Strekoza i Muravei / The Grasshopper and the Ant (Starewicz 1913) (2006 KAVI preservation from a vintage Finnish nitrate print)

Strekoza i Muravei (1913). The opening scene after the first quote from Ivan Krylov's poem: "Попрыгунья Стрекоза / Лето красное пропела" ["The carefree grasshopper was singing all summer long"]. Photo: KAVI.

Стрекоза и Mуравей / The Dragonfly and the Ant / Heinäsirkka ja muurahainen / Gräshoppan och myran.
    RU 1913. PC: Akts. o-vo Khanzhonkov i K.  P: Aleksandr Khanzhonkov. D+SC+Cin+AD+AN: Wladyslaw Starewicz – based on the poem (1808) by Ivan Krylov – [inspired by La Fontaine's "La Cigale et la Fourmi", 1668] – [inspired by Aesop, 620 BCE, 373 in the Perry Index, cf. also variant 112 in the Perry Index, and the counter-fable, number 166 in the Perry Index].
    Puppet animation, insect animation, fairy-tale animation.
    Premiere: 22 Feb 1913.
    158 m / 16 fps / 7 min
    From a vintage Finnish original nitrate release print with Finnish / Swedish intertitles (only), tinted copper red for summer, blue for winter, green for titles. Six intertitles.
    KAVI preservation 2006: a 35 mm polyester print with Desmet colour. Supervised by Juha Kindberg.
    Screened at Kino Regina, Helsinki (History of the Russian Cinema curated by Lauri Piispa), 14 Feb 2019.

The original Russian intertitles are excerpts from Krylov's poem.

In Russian language, "Strekoza" had earlier a meaning wider than that of a "dragonfly". The word also signified various insects more generally, including "grasshopper", and also had an association with "chatterbox".

The Strekoza and the Muravei, as well as La Cigale et la Fourmi are often portrayed as female, which is the gender of the respective terms in many languages. This association is unknown in languages such as English and Finnish.

Based on one of the oldest fairy-tales Wladyslaw Starewicz directed one of the first masterpieces of animation based on his skill and artistry in stop-motion insect animation.

Starewicz's was not the first film adaptation of the fable, having been preceded by Georges Méliès (lost), Mario Caserini, Louis Feuillade (live action), and Georges Monca (live action), at least.

There have been many interpretations of the fable. In the original fables of Aesop / attributed to Aesop there were no "lessons" that have been popularly inserted afterwards. Originally they were cryptic, concise and open to many interpretations.

The Starewicz interpretation is tough and grim. Strekoza is busy partying and playing on his violin while the Muravei toils all summer long to build herself a winter home stocked with nourishment. Strekoza is not a nice character. When Muravei is almost crushed under her heavy load Strekoza does nothing to help her.

When winter comes and Strekoza asks for help Muravei is not impressed and repeats her final verdict in classical Aesop fashion. Because all summer Strekoza has been singing and playing, "Now you can go out and dance!" Russian ending: Strekoza freezes to death in the snow.

The film is very well made.

Our print is based on a vintage release print from the 1910s. It is a fine job of preservation but as usual I have my reservations against the Desmet method of simulating tinting. It looks heavy and obscures the quality of light. I don't believe that the film looked originally like this.

Walt Disney: The Grasshopper and the Ants (1934), famous for its theme song "The World Owes Me a Living" (Leigh Harline, Harry Morey). Disney ending: in this version the ants save the grasshopper, he sees that he owes the world a living, and with his music he makes everybody happy. Photo: IMdB.

BEYOND THE JUMP BREAK: OUR PROGRAM NOTE AND OTHER DATA: 
BEYOND THE JUMP BREAK: OUR PROGRAM NOTE AND OTHER DATA: 

Heinäsirkka ja muurahainen on puolalaissyntyisen mestarin Wladyslaw Starewiczin (1892–1965, myös Ladislaw Starewicz tai Ladislas Starevich) nukkeanimaatio. Hän aloitti dokumentaristina 1909-1910: aiheena mm. Liettuan hyönteiset, mutta siirtyi pian animaatioon. Ensimmäinen elokuva valmistui van Kanjonkovin studioilla Moskovassa 1910. Hänen omien sanojensa mukaan Starewicz teki nukke-elokuvia  – ja näiden kanssa hän jatkoi työtään kuolemaansa saakka.
    Starewiczin elokuvat ovat emotionaalisesti suunnattu lapsille, mutta ne arvioidaan nykyisin usein "oudoiksi", koska niihin sisältyy varsin groteskeja hahmoja ja tilanteita. Hänen nukkensa ovat melko realistisia, vain vähän ihmisenkaltaisuutta sisältäviä hahmoja eläimistä kuten sammakoista tai hyönteisistä sekä karhuista ja jäniksistä. Joskus animoidut hahmot ovat leluja tai esimerkiksi pirullisia kasviksia. Hänen nukke-elokuvistaan tuli Venäjällä varsin suosittuja ja Heinäsirkka ja muurahainen sai kiitosta itseltään tsaarilta.
    Starewiczin elokuvat ovat alle viisitoistaminuuttisia ja ne hämmästyttävät teknisesti, vaikka niitä arvosteltaisiin nykyisillä mittapuilla. Nukkeja liikuttavia naruja tuskin erottaa monimutkaisilla näyttämöillä, joissa suuri joukko samanaikaisesti toimivia nukkeja kohtaa toisensa elävässä ympäristössä. Starewicz oli monipuolisuusihme, hän näytteli itse komediallisia rooleja, koristeli jopa kirkkoja, ja hänen on kerrottu herättäneen huomiota mitä ihmeellisimmillä asuillaan. Vallankumouksen jälkeen Starevicz muutti Pariisiin, jossa toimi nimellä Ladislas Starevich.

– Jari Sedergren eri lähteiden mukaan 1.10.2009