This is a relatively famous story in Vietnam, but it turns out there is no official text. I could only find one English-Vietnamese bilingual text that was quite outdated, even the Vietnamese translation was also poor (almost w-by-w). It is said that the film adaptation was shown on Vietnam Central Television (VTV) long before I was born. In my generation, it is not that popular anymore. It's funny, even though it's a very Russian story, but only English students know it.
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1.
Cynir
2023-12-18 10:47:19
This is a relatively famous story in Vietnam, but it turns out there is no official text. I could only find one English-Vietnamese bilingual text that was quite outdated, even the Vietnamese translation was also poor (almost w-by-w). It is said that the film adaptation was shown on Vietnam Central Television (VTV) long before I was born. In my generation, it is not that popular anymore. It's funny, even though it's a very Russian story, but only English students know it.
This is a relatively famous story in Vietnam, but it turns out there is no official text. I could only find one English-Vietnamese bilingual text that was quite outdated, even the Vietnamese translation was also poor (almost w-by-w). It is said that the film adaptation was shown on Vietnam Central Television (VTV) long before I was born. In my generation, it is not that popular anymore. It's funny, even though it's a very Russian story, but only English students know it.
Comment on The Death of a Government Clerk (1988)
2.
Admin
2023-12-15 20:53:29 (edited 2023-12-15 20:58:41)
>>1
Thanks for that, Cynir. Although it seems to me that the problem of the clerk in this film is rather different than in the story you describe - almost the opposite problem, even.
I think there must be a number of films on this site with a similar theme to the problem you speak of, but the one that immediately comes to mind is Ivanov-Vano's animated feature "Lefty" (1964). (although he kind of botched the ending in my opinion and made it way more confusing than it should be - the original story's was clearer and better)
>>1
Thanks for that, Cynir. Although it seems to me that the problem of the clerk in this film is rather different than in the story you describe - almost the opposite problem, even.
I think there must be a number of films on this site with a similar theme to the problem you speak of, but the one that immediately comes to mind is Ivanov-Vano's animated feature "Lefty" (1964). (although he kind of botched the ending in my opinion and made it way more confusing than it should be - the original story's was clearer and better)
Comment on Frost Ivanovich (1981)
1.
Admin
2023-12-14 19:35:26 (edited 2023-12-14 19:37:49)
This same story was earlier adapted in 1956 as "The Wondrous Well" by Vladimir Degtyaryov. Personally, I like that version better. It is more true to the original story and feels more magical (though less brightly-coloured). Also, the lazy sister in it is more genuinely lazy and deserving of her punishment than in this one - in this version, she does actually try to do the work, it's just that she never learned how and so messes it up.
The characterization of Grandpa Frost in this version seems inspired by the narrator/grandpa of Leonid Nosyrev's films (many of which aren't on the site yet, unfortunately).
This same story was earlier adapted in 1956 as "The Wondrous Well" by Vladimir Degtyaryov. Personally, I like that version better. It is more true to the original story and feels more magical (though less brightly-coloured). Also, the lazy sister in it is more genuinely lazy and deserving of her punishment than in this one - in this version, she does actually try to do the work, it's just that she never learned how and so messes it up.
The characterization of Grandpa Frost in this version seems inspired by the narrator/grandpa of Leonid Nosyrev's films (many of which aren't on the site yet, unfortunately).
Comment on Godmother's Gift (2003)
1.
Admin
2023-12-11 17:50:46 (edited 2023-12-11 17:54:43)
Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately, depending on your point of view), the original story's darker elements have been removed or toned down in this adaptation - and even though it's quite beautifully done, I can't help but be disappointed by that. The godmother is more like a "good witch" in this version (not in the original), and the film makes it seem like her cat unsuccessfully tries to hijack her original plan. But in the original story, Masha's husband was meant to be the cat all along - and it was Masha's rejection of him and of her godmother's riches that leads to her "happy ending" (she originally throws her godmother's key into the well, then the cat jumps into the well after it and is never seen again). Otherwise, it ends like it does in the film.
So in trying to make this version more "child-friendly", the story kind of loses its point.
Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately, depending on your point of view), the original story's darker elements have been removed or toned down in this adaptation - and even though it's quite beautifully done, I can't help but be disappointed by that. The godmother is more like a "good witch" in this version (not in the original), and the film makes it seem like her cat unsuccessfully tries to hijack her original plan. But in the original story, Masha's husband was meant to be the cat all along - and it was Masha's rejection of him and of her godmother's riches that leads to her "happy ending" (she originally throws her godmother's key into the well, then the cat jumps into the well after it and is never seen again). Otherwise, it ends like it does in the film.
So in trying to make this version more "child-friendly", the story kind of loses its point.
Replies: >>2
Comment on The Death of a Government Clerk (1988)
1.
Cynir
2023-12-09 14:46:01
I read this story when I was in the university. Actually, I have to read it, because it was in the lecture. The theatrical adaptation is also very interesting !
