Quite the opposite to me, and that is being said with regret. Actually on the whole didn't care for a vast majority of the Soviet propaganda animated shorts made in the 1970s. Found them too completely lacking in subtlety in how they portrayed their characters and subjects, too heavy in stating their points of view, quite dull and very dated. Rare exceptions were 1972's 'Ave Maria', which actually did move me and had beautiful visuals and (of course) music and especially the beautifully made 1970's 'It's in Our Power'.
One of the worst for me was 'The Adventures of the Young Pioneers'. For pretty much all of those reasons, which will be elaborated upon a little later. It is not completely unwatchable and is not irredeemable (it takes a lot for me to call anything either of those things), but to be perfectly honest 'The Adventures of the Young Pioneers' was rather tough to watch and wasn't done in good taste. Appreciated its intentions, but there is not a lot to admire about its execution. Director Vladimir Pekar has done much better than this, such as the exquisite 'Umka'.
The least bad aspect of it is the beautifully detailed and atmospheric background art. Some lovely colours too.
Some of the music stirs the emotions.
Unfortunately, there is not much else going for it. Really didn't care for the character designs, especially the stereotypical and unintentionally goofy ones for the enemy. The titular characters are animated in a very old-fashioned and less than attractive way. Also didn't find any of the characters interesting or rootable and there is absolutely no depth to them, just one-dimensional good and evil stereotypes. The enemy lacks menace and behave too much like caricatures and the titular characters have little development to them so come over as bland. The conflict lacks tension, and to me there was no doubt as to how it was going to end and it could not ended more conveniently or over-idealistically.
Despite not being long, the lack of tension, the flimsiness of the first half and the dull, over-stretched pacing made it feel longer. What it has to say is neither educational or illuminating and is laid on far too thickly, it felt like a sermon. Like other films of its type from this decade, it has not aged well and it was like being stuck in the 1940s.
In summary, not recommended. 3/10.
One of the worst for me was 'The Adventures of the Young Pioneers'. For pretty much all of those reasons, which will be elaborated upon a little later. It is not completely unwatchable and is not irredeemable (it takes a lot for me to call anything either of those things), but to be perfectly honest 'The Adventures of the Young Pioneers' was rather tough to watch and wasn't done in good taste. Appreciated its intentions, but there is not a lot to admire about its execution. Director Vladimir Pekar has done much better than this, such as the exquisite 'Umka'.
The least bad aspect of it is the beautifully detailed and atmospheric background art. Some lovely colours too.
Some of the music stirs the emotions.
Unfortunately, there is not much else going for it. Really didn't care for the character designs, especially the stereotypical and unintentionally goofy ones for the enemy. The titular characters are animated in a very old-fashioned and less than attractive way. Also didn't find any of the characters interesting or rootable and there is absolutely no depth to them, just one-dimensional good and evil stereotypes. The enemy lacks menace and behave too much like caricatures and the titular characters have little development to them so come over as bland. The conflict lacks tension, and to me there was no doubt as to how it was going to end and it could not ended more conveniently or over-idealistically.
Despite not being long, the lack of tension, the flimsiness of the first half and the dull, over-stretched pacing made it feel longer. What it has to say is neither educational or illuminating and is laid on far too thickly, it felt like a sermon. Like other films of its type from this decade, it has not aged well and it was like being stuck in the 1940s.
In summary, not recommended. 3/10.
