1980s Soviet cartoons based on US science fiction classics

Frank sez, "Rhizome has a collection of 1980s-era Soviet cartoons based on stories by American sci-fi authors such as Ray Bradbury and Stephen King. The accompanying synth music is retrofuturist joy."

Shown here: the Soviet crappytoon version of "There Will Come Soft Rains."

Soviet Sci-Fi Animation in the 1980's (Thanks, Frank!)

Previously:

I write books. My latest is a YA science fiction novel called Homeland (it's the sequel to Little Brother). More books: Rapture of the Nerds (a novel, with Charlie Stross); With a Little Help (short stories); and The Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow (novella and nonfic). I speak all over the place and I tweet and tumble, too.

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LaHaine

That video is great and really creepy.
Fred H

Yeah, some liberties were taken. Does anyone remember the Simpsons episode that had the Itchy and Scratchy animators go on strike? Krusty has to hire out Russian animators, and it reminded me of this.
Anonymous

Whose version of the moon is yellow is that? It’s amazing!
mwhyte72

Very cool. It’s not ‘Fantastic Planet’ but still neat and creepy at the same time.
eliterrell

I like how robobutler is authorized to use lethal force against anything that doesn’t immediately respond with the password. It’s been quite some time since I read the original but I seem to remember the the house’s systems were characterized as being cheerfully oblivious rather that clinically depressed and somewhat menacing. It’s pretty interesting what they changed.
- ImprovidentLackWit
  
  Having not read the story, I thought the robot was responding to something “living”.
  
  Love the Terry Gilliam feel of the flick
Foggen

Crappytoon? The animation may not be smooth but everything is beautifully painted. I take more issue with the tonal liberties the cartoon’s creator took, but those can be forgiven as a combination of artistic license and a very bleak Soviet misunderstanding of what America must be like. Gloomy forbidding concrete structures? I think they’re projecting a little.
Gilbert Wham

I have come to the conclusion that we should show nursery-school classes ‘There Will Come Soft Rains’. The harm is outweighed by the good too much for this to be at all reprehensible.
Anonymous

God. I remember being traumatized as a kid by watching an IPA animation of Edgar Allan Poe’s “Tell-Tale Heart.” As an adult I kept wondering why would they show that to kids.

Now I’ve seen a worse animated short to show kids…
jeremyhogan

This is one of those posts I already <3 by the title.
JimmerSD

That’s not the story I remember. Interesting license that the creator took with the plot.
Chinese Jet Pilot

“Crappytoon” it’s not, but it is very Soviet.
ab

I really like the style of this stuff. It reminds me of one of my favorite animators Stefan Schabenbeck.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tAABB4H55U
Jerril

Even hearing from the commenters here that they took liberties, I can’t watch this. I can’t even summarize There Will Come Soft Rains without bursting into uncontrollable, slightly hysterical tears, and just typing the name made me choke up.

I found it an incredibly powerful short story, obviously. Unfortunately, such that I can’t even think *about* it, only *around* a story-shaped hole in my head.
- Gilbert Wham
  
  In that case, I strongly suggest you don’t watch it. It wouldn’t be pretty.
  
  DANG, but there’s some good doom-laden samples to be had from that stuff…
jetfx

You’d think that if you were to build a robot to take care of your long since vaporized remains that you’d make it a little less menacing sounding.
jtf

“There will come soft rains” is one of my absolute FAVORITES, and this cartoon is, I think, well done in the spirit of it. Thanks Cory for sharing this.
jetfx

Weird, that contact short uses the theme from David Lean’s Dr Zhivago.
- jetfx
  
  And it’s drawn like Yellow Submarine. This is getting weirder and weirder.
- jetfx
  
  Argh, that’s the Godfather theme.