Экспансия камерности. Мультфильм Зденека Милера «Кротик в городе» как сатира на общество Чехословакии времен нормализации

Abstract

Forty years ago, in 1982, the Czechoslovak cartoon The Little Mole in the City was released. The story of Little Mole and his friends (Hedgehog and Hare) who find themselves in a metropolis may be considered the most famous episode about Little Mole, a beloved character of Czech culture. This story is also well known in Russia, not only as a cartoon but also as a book. The tale has been reprinted in several editions in the Russian language. Z. Miler’s cartoon appeals both to the immediate realities of the times and to the broader context of Czech culture of popular laughter. A character, vulnerable and sometimes light-minded (e.g. Švejk, Jára Cimrman, characters in Menzel’s films) confronts a vast and unfriendly reality and sometimes faces real trouble (e.g. war in J. Hašek’s novel). The character’s grand purpose is not to overcome circumstances or turn the world upside down, but to preserve himself. The story of Little Mole blends smoothly into this cultural code. The episode The Little Mole in the City was created in the waning days of Czechoslovak socialism. Behind the outer, touching and fascinating plot of the characters’ urban odyssey, one can discern a rather poignant satire on the social order of those times. The author of the article tries to understand how the creators of the cartoon expose the foolish and senseless bureaucracy, narrow-minded officials, cruelty and the suffocating nature of the times, but most importantly, how they teach to maintain inner freedom in an unfree country.