to not look bad.
Here is how I understand the meaning of the film:
1. The people are living in an oppressive Capitalist society (a city ruled by the "Golden devil"). The people themselves are good, but the system makes them alienated from each other, and depressed, only thinking of work and rush hours (the clock with the bell is the symbol here).
2. There was a good-willed person who entered the city and started playing the glass harmonica. His only goal was to help people feel more cheerful and to feel like they belong to something bigger than an endless pursuit of money. The musician symbolizes people like Marx, Lenin, and, basically, all Communists. The rose symbolizes the Socialist ideas.
3. The men in bowler hats symbolize the oppressive state apparatus that hates the Communists, because the Golden Devil that commands the state apparatus, only wants people to work more without thinking and enjoying the contemplation of music and the rose, with their only goal in life being to bring more profits to their masters.
4. The state apparatus destroys the means of the Communists to bring the Socialist ideas to the masses (the bowler hat men break the harmonica).
5. In the absence of the Communists to spread the Socialist ideas, the people start adopting the false consciousness, directing their hatred towards the minorities, and an ever-growing scramble for limited resources intensifies (the mice plundering the clock tower).
5.1 The scene of the mice plunder 100% reminded me of the aggressive privatization that occurred in the 1990s in the post-Soviet republics, as well as to the "Reaganomics" in the United States and in Great Britain, so, in a way, this cartoon was prophetic.
5.2. The authors of the original cartoon probably alluded to the Nationalist ideas that turn people into mindless crowds, leading to WW1 and WW2, and that can lead to WW3.
6. All the ensuing scenes refer to the mindless pursuits of pleasure that people get into to try to escape the oppressive Capitalist reality. And the ever-growing hatred and the levels of competition make them fight each other in their scramble for resources.
7. Eventually, more and more people realize that they don't need to indulge in petty infighting and endless hedonism. People start discussing Socialist ideas more and more. People cooperate to start building a better future. Rich people realize that their endless pursuit of money, that turns them into some kinds of "vegetables", is futile. The "shell cracks" and everyone can finally show their true, humane face.
8. People finally become stronger than the oppressive Capitalist system, and become the masters of their own destinies (people start to fly).
9. People finally start building a better future (the new clock tower).
I assume the flying might also symbolize that people finally started colonizing the Solar System and beyond.
@@awesomebearaudiobooks What an exquisite interpretation, thank you for this.
@@awesomebearaudiobooks I dont get it, why was it banned if it was pro communism?
@@awesomebearaudiobooks yeah if communism good capitalism bad why soviet union ban?
Imagine watching this high
Brother I feel like I have hit a new stage of radiclaization and enlightenment
8:44 is when the nice beat starts
Some references from the Steamed Hams - parody
4:10
6:15
No that's not from the parody. You've mixed up the order of events
@@the_original_Bilb_Ono Well obviously I didn't mix them, this film was made in 1968.
1:11 that's what's outside of the kitchen window
1:22 the beginning sequence (including the doorbell)
9:09 the fire truck's legs
15:44 not the exact same but Chalmers flying off
16:57 the living room painting in the table scenes
18:49 the living room painting behind Chalmers
there's 4 other paintings but I cannot tell what they are :p
@@ramppappia Great find!
haunting atmosphere
MMM!
Steamed banned.
something of this artstyle feels so grim and it's fascinating somehow
Not the mention the sound design
Are we gonna ignore that the guy in the bowler hat could be a tumblr sexyman
yes i will be ignoring that, for my own peace of mind thank you
the guy looks like the guy that appears when you go too far in a dream
This comment gave me whiplash
I mean
eh
maybe?
yeah?
I guess?
I'd rather not think about that but y'know-
Here is how I understand the meaning of the film:
1. The people are living in an oppressive Capitalist society (a city ruled by the "Golden devil"). The people themselves are good, but the system makes them alienated from each other, and depressed, only thinking of work and rush hours (the clock with the bell is the symbol here).
2. There was a good-willed person who entered the city and started playing the glass harmonica. His only goal was to help people feel more cheerful and to feel like they belong to something bigger than an endless pursuit of money. The musician symbolizes people like Marx, Lenin, and, basically, all Communists of the past (that is why it's an old man). The rose symbolizes the Socialist ideas.
