The "Light-Blue" Puppy
July 7, 2014 7:09 AM Subscribe
The Light-Blue Puppy is a visually extraordinary India Ink-animated Soviet musical children's cartoon made in 1976, only recently translated into English. It tells the tale of a small, sad puppy who has been rejected by his peers for his unusual color, but nevertheless manages to find his way in the world (with some help from a few other colorful characters, of course). On its surface it appears to be a cute, cleverly-animated story with a simple message of tolerance.
It is not without controversy in Russia, however, in light of a perceived homosexual subtext:
It is not without controversy in Russia, however, in light of a perceived homosexual subtext:
The cartoon may have played a key role in popularising the slang term 'goluboi' (light blue) to refer to homosexuals, with its theme of the lonely, bullied puppy longing for a flamboyant and self-confident rescuer and mentor being one that spoke to the experience of many Russian gays during the Soviet era's criminalisation of homosexuality.
On its surface it appears to be a cute, cleverly-animated story with a simple message of tolerance.
It is not without controversy...
You know who else had a controversial message of tolerance...
posted by louche mustachio at 8:40 AM on July 7, 2014
It is not without controversy...
You know who else had a controversial message of tolerance...
posted by louche mustachio at 8:40 AM on July 7, 2014
(and why ARE messages of tolerance so controversial anyway?
"Hey, lets all try and not be horrible assholes to each other."
"TREASON! BLASPHEMY! PERFIDY! SIEZE HIM! THROW HIM IN JAIL AND THEN HANG HIM AND BURN HIM AND THROW VERY HEAVY ROCKS AT THE ASHES AND STOMP ON THE ROCKS! WE MUST NOT TOLERATE THIS... THIS... THIS TOLERANCE!"
What's up with that?)
posted by louche mustachio at 8:46 AM on July 7, 2014
"Hey, lets all try and not be horrible assholes to each other."
"TREASON! BLASPHEMY! PERFIDY! SIEZE HIM! THROW HIM IN JAIL AND THEN HANG HIM AND BURN HIM AND THROW VERY HEAVY ROCKS AT THE ASHES AND STOMP ON THE ROCKS! WE MUST NOT TOLERATE THIS... THIS... THIS TOLERANCE!"
What's up with that?)
posted by louche mustachio at 8:46 AM on July 7, 2014
louche mustachio: "On its surface it appears to be a cute, cleverly-animated story with a simple message of tolerance.
It is not without controversy...
You know who else had a controversial message of tolerance..."
The guy who would go up to the Patriachs of the Russian Orthodox Church and overturn all their tables???
posted by symbioid at 9:01 AM on July 7, 2014
It is not without controversy...
You know who else had a controversial message of tolerance..."
The guy who would go up to the Patriachs of the Russian Orthodox Church and overturn all their tables???
posted by symbioid at 9:01 AM on July 7, 2014
I had literally no idea that Parajanov was queer, somehow -- second link is fascinating. Looking forward to watching the video.
posted by en forme de poire at 10:02 AM on July 7, 2014
posted by en forme de poire at 10:02 AM on July 7, 2014
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posted by Kid Charlemagne at 7:50 AM on July 7, 2014