American Imperialists: Soviet Animation vs. the United States

One of four programs in the Animated Soviet Propaganda series (series price: $539.95), this collection features seven animated shorts attacking the evil aspects of American culture—including racism, greed, corruption, the exploitation of workers, and militarism. The films date from 1933 (beginning with an expressionist assault on the brutal treatment of African Americans entitled “Black and White,” set to Paul Robeson's version of “Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child”) to 1972 (“Ave Maria” grimly juxtaposes Catholic religious iconography with scenes of American atrocities in Vietnam and demonstrations against the war). Since these are propaganda pieces pure and simple, the shorts are not exactly entertaining, though some are stylistically striking. “The Shooting Gallery,” for instance, about a desperate unemployed man who takes a job as a human target, employs a panoply of colors to excellent effect. The major interest here, however, is historical, as the shorts illustrate how the Soviet film industry used animation to indoctrinate the Russian citizenry. American Imperialists also features a brief documentary placing the shorts in historical context and includes interviews with some of the filmmakers and Russian commentators. The other titles in the series are: Fascist Barbarians: Soviet Animation vs. Nazi Tyranny, Capitalist Sharks: Soviet Animation vs. Greed and Ambition, and Onward to the Shining Future: Animation and the Big Soviet Lie. Optional. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)