3. The men in bowler hats symbolize the oppressive state apparatus that hates the Communists, because the Golden Devil that commands the state apparatus, only wants people to work more without thinking, with their only goal in life being to bring more profits to their masters.
4. The state apparatus destroys the means of the Communists to bring the Socialist ideas to the masses via police brutality and McCarthyist witch hunting (the bowler hat men break the harmonica).
5. In the absence of the Communists to spread the Socialist ideas, the people start adopting the false consciousness, directing their hatred towards the minorities, and an ever-growing scramble for limited resources intensifies (the mice plundering the clock tower).
5.1 The scene of the mice plunder 100% reminded me of the aggressive privatization that occurred in the 1990s in the post-Soviet republics, as well as to the "Reaganomics" in the United States and in Great Britain, so, in a way, this cartoon was prophetic.
5.2. The authors of the original cartoon probably alluded to the Nationalist ideas that turn people into mindless crowds, leading to WW1 and WW2, and that can lead to WW3.
6. The only person who still holds the Socialist ideas is a child who is not corrupted by the hunger for power and is not yet brainwashed into thinking that money is everything in life.
7. The ensuing scenes refer to the mindless pursuits of pleasure that most adults get into to try to escape the oppressive Capitalist reality. And the ever-growing hatred and the levels of competition make them fight each other in their scramble for resources.
8. The child grows to become a Communist, re-creates the glass harmonica, and starts spreading the Socialist ideas.
9. Eventually, more and more people realize that they don't actually need to indulge in petty infighting and endless hedonism. People start listening to and discussing Socialist ideas more and more. People realize that their endless pursuit of money, that turns them into some kinds of "animals" and "vegetables", is futile. The "shell cracks" and everyone can finally show their true, humane face.
10. People finally become stronger than the oppressive Capitalist system, and become the masters of their own destinies (people start to fly).
11. The state apparatus, in its last attempt to save Capitalism, re-initiates the repressions and arrests the Communist leaders, but the people are already educated enough to understand that Capitalism and its oligarchic state apparatus (the golden coin and the bowler hat man) are parasites that bring no value to the society, and that Socialism and Democracy (the rose, and people exchanging it) is the future that the people want to adopt.
12. The state apparatus cannot change the course of history and fades away.
13. The people themselves become Communists and start building a better future, based on the scientific view of the world (the new clock tower).
I assume the flying might also symbolize that people finally started colonizing the Solar System and beyond.
I particularly like the fact that the creator used old humanist and Renaissance paintings for the 'liberated' humans. It alludes to the beauty and freedom of the pre-capitalist world, a theme also present in Pasolini's trilogy of life. Not only that, but it also aludes to a 'Renaissance' of the human spirit under socialism.
I thought that, whilst the people became animals and such as they lost their humanity and were warped by their society to act only for themselves, this doesn't happen to the bowler man/ he isn't mutated at all because unlike the other people he is evil/ has no humanity to begin with. Perhaps his appearance is a disguise, or dictated by what they think of themselves, and he thinks nothing wrong of himself (strikes me as a psychopath, as many in power are).
Another small thought I had is that the floating up and dancing in the sky had more of a symbolic meaning around them becoming enlightened.
Yours is a more straightforward analysis of the cartoon, but it misses some semiotic elements that support the script, thus changing the meaning of the content.
To better understand the real message, we should begin by asking ourselves: why was this particular animation banned in the Soviet Union?
In Marxist theory, human history is a class struggle within modes of production, nominally slave-owning, feudal, and capitalist, and eventually socialism. Capitalism, due to astronomical improvements in the forces of production, breaks with the former modes of production, giving birth to modernity, where tradition is constantly replaced by innovation (first, innovation in the commodity itself, and then in the realm of ideas).
I believe the movie proposes a return to tradition, especially the Christian tradition, where love (and God) binds a civic community towards salvation.
However, this proposition must be disguised in some way. For instance, what is the effect of the glass harmonica when played by the "prophet"? It provides people with a sense of love, which is condensed in the red flower picked by those willing to share the word with others (17:36). Isn't it interesting that a red flower (which, by the way, is a symbol of social democracy, a non-Leninist political position) when shared, does not provoke the destruction of the status quo (that is, revolution)? Rather, people REconstruct the old clock and REinstall the normative rules prior to destruction.