This story reminds me of a very painful aspect of life, but I won't try to explain it clearly so everyone can think for themselves. Around the early 1990s, when Vietnam's economy began to liberalize, an engineer from the Soviet Union hinted at telling his own problem, of course he also fictionalized it a bit. That short story was later made into a telefilm and was very popular, because it seemed to touch the black cat of the whole society.
The story is about an engineer with a very high degree returning from the Soviet Union. However, he has to be managed by several persons who are poorly educated and generally not aware of the times. He wants to apply what he has learned to the Vietnamese context, but he cannot understand that the facility is not capable of receiving that knowledge yet. What's more, his outspokenness could endanger himself. It's simple, because it affects the survival of a system that "steals labor hours, cuts off raw materials, and especially maintains positions to continue... stealing and cutting off". Therefore, those in power begin to use money to corrupt the main character. When they feel they are not successful, they secretly pressure him to go crazy and die.
The last scene of the film also tells one more detail : Two students happened to pass by the grave. They asked the deceased for blessings so they could pass an advanced degree. We can completely imagine the fate of these characters, of course they will follow the same vicious cycle as the man in the grave.
I read this story when I was in the university. Actually, I have to read it, because it was in the lecture. The theatrical adaptation is also very interesting !
This story reminds me of a very painful aspect of life, but I won't try to explain it clearly so everyone can think for themselves. Around the early 1990s, when Vietnam's economy began to liberalize, an engineer from the Soviet Union hinted at telling his own problem, of course he also fictionalized it a bit. That short story was later made into a telefilm and was very popular, because it seemed to touch the black cat of the whole society.
The story is about an engineer with a very high degree returning from the Soviet Union. However, he has to be managed by several persons who are poorly educated and generally not aware of the times. He wants to apply what he has learned to the Vietnamese context, but he cannot understand that the facility is not capable of receiving that knowledge yet. What's more, his outspokenness could endanger himself. It's simple, because it affects the survival of a system that "steals labor hours, cuts off raw materials, and especially maintains positions to continue... stealing and cutting off". Therefore, those in power begin to use money to corrupt the main character. When they feel they are not successful, they secretly pressure him to go crazy and die.
The last scene of the film also tells one more detail : Two students happened to pass by the grave. They asked the deceased for blessings so they could pass an advanced degree. We can completely imagine the fate of these characters, of course they will follow the same vicious cycle as the man in the grave.
Replies: >>2
Comment on Transformation (1969)
1.
Cynir
2023-12-09 13:59:22 (edited 2024-03-11 21:46:47)
I translated the title "Превращение" from the perspective of both Catholics (biến hình) and Protestants (hóa hình) in Vietnam. This term is less common in Vietnamese society, but is very familiar in religious contexts. It is related to the event "Transfiguration of Yehoshua". In my opinion, Jenő Heltai's story is a bit like Franz Kafka's Metamorphosis, that is, they are all parables about the causes leading to the collapse of civilizations.
Modern Vietnamese youth often like to read stories about the collapse of civilizations. What's very strange is that, they don't know exactly what the languages, customs, and laws of ancient and medieval societies were like, and can't even remember the names of any kings, but books about the collapse of Greece, Rome, [monarchical] China, the Third Reich, the Soviet Union, the Republic of Vietnam... are always best-sellers in the Vietnamese market, even when they are poorly translated by amateur translators.
Previously, I surveyed the opinions of Vietnamese people born after the 1980s. In general, they did not know how their ancestors used to take exams, and how strict the exam rules were during the monarchy, but they immediately attacked the classical exam system by parodying the satire of a few failed candidates at that time. This is also the problem that is devastating our era, when [it seems] that social morality is being influenced by immoral media, which paradoxically is created by those who are completely senseless but passionate about virtual power.
I translated the title "Превращение" from the perspective of both Catholics (biến hình) and Protestants (hóa hình) in Vietnam. This term is less common in Vietnamese society, but is very familiar in religious contexts. It is related to the event "Transfiguration of Yehoshua". In my opinion, Jenő Heltai's story is a bit like Franz Kafka's Metamorphosis, that is, they are all parables about the causes leading to the collapse of civilizations.
Modern Vietnamese youth often like to read stories about the collapse of civilizations. What's very strange is that, they don't know exactly what the languages, customs, and laws of ancient and medieval societies were like, and can't even remember the names of any kings, but books about the collapse of Greece, Rome, [monarchical] China, the Third Reich, the Soviet Union, the Republic of Vietnam... are always best-sellers in the Vietnamese market, even when they are poorly translated by amateur translators.
Previously, I surveyed the opinions of Vietnamese people born after the 1980s. In general, they did not know how their ancestors used to take exams, and how strict the exam rules were during the monarchy, but they immediately attacked the classical exam system by parodying the satire of a few failed candidates at that time. This is also the problem that is devastating our era, when [it seems] that social morality is being influenced by immoral media, which paradoxically is created by those who are completely senseless but passionate about virtual power.
