The Glass Harmonica 1. Bölüm - Andrei Khrjanovsky (1968)

[rvaughanwilliams1988]

the composer who wrote the music for this, Schnittke, was also half Jewish

[sirsinnes]

This is one of my favorite animations. I must have watched it dozens of times by now.

I don't really get why people find it so anti-Semite, though. Yes, there is ONE character drawn like a Jewish caricature. The "villain", however, aside from maybe his black clothes, is not, along with many others. Not to mention, the caricature guy is even shown favorably later in the film. Perhaps I'm missing something, but I just don't think "it's all the Jews' fault" is remotely the message of this work.

[stevenxisxrad]

I don't get it

[SneakyOphelia]

I saw a clip of this last night on TV and was terrified half to death. SO SCARY.

[LipstickAm]

I am sorry... i want to ask something... i Do not know pretty much about this things, but my logic says: if it is anti-semitism message... its at same time PRO=who, propaganda? Thank you.

[EmblemParade]

Please reread my comment: I said this is a fascinating film, and I'm not complaining about it being here. I just want to help contemporary viewers understand some of the codes.

[EmblemParade]

As fascinating as this film is, I hope all viewers watch it while knowing how explicitly anti-Semitic it is. The "money lovers" are all depicted as stereotypically Jewish: hook-nosed, dark-skinned, short, and wearing black hats.

At the same time, one can't ignore the fact that the "police state" depicted here would have to familiar to Soviet viewers as their own.

This purported critique of bourgeois society is crammed with hatred and inconsistencies, which makes it all the more fascinating.

[anon540]

It's a 60's Russian film. That's exactly what's being portrayed. The reason it's here is to give a glimpse of what it was actually like at that time, despite censorship and coverups being put on now.

Quite some time ago they found some huge human skeletons in the California area. They destroyed them because they didn't line up with evolution. Same thing.

[lrost33]

I'm sorry friend, but when you jews start preaching about anti-Semitism, you remind me of conspiracy theorists. Because you exhibit comparable amount of paranoia. The images that upset you represent how collective consciousness depicts a userer. If you figure out that this consciousness somehow associates a userer with a jew, then try accepting it as constructive critics. After all, the guy did share his wealth in the end and became "nicer" ;).

[Androidraptor]

Politics aside, it's funny when people get their panties in a wad over supposed Antisemitism in stuff like this (it's a film from Russia in the 60's, what do you expect?), when things like early Disney work is chock full the stuff (along with Racism, sexism, and other bigotry). But even that can't fully be blamed, since it's very much a product of its time. Like it or not, those beliefs were a common part of society then, so whining about these films being offensive is pretty silly IMHO.

[theballcat]

@lrost33 You might be more convincing if you didn't start your statement with " ...you jews." P.S. Jews is spelled with a capital 'J'.

[LadyEmilyElizabeth]

@EmblemParade, well, considering Karl Marx was a Jew, Trotsky was a Jew, Rosa Luxembourg was a Jew, I hardly think you could deem the whole society as anti-Semetic, no matter what atrocities Stalin did and the prejudices he tried to enforce.

[DrDraea]

That flower has remained one of the most poignant symbols of my life. People try to ban you from thinking, from creativity, from freedom and happiness in order to suit their own needs. But there is a flower that you can clutch to your chest, and if someone tries to take it away, just turn away and shield it. What they cannot see, they cannot destroy. It's yours.

[Staubdumm]

I love the music!!!

[RoneyBalogna]

That was one of the creepiest things I've ever seen.

[volsymaileda]

Genius...

[Bealocwealm]

I saw this a couple days ago in a Masters of Russian Animation DVD. My initial reaction was "Yellow Submarine but with more crack and classic art theft".

... I... pretty much feel the same now. But it also had anti-semitism. Nice.

[randomuser1105]

I freaking love this. I've been looking for it for a while now.

[insanemisstress]

sad

[King1N]

Oh, is that it? I want more.

[socress1845]

ellerine sağlık sanatkar arkadaşım keyfin güzel olsun

[undiente]

Thanks! I remember feeling fear of that when i was young :P now that i know whats capitalism and communism and i know Hobbes' philosophy, i can really feel the story.