One could argue that the movie is criticizing capitalism, with money being the devil that people worship. Here we should be very careful. In some sense, it is true that a "coin" is the evil that is rotting society. When the Glass Harmonica threatens the hegemony of the "Coin," what does the bureaucrat do? He takes the prophet to a street between *two walls* (3:14), kills him, imprisons the guy that received the flower, reinforces the ideology of the "Coin" (4:11), and incites the people to a savage destruction of the clock. It is obvious. The *two walls* closely represent the Berlin Wall (erected in 1961), the Head-faced coin is the ideology, and the destruction of the tower is the revolution. This "coin" revolution beastializes human behavior.
Later, the flower is picked by the boy. This newborn flower takes the character to a street that leads to the sun above. From there, the boy returns with once again the Glass Harmonica. When the music is played, the good news touches everyone's souls, breaking with the 'sins'. From the bestial form, people return to a non-distorted image of themselves, and what do we see? A woman with a baby (14:56). Clearly, the Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus.
I really liked this animation and how it subverted ideology using the same premises of the ideology. It is a shame that it is virtually unknown.
I thought it was about art and not communism, not saying I'm correct. If it was soviet propaganda, why was it banned then?
@@SolestroDerNarrMaybe because this animation has some Christian conservative morality. I tried to discuss it above
The hams are a vessel
I am both stunned by how good it is and confused
Pretty incredible how I stumbled upon this, yeah.
what your feeling when you create masterpiece of art but it was banned by the government
Kinda like if Hieronymus Bosch directed a film
I got summoned as well from the steam hams video 😂
This is beautiful. I need more
Here from the Steamed Hams Parody but this short film is actually really cool and eerie. It reminds me of "I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream" and "Metropolis (1927)". It feels like something David Firth would voice act in (the art style also reminds me of The Cat Lady)
I love how everyone is here because of the steamed hams parody
This seems like something you would see on SBS at 1:30 in the morning
Lots of reference to steamed hams
18:45 wonderful music
Aurora Borealis!? At this time of year, at this time of day, at this part of the country, localized entirely within your kitchen?!
"hikayenin başında, belirsiz bir zamanda bir usta, bir müzik aleti yapıyor. bu alet sihirli ve çok güzel bir sesi var. bu kısım felsefi gelişme ve sanat unsurlarına bir göndermedir. bu şekilde insanlar bir araya geliyorlar. o ilk görünen mekanizmalar ve saat kulesi insanlığın yararına olan icatları simgeliyor. sonrasındaki sahnelerde meydanı hep insanların doldurduğunu fark etmişsinizdir. her türden insanın bu şekilde bir araya geldiği gösteriliyor. daha sonra usta müzik aletini çalıyor ve bu herkese umut ve sevgi dağıtıyor ve kalabalığa ilham veriyor. o mavi giyimli gencin elinde tuttuğu çiçek bunların sembolüdür.
daha sonrasında o avrupalı olduğu her halinden belli olan kişi elinde parayla devreye giriyor ki giyim tarzına bakılırsa muhtemelen ingiliz. önce ustayı ortadan kaldırıyor. o yükselen duvarlar ustanın hapsedildiğini belirtmek için. daha sonrasında kalabalık içerisinde bu mesajı almış olan kişileri ortadan kaldırıyor. yere düşen çiçek soluyor, yani umut kayboluyor. bunun yapılmasını sağlayan yine kalabalığın içerisinden biri ve bunun karşılığında para alıyor. yani insanlar umutlarını parayla satıyorlar. bu davranışın kalabalık içerisindeki zayıf kişilerde yayılışı gözünüzden kaçmamıştır. bu şekilde bir para dini doğuyor, böyle davranmak insanlar arasına hemen yerleşiyor.
sonrasında saat kulesi devreye giriyor ki bu insan yararına olan mekanizmaların, teknolojik gelişmenin bir sembolü. insanlara para karşılığında bu mekanizmaları kaldırtıyorlar. burada işi yapanların yine topluluktan olduğunu görebilirsiniz. sonuçta bireyin gücü kullanılmadan hiç bir şey yapılamaz ve sermaye sahiplerinin de ihtiyacı olan tek şey bireyin gücüdür. yani günümüz insanının düşündüğü gibi, asıl büyük sermayedarlar para kazanmak için uğraşmazlar. para zaten onlarındır. onlara gereken şey birey. bireyi manipüle edebilmek ve toplumlar yön verebilmek için parayı kullanırlar, ki animasyon içerisindeki gösterilen paralarda hep o şahsın resminin olduğunu fark etmişsinizdir.
