How very different from the Disney version! The animation is quaint and quite "proletarian" but make no mistake, this is Winnie the Pooh. While there are no subtitles, one can easily discover which exact Winnie the Pooh story this is: it's the one where he eats too much honey and gets stuck in Rabbit's entrance.
I can't help but think about the vastly different approach from the Winnie that we have all familiarized ourselves with. This is simpler, cruder — and very refreshing. There is also an apparent humour that is quite Russian. It's almost like we are reading a sunny Dostoyevsky novel set in the English countryside.
In essence, this Soviet Winnie the Pooh is surreal but very innocent.
24 comments:
This was a pretty common Russian cartoon that I assume is well known to anyone Russian born before 1990. From what I remember the Disney channel was aired seldom, if ever so this was the Russian version. The title roughly translates to "Pooh Goes To visit guests but gets into a Situation without a way out."
Basically Pooh in these cartoons is very much aware of the fact that he has "wood shavings" in his head (he's a toy don't forget) and acts slightly absent minded every once in a while, singing songs a lot as he walks about what he is about to do. The first song is about visiting. I may provide subs later if the is time... but the basic gist is the same as in the US version (since they are both based on the book).
In Soviet Russia, Honey eats Pooh!
i grew up on this cartoon, and it's an absolute classic. To be honest it was much more adult than say the Disney version.
One thing I remember about this cartoon (multik) is that we pronounced it "Winnie Pooh." No "the" and the "h" was NOT silent; it was fairly strong (Winnie Poohhh.)
" The animation is ... quite "proletarian" "
" It's almost like we are ready a sunny Dostoyevsky novel set in the English countryside. "
...Huh?..
It's just a cartoon...
Try substituting in an American mainstream cartoon, a word that is associated with America (like "capitalistic" or something) and a 19th century american writer and see how silly it sounds...
"In my mind, this is an unknown classic."
Unknown to who(m)? Americans? That happens all the time, America for some reason only imports "artsy" films and cartoons, not entertaining ones. If they really like it, they make a remake. For example, Pure Luck, The Man with One Red Shoe, The Toy, Three Men and a Baby are all remakes of French movies with the same main actor (Pierre Richard - man he looks old now!). The originals were way better, too.
"No "the" and the "h" was NOT silent;"
Yep, also V instead of W. these are all because of the Russian language: there are no articles (the, a), no W sound and the H sound is harder than the English one.
Try substituting in an American mainstream cartoon, a word that is associated with America (like "capitalistic" or something) and a 19th century american writer and see how silly it sounds...
My intent here was to sound silly. It's a device commonly known as "humour".
Unknown to who(m)? Americans?
Remember that I'm writing for an American audience.
Yana, if your intent was to sound smug, offended, and educated, I suggest you go elsewhere. I'm not buying it.
Sorry... I guess I heard similar things said seriously too much to realize it was a joke...
I wasn't trying to sound educated... or mean in any way...
No worries, Yana, all is forgiven :)
no subtitles necessary - the text is VERY faithful to the original book :)
I love this cartoon I grew up with it , I must say that as compared to the American version this is a bit more serious and less cheery and ultra (sometimes abnoxiously, or nauseatingly happy)
Pooh took a shit it the end to get out.
Ha! I've loved the Russian Pooh all my life. One thing about the russian Pooh films is that when you watch them as a grown-up you see hints of hidden meanings and very tongue-in-cheek phrases. Russian animation was very often made to appeal to grown-ups as much as to kids, and yet tell slightly different stories to both.
Please link to this instead, so those who don't speak Russian can at least understand some of it
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qam9JBk5Oig
Can't translate the world play to English, but it is the best you can do.
Hey, thanks for finding me that link. I would have used this one in the first place if I knew about it.
No problem. :) Personally, I think the first part "Vinni Puh gets acquainted with several very strange bees" is funnier. However, there is no subtitles for this one out there :(.
But here is the link to it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EuBzKV6XgvA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WT-P7s8t5QE
Enjoy!
PS. I wish I knew how to add subtitles, so I could translate some of these.
ah... i remember growing up on these... good times
Why is it that all translations, of all languages for that matter, are incredibly inefficient? Literally, every 5th line is incorrectly translated and I should know this since this was the language I first learned to speak. Makes you wonder what our textbooks and historical translations are missing.
Actually, the animation is quite advanced .. since this cartoon (3 parts) was created during 1969-72.
The Disney cartoon was created just several years previous.
Notice how they create a 3D environment, by making Vinni go from the "backstage" to the front, its quite novel for USSR cartoons. Not as trivial as one would think, since there was no 3D CG in the 60ties.
Quite a lot of information is available on wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winnie_the_Pooh
(also check the Russian version while there)
I've never been able to stomach a full episode of the Disney version, but found this rendition to be quite entertaining.
Well from a Spanish speaker point of view in my opinion, it sounds more like continental european, better than the softy Dysney. And what I like the most is that it is spoken in a language that my grandchidren aged 2 and 3 can understand at least the patampatums and tiriritatam :-)
Being one of the people who made the subtitles I wanted to thank everyone who is enjoying them. I'm very happy more people will get to enjoy this incredible cartoon, and see another perspective on something so familiar.
Two comments:
1) If you have suggestions about translating some things in the cartoon better, please send them to vinni.puhi@gmail.com.
There are many different ways to do the translation, and I tried my best, but if you think you have a better idea, don't hesitate to e-mail. (Anonymous, I am referring to your post for example -- I'm very much open to feedback).
2) If you want to help me translate the first or third episode, please also contact me at vinni.puhi@gmail.com
Even if you want just to translate one song or a rough translation of something, that would be a great help. Songs in particular take forever, and I have not done any of the ones from the other episodes.
Is there a DVD version of this with Spanish audio or subtitles?
So gorgeous. I love this piglet. Better than the Disney version.
Great translation and a very cute cartoon. One questions, though: I am not trying to sound smug or anything, but I still dont get why this version is considered "proletarian". what precisely is that supposed to mean, whichever audience you're writing for?
anyways, thanks for posting this!
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