Comment on We Beat Them Before! We're Beating Them Now! We'll Beat Them Again! (1941)
1.
Admin
2023-12-04 02:29:22 (edited 2023-12-04 02:42:09)
If anyone knows what is the song at 3:11, please let me know!
Also, the translation of the title is rather more wordy than the original, but it was the only translation I could think of that was grammatical and kept all of the meaning intact (explicit and implicit).
This was one of just 10 animated films released in the USSR that year, 8 of which are currently on the site. The remaining ones are "The Priest and the Goat" made by Lev Atamanov at Armenfilm, and "Three Friends", a rather impressive colour cartoon made at Lenfilm which only partly survives (and isn't publicly available, with only a short minute-long segment being online here).
If anyone knows what is the song at 3:11, please let me know!
Also, the translation of the title is rather more wordy than the original, but it was the only translation I could think of that was grammatical and kept all of the meaning intact (explicit and implicit).
This was one of just 10 animated films released in the USSR that year, 8 of which are currently on the site. The remaining ones are "The Priest and the Goat" made by Lev Atamanov at Armenfilm, and "Three Friends", a rather impressive colour cartoon made at Lenfilm which only partly survives (and isn't publicly available, with only a short minute-long segment being online here).
Comment on Three Blokes (1989)
2.
Cynir
2023-12-01 00:01:31
This film belongs to the group of myths about mentally retarded persons. Because of that stupidity, they easily break all social rules to achieve things that normal men cannot discover. In some ways, these characters are social reformers, but of course the societies are too conservative and backward like the countryside or theocracy. In other words, films and stories like this aim to criticize a society that is slow to develop compared to its time. It's a fact that the further East we go, the more stupid idols there are.
Let's talk about Arab, North and Southeast Asian societies, folklore mainly describes very cunning or very foolish men, but very few harmonious characters. This film is an example : The Adventures of the Idiot. It is based on a very famous folktale, about an idiot who keeps getting lucky because of his naivety. However, unlike the film, the idiot ended up being torn to pieces by the tiger couple because he once tried to stop them from competing for prey.
This film belongs to the group of myths about mentally retarded persons. Because of that stupidity, they easily break all social rules to achieve things that normal men cannot discover. In some ways, these characters are social reformers, but of course the societies are too conservative and backward like the countryside or theocracy. In other words, films and stories like this aim to criticize a society that is slow to develop compared to its time. It's a fact that the further East we go, the more stupid idols there are.
Let's talk about Arab, North and Southeast Asian societies, folklore mainly describes very cunning or very foolish men, but very few harmonious characters. This film is an example : The Adventures of the Idiot. It is based on a very famous folktale, about an idiot who keeps getting lucky because of his naivety. However, unlike the film, the idiot ended up being torn to pieces by the tiger couple because he once tried to stop them from competing for prey.
Comment on Three Blokes (1989)
1.
Admin
2023-11-29 23:18:58 (edited 2023-11-29 23:19:20)
This happens to be the 100th film of this studio added to animatsiya.net! I think it's a pretty fun one. There were also two sequels.
This happens to be the 100th film of this studio added to animatsiya.net! I think it's a pretty fun one. There were also two sequels.
Comment on The Borderline (1967)
1.
Cynir
2023-11-23 05:19:43 (edited 2023-11-23 05:58:34)
This story skillfully explained a heroic period of Russian history, that is, the time before the Romanov dynasty began. Zmey Gorynych not only represents pre-Christian religions, but it also means the nations settled in the East of Moskva, whom were always a threat to the Rus' courts. The soldier returning to his home is a modification of the idols from epics. Of course, for the principle of socialist realism, he was also the voice of the common people, in opposition to the tsar - that is, the ruling class.
East Asian literature has very few characters like this, because Asians - especially those in the Sinosphere - have a very poor attitude towards cultural exchange. However, I can still tell a story that is quite famous in Vietnamese popular literature. It is said to have originated in my home province. It is the story of an ordinary farmer who dares to challenge both God and the spirit world. However, his victory was only due to his own cunning and the corruption from the ruling class. Even the name shows some personality : Cường Bạo ("healthy" + "recklessness").
This story skillfully explained a heroic period of Russian history, that is, the time before the Romanov dynasty began. Zmey Gorynych not only represents pre-Christian religions, but it also means the nations settled in the East of Moskva, whom were always a threat to the Rus' courts. The soldier returning to his home is a modification of the idols from epics. Of course, for the principle of socialist realism, he was also the voice of the common people, in opposition to the tsar - that is, the ruling class.
East Asian literature has very few characters like this, because Asians - especially those in the Sinosphere - have a very poor attitude towards cultural exchange. However, I can still tell a story that is quite famous in Vietnamese popular literature. It is said to have originated in my home province. It is the story of an ordinary farmer who dares to challenge both God and the spirit world. However, his victory was only due to his own cunning and the corruption from the ruling class. Even the name shows some personality : Cường Bạo ("healthy" + "recklessness").
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