anahtar deliği sahnesinde anlatılan da para işin içine girdiğinde nasıl insanların nasıl insanlıktan çıktığını görüyoruz. önce eşler birbirlerini kullanmaya başlıyorlar, sonra insanlar birbirlerini gözleyip, birbirlerinin başarısızlıklarından ve kötü durumlarından zevk almaya başlıyorlar. insanların insanlıktan çıkmalarına ithafen, hepsinin birer birer başka başka şekillere büründüğünü görebilirsiniz. meydandaki ikinci toplanmada, topluluk hayvanlara ve daha bir sürü garip mahlukata benziyor. eşeği taşıyan bir insan geliyor sahneye. bu sizin de tahmin edebileceğiniz gibi para işin içine girdiğinde, vasıflı insanların nasıl vasıfsızlar tarafından kullanıldığını anlatmaya çalışıyor. örneğin günümüzde bir çalışan her zaman işi patrondan daha iyi bilir, daha zekidir ve daha yeteneklidir. çünkü çalışanlar için bu bir zorunluluktur aksi halde iş yaşamında tutunamazlar ama patronlar sadece bencil olabilmelidirler. bu onların varlıklarını sürdürebilmek için sahip olmaları gereken tek kabiliyettir. cambazlar ve kafes dansçıları, para için kırk takla atan zayıf karakterli insanlara atfen orada.
sonrasında bölüm ölü kelebeklerin dirilmesiyle başlıyor. kelebekler ışığa karşı uçuyorlar ama dışarı çıkmayı başaramıyorlar biri hariç. ilk bölümde umudu devralan çocuk o kelebek işte, o başarıyor. ve o çalgıya tekrar hayat veriyor, aynı zamanda insanlığa da. geri geldiğinde çalgıyı çalıyor ve insanlıktan çıkan yozlaşan toplum tekrar insanlığa dönüyorlar. yavaş yavaş güzellikler geri geliyorlar.
bu bize kurtuluşun yeni neslinde olduğunu söylüyor. çünkü tüm insanlar yozlaşmışlar ve toplum sermayedarlar tarafından ele geçirilmiş durumda. herkes ya paraya esir olmuş ya da direnip yok olmuş. kurtuluş yeni nesilden, sisteme sonradan dahil olandan gelmeli, ancak o sistemdeki tutarsızlığı fark edebilir. kafese yeni giren maymun için öğrenilmiş davranışların tutarsızlığından bahsedebiliriz.
sonrasında toplum güzelleşiyor, ayağa kalkıyor. parayı terk ettikçe güzelleşiyor insanlar.
bu sistemin işine gelmiyor tabi ve tekrar topluma müdahale ediyorlar ama artık başaramıyorlar. umut kişiden kişiye geziyor ve çoğalıyor. insanlar direninca, yani sistem bireyi değiştiremediğinde kaybediyor yok oluyor."
-Ekşi sözlük yazarı.
I can see the deep anti capitalist message, but I can see a deeper running, anti authorization vibe. But at the same time there is an "even deeper" message to this, Art is what separates Man fro Beast.
It warms the heart to know that hard drug use was as prevalent in the USSR as it was here at the time.
This is art ❤❤❤❤❤
You are here because of the "Steamed Hams" parody, aren't you?
yea
Most of us are, I'd think.
15:05 That's Giuliano de' Medici, son of Piero de' Medici (the Gouty) of Florence
Absolutely Kino
Thank you, Tyrone Deise
6:04 This part was referenced in the Steamed Hams animation.
Who here has seen the steamed hand version because I’ve never seen this before
Did not expect so many people to mention Steamed Hams
Have we ever found out what Andrey Khrzhanovskiy thought about what they thought about the film being banned? Apparently it's meant to be a critique of capitalism and western society, so I'm curious about what the reactions of the film's creators were when it was banned.
