УДК: 791.44(73):791.43-252.5

DOI: 10.35852/2588-0144-2023-1-146-166

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Nikolay N. Kornatsky

A film critic for newspaper “Vedomosti”, postgraduate of Lomonosov Moscow State University
Newspaper “Vedomosti”
Moscow, Russia

Disney studio in 1975: Fyodor Khitruk reports

Abstract

For the first time, the article introduces Fyodor Khitruk’s report about his business trip to the USA in the autumn of 1975. In this document from RGALI, a well-known Soviet director tells in detail about his work on the jury of the 3rd New York Animation Festival (among the winners of the festival was Yuri Norstein’s animated film, The Heron and the Crane), as well as visiting the studios — Walt Disney Productions and Hanna-Barbera. A significant part of the document is devoted to the analysis of a production organization — this issue was of particular interest to Soviet animators, who at that time were actively looking for ways to reform his largest studio. By the 1970s, at Soyuzmultfilm they often worked in a group method — a small film crew works independently with minimal involvement of production departments. A group method helped to achieve a high artistic result, but disrupted the rhythm of production. Based on the American experience, Khitruk formulates proposals on how to correct the shortcomings. In particular, the film crew of “The Rescuers” (Walt Disney Productions) shows what successes an improved group method could achieve. Hanna-Barbera is an example of a production company that runs like clockwork.

Keywords

Fyodor Khitruk, Walt Disney, Soyuzmultfilm, Walt Disney Productions, Hanna-Barbera, group method.

For citation

Kornatsky N.N. Disney Studio in 1975: Fyodor Khitruk reports. Theatre. Fine Arts. Cinema. Music. 2023, no. 1, pp. 146–166.

DOI: 10.35852/2588-0144-2023-1-146-166

References

  1. RGALI. F. 2469. Op. 6. Ed. hr. 106. L. 57–70. 
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  10. Problema sinteza v khudozhestvennoy kul’ture/red. A. V. Prokhorov, B. V. Raushenbakh, F. S. Khitruk [The problem of synthesis in artistic culture. Eds.A. V. Prokhorov, B. V. Raushenbakh, F. S. Khitruk]. Moscow: Nauka, 1985. 286 p. 
  11. Kornatsky N.N. Priklyucheniya elektroniki. K istorii kompjuternoy animatsii [Adventures of electronics. On the history of computer animation in the USSR]. Iskusstvo kino. 2022, no. 9–10, pp. 221–240.

Received: 25.12.2022

Revised: 01.02.2023

Accepted: 13.02.2023