Horst in Translation ([email protected]) "Strekoza i muravey" or "The Grasshopper and the Ant" is a 5-minute black-and-white short film from 1913, so this one is already easily over 100 years old. The writer and director here is Wladyslaw Starewicz and he gives us his take on a famous fable in this very short animated movie. It is warm outside and the ant works hard to make sure she is fine during summer. The grasshopper does not really understand it and maybe even mocks her while he keeps playing music. But music won't keep you warm and he has to learn it the hard way. There are more adaptations of this story out there and this one here is possibly my least favorite. Film just wasn't ready for this tale in the 1910s. We don't hear the grasshopper's music, we don't see the green summer area where the two are living, we don't see the white cold winter. This story badly needed sound and colors. I cannot recommend the watch. Thumbs down and as Starewicz made films for many decades afterward, he should have waited with this one for a while until the medium film was ready for it.

Red-Barracuda The Dragonfly and the Ant is another in a line of animation films by Russian pioneer Wladyslaw Starewicz. Like 'The Cameraman's Revenge' and 'The Insect's Christmas' this is another film that features insects acting out human-like lives. If there is one must-see movie in this group it has to be 'The Cameraman's Revenge', however, all are charming and original bits of work.In this one a carefree dragonfly acts irresponsibly through the spring and summer. She drinks, sings, plays violin and taunts her neighbour the ant. The ant, by contrast, is an industrious soul and spends the day collecting wood for the winter. Of course, when the cold comes in the dragonfly is ill-prepared and goes begging at the ant's door. The latter sends the dragonfly packing and her demise soon follows.It's an old fable of course. Like all of Starewicz other animations, it's beautifully done. The mini insect world is great, and there is an impressive amount of characterisation in these little bugs. It's a great little movie and another superb early animation.

Snow Leopard This little feature is enjoyable and nicely made. The stop-action animation still looks very good, and it is also imaginative. The story comes from Krylov's fable of "The Dragonfly and the Ant", which in turn was a Russian version of the familiar fable about the fun-loving grasshopper and the hard-working ant.The story itself is simple, but Starewicz takes advantage of the opportunities to add visual detail. The insect models look like real insects, but their actions are believable imitations of human behavior. The attention to detail makes most scenes worth watching carefully. Except for the age of the physical print, which leaves some of the images now a little blurry, everything holds up well. It's entertaining to watch, and the point of the story is not lost, either.