The Soviet Disney Channel
What does Mickey Mouse, Bambi, Dumbo, Pinocchio and Snow White have in common? They were all created by the legendary Walter Elias Disney a.k.a Walt Disney and have a strict association with the kids growing up watching these shows. We will forever keep Disney close to our hearts as it was a huge part of our childhood.
But Soviet kids had something extra. People living in Russia nowadays even being born in 1980s forgot the name of a Soviet artist who had a particular style of drawing living creatures. Their Soviet Disney childhood was due to one man, who recently we discovered, was a Kurskian.
Boris Dyozhkin was born to a family of honoured railwayman on 19 August, 1914 in Kursk. When they moved to Moscow, Boris worked as a locksmith and he drew in his spare time. He was already good at caricatures, — always portraying his figures as sharp and malicious. One of his caricatures found its way into a local newspaper. Soon after that the head of his workplace wanted to meet him. Boris was so afraid as he overthought that he might lose his job. Unexpected to Boris, his boss creatively said: “We have so many workers but few artists. You need to study, pal.” and even introduced Boris to his friend-artist that was acquainted with a famous caricaturist of the time, Alexei Radakov.
In 1934 the training courses organized and led by Alexey Radakov were successfully completed by Boris. Life was never the same for Boris Dyozhkin. Radakov brought him to the Experimental Animation Workshop under the Main Directorate of the Photo-Cinematographic Industry headed by Viktor Smirnov. This animated company worked on the introduction of animation tools used by Disney Studio. There was a period in the USSR when they were totally against America. This included Disney cartoons and it also affected poor Dyozhkin’s work too due to it being heavily inspired by Disney.
Unfortunately, Boris Dyozhkin lost his eye during World War 2. While he was visiting his friends in Moscow a bomb fell on the building where he was with his wife Faina. In order to protect her, he covered her and was hit by the shell fragments. He even jokingly said: “The evidence is clear” («Факт налицо»).
People worshiped and envied him because his productions are guaranteed success! The most dynamic animated films after the Second World War were made by him! He made the most recognizable characters to the Soviet kids («чмуриков» и «зубастиков») that you may see in the sport cartoons such as «Необыкновенный матч» and «Шайбу! Шайбу!». Then he released «Клуб Веселых Человечков» (this is about a set of stories of various characters from different completed cartoons). In 1961 as a director and animator, he made a brilliant animated film with charming characters and beautiful music called “Cipollino” based on the Gianni Rodari’s tale.
It’s impossible to further enhance the sense of rhythm and action. We can claim that he achieved his dreams! Boris Dyozhkin was the man responsible for bringing soviet animated films at a higher level. Every time when a scene of Dyozhkin’s animated film was ready, everyone made sure they would not miss it.
From 1947, Dyozhkin gave classes at enhancing skills at animated work at ‘Soyuzmultfilm’ but he was not satisfied and left. “The best lesson he gave was when he demonstrated his drawing techniques, how he makes the lines of a new character,” said one of his students. Boris Dyozhkin felt each note in the music he listens to.
Boris copied down each scene shot by shot and analyzed each change. “Yes, I’m a Disney follower!”. But he didn’t follow Disney blindly of course, as he added a little of Boris magic into his sketches. He also admired Charley Chaplin’s play very much.
However, his directors did not understand his style. Thinking over each scene, Dyozhkin did not sit at his desk all day, but he strolled for inspiration. He goes to the stadium, talk with children, laugh and even scores a goal. Ideas may flash and he immediately runs to the studio and draws it down. No one could understand his approach. “How is that? Everyone sits and works, while he strolls and brings a completed scene!”
“Animation is my life, my affair, my pain”, Boris Dyozhkin claimed. He gave life and colors to everything he heard. how moves your eyes or a butterfly flutters… He was shocked every time when he saw how animator gives motion to a hand leave a head freezened. If Dyozhkin’s characters run, then hair loses its curl too!
“Whatever he did, everything seemed very light and flexible. Dyozhkin was a trickster too! He intentionally places a pencil at the edge of his desk. He strikes the tip, catches it in mid-air, and immediately starts to draw, draw, draw…”, animator Fyodor Khitruk said.
He made over 30 animated films. Some are particularly devoted to sports such as “Quite Glade” («Тихая поляна», 1946), “Incredible Match” («Необыкновенный матч», 1955), “Familiar Faces” («Старые знакомые», 1956), “Puck! Puck!” («Шайбу! Шайбу!», 1964), “Revenge Match” («Матч-реванш», 1968). His talent at being satire through his illustrations was used in a television comedy program called ‘Fitil’.
Dyozhkin works were recognized by Walt Disney himself and personally wanted to give him some presents. But Dyozhkin was not allowed to leave the USSR as they were against everything America-related. Some awards that Dyozhkin missed are as follows: First prize at the VII Venice International Film Festival for Children and Youth for Incredible Match in 1955, two awards in Venice International Film Festival, and many more.
As time was passing by, people started forgetting the soviet childhood legend. Even a decade before his death, no prosperous job opportunities were available except drawing for postcards and some illustrations for books. He felt useless and eventually fell ill. Boris Dyozhkin passed away on 13rd of March, 1992.
Since 2015, Kursk Cinema Fond launched an annual “Festival of Animated Films after Boris Dyozhkin” for 3 days as a tribute to the soviet childhood legend. Awards were presented to good animators, masterclasses to young talents and even performances to little kids and adults by characters from Boris Dyozhkin’s creation.
“All our dreams can come true
if we have the courage to pursue them.” — W. Disney.
REFERENCE:
1. w.histrf.ru/articles/article/show/diozhkin_boris_pietrovich
2. gorenka.org/index.php/zemlyaki/1267-djozhkin-boris-petrovich
