Ivan Ivanov-Vano was responsible for a consistently good to brilliant filmography. There are not many animation directors that had not one failure in their filmography, but