"Beauty will save the world"
-Dostoevsky
Do you know anything about who created the clocktower or who inspired it? The gears and aesthetic of it line up exactly with what I'm looking into for my current artwork portfolio. I tried reseaching online (I even googled all the artists in the end credits) but I couldn't really find anything.
gears are common motif in modern dystopian visions seen by psychedelic seekers- i don't know anything of inspiration but the astronomical clock in Prague might be useful in your search, and has an interesting story behind it, with its creator being put to death over its creation.
i dont know but the art of the houses reminds me kf the simcity loading screen
"I understand that you're trying to say greed is bad but in doing so you seem to be suggesting authoritarian repression is bad. So we need to ban your movie"
I would love to know how this isnt lost media!, like was it preserved on film or something else?
It was probably taken by the Soviets, miracle how the tape wasn't destroyed.
Would anyone care for a steamed ham?
👍
Yep
I hope you’re prepared for an unforgettable luncheon
In this part of the country?
Reminds me of Terry Gilliam and Monty Python.
If it wasn't for Vinesauce hinting that he would watch it, I wouldn't have bother to watch this within the near future.
Lore of Steklyannaya Garmonika (Glass Harmonica) | Andrey Khrzhanovskiy's banned USSR film (1968) ENG subs momentum 100
"Behold, my new propoganda film as requested by the committee!"
"But does this convey a critique on capitalism?"
"Critique on capitalism???"
"Well... The villain is represented by a coin"
*"Like our leader is...."*
It was, but it was also on authoritarianism
Nightmare lsd trip recipe
1- reach the peak
2- open this in a dark room
mor ve ötesinden gelenler like
takip işlemleri başlatıldı.
ENDUT! HOCH HECH!
I enjoyed that this cartoon is now popularized as it is an interesting aesthetic and depressive feeling we don't often see from that time. It seems to somehow predict the fall of the Soviet Union and the repressed anger rush thereby. However I find the antisemetism is over the top and unnecessary.
Where did the animators get the "Golden devil" from? like, which painting?
СтИмЯнАя ХаМоНиКа
I wonder why it was baned. It's as socialistic as it gets, even the flower part, socialsm symbol, even the boy in red which made society function. And all the anti-capitalist message. Why would soviets ban this, friendly fire?
i assume it's because the animations are too weird + there are many references to western art and culture from the Renaissance and the 1500s/1600s/1700s
Because a lot of things about the man who destroyed the harmonica and incentivized people to snitch on each other also mirrored the soviet union. People who were free thinkers and liked to question things were a threat to the government, a lot of art was banned because it either showed a different way of life from communism or made people think. And thinking was bad. People also received rewards for informing authorities about people who questioned communism or created/held types of art which were banned by the government. So often times people and their possessions would "disappear" the same way the harmonica guy and the guy who held the rose did.
Its very clearly anti soviet union and pro civilisation through cristianity, and western culture and tradition. It really pretends to talk about capitalism by making coins be evil, and having a red rose be good, but theese symbols are ultimately just there for this pretence and are meaningless, cause they had to pretend its anti capitalist, but its way to obvious this is not at all the message.
If i could describe this movie in 2 words, it would be “hopeful nonsense”
this has some heavy monty pythons flying circus vibes
6:08 Love his reactions to seeing him swim in money
woah, looks like I'm one of the first 100 people in the comments. nice.
8:36
That's why it was banned, (((they))) considered it "offensive" to them as it cleary depicts a jеш craving for money
The goyim knows
I honestly thought the "government guy" was a direct representation of the communist government of USSR (and I assume they also went like "Hey is this bad guy supposed to be us?" and banned it)
all comments here are 6 to 5 month ago
I still prefer the Jungle Book I think
April 17th, 2031 at 1:15 AM
7:47 Oy Vey!
11:14 “The Land of Cockaigne” (Bruegel)
I'm here from Hedgehog in the Fog
what is the name of that art style
Surrealism, I think?
1:16
future me, can i make this about Bill Cipher?
9:00 truly
Nice
just to know, why was it banned in the CCCP?
Apparently it critiqued the government.
When you combine Kafka with Monty Python.
I am sure am wrong, but it feels like a critique to western capitalism and the soviet socalism.
When you make an anticapitalist short film and the commies censor it because it hits too close to home
ironic
Yeah because the S.U. was a degenerated workers state without democracy.
Music?
Does ANYBODY know what's going on
What the hell is the plot
The harmonica?
It looks like something critiquing state capitalism and the resulting resurgence of the Dark Ages. The harmonica seems to represent enlightenment and/or liberty.
No plot just a bunch of scenes
Yay
Uhhh…