Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck or Pluto the dog are cartoons watched by generations of kids. These figures are associated with home, coziness and pleasure. However, has it always been like that? There was a time when Mickey Mouse bombarded Jewish houses and animated toys took revenge on a terrifying Nazi. There was a time when cartoons took part in battle side by side with soldiers: they agitated, attacked, trained. On the occation of the 70th anniversary of the ending of WWII we would like to invite the audience to a unique review titled The end of innocence. Pictures of WW II in animated films. We will present the most important cartoons that used animation as a way of agitation on one side and as a means to handle the war trauma on the other. The Second World War not only changed the world but also the animated films. The war deprived people from their humanity and cartoons – from their innocence and naivety.
Among the blocks of films we have prepared there are three addressed to foreigners as well. The cartoons included are produced in English, got subtitles, or have no dialogues. This way, we hope, we will encourage not only indigenous Warsaw inhabitants to take part in celebrating the 70th anniversary of the WW II ending.
- BLOCK I: AT THE FRONT AND AT THE REAR (Stolica room; 67’)
May 20th, 2015 (Wednesday) 20.00 hrs
- LECTURE OF PROF. PAWEŁ SITKIEWICZ (in Polish)
A block showing the war from the perspective of soldiers fighting at the war front and of civilians supporting them and dreaming of peace at the same time. The block includes training animations for the allies.
1. "Prrivate Snafu:Booby Traps" dir. Bob Clampett, USA 1944 4’
Warning of the traps waiting for reckless soldiers.
2. "Private Snafu: Spies" dir. Chuck Jones, USA 1943 4’
Warning of the spies who attempt at stealing military secrets.
3. "Private Pluto" dir. Clyde Geronimi, USA 1943 7’
Pluto defends the bunker against aggressive squirrels.
4. "The Vanishing Private" dir. Jack King, USA 1942 8’
Donald Duck learns how to hide from the enemy and his own commander.
5. "A Snowman" (Der Schneemann) dir. Hans Fischerkoesen, Niemcy 1944 13’
A metaphorical film expressing the longing for the end of the war and rebirth of the world.
6. "A Few Qiuck Facts: Air/Navy/China/Safety" USA 1944 3’
A newsreel showing short clips from the war front.
7. "Six Legged Saboteurs" dir. Raymond Evans, USA 1945 11’
Mosquitoes as the tool in the hands of the Nazis.
8. "The Thrifty Pig" dir. Ford Beebe, USA 1941 4’
A variation of the Three Pigs tale. The pigs rebel against wolf the Nazi.
9. "Flighy Safety: Landing Accidents" dir. John Hubley, USA 1946 6’
A training film on the landing safety.
10. "Six Little Jungle Boys" dir. Joy Batchelor, John Halas, Great Britain 1945 9’
A training film for soldiers on how to behave in the jungle.
A Snowman
- BLOCK IV: MEMORY OF THE WAR (Stolica room; 72’)
May 23rd, 2015 (Saturday) 20.00 hrs
Films produced after 1945 aimed at coming to terms with the occupation, destroying the demons of fascism, propagating antimilitant ides and at warning against the results of arms race.
1. "Shadow of time" (Cień czasu) dir. Jerzy Kotowski, Poland 1964 7’
Warning against the rebirth of fascism.
2. "The Assembly" (Apel) dir. Ryszard Czekała, Poland 1971 8’
Standing for dignity in the war horror. Camp prisoners rebel against their torturer.
2. "The Play" (Igra) dir. Dušan Vukotić, Yugoslavia 1962 13’
Metaphore of the war. Trivial disagreements lead to total extermination.
4. "A Song about Harmonica" (Píseň o harmonice) dir. Jiří Brdečka, Czechoslovakia 1975 6’
Accordion as the symbol of the Red Army liberating Prague in 1945.
5. "Atterntion!" (Pozor!) dir. Jiří Trnka, Jiří Brdečka, Czechoslovakia 1959 12’
A short story of war and a satire on the human being that tends to self-annihilation.
6. "Toys‘ riot" (Vzpoura hraček) dir. Frantisek Sádek, Hermína Týrlová, Czechoslovakia 1946 14’
A look back at the occupation time. Toys take revenge on the German soldier.
7. "Jumper and the SS" (Pérák a SS) dir. Jiří Trnka, Jiří Brdečka, Czechoslovakia 1946 14’
The film about a heroic fight with the invader. A chimney sweep fights back the stronger enemies.
A Song about Harmonica
- BLOCK V: CARTOONS GO TO WAR vol. 1 (Stolica room; 74’)
May 24th, 2015 (Sunday) 20.00 hrs
A compilation of films from other blocks.
1. "Six Little Jungle Boys" dir. Joy Batchelor, John Halas, Great Britain 1945 9’
A training film for soldiers on how to behave in the jungle.
2. "Education for Death" dir. Clyde Geronimi, USA 1943 10’
3. "Bury the Axis" dir. Lou Bunin, Great Britain 1943 6’
A caricature of the villain heroes of the war theatre.
4. Private Snafu:Booby Traps dir. Bob Clampett, USA 1944 4’
Warning of the traps waiting for reckless soldiers.
5. The Vanishing Private dir. Jack King, USA 1942 8’
Donald Duck learns how to hide from the enemy and his commander.
6. "Tokio Jokio" dir. Norman McCabe, USA 1943 7’
A satire on the Japanese and their fighting methods.
7. "The Thrifty Pig" dir. Ford Beebe, USA 1941 4’
A variation of the Three Pigs tale. The pigs rebel against wolf the Nazi.
8. "Jumper and the SS" (Pérák a SS) dir. Jiří Trnka, Jiří Brdečka, Czechoslovakia 1946 14’
The film about a heroic fight with the invader. A chimney sweet fights back the stronger enemies.
9. "The Play" (Igra) dir. Dušan Vukotić, Jugoslavia 1962 13’
Metaphore of the war. Trivial disagreements lead to total extermination.
Tickets prices:
15 zł – reduced, 17 zł - regular
Iluzjon cinema; 50 a, Narbutta str.; 02-536 Warsaw
Box office – 22 462 72 60; iluzjon.rezerwacje@fn.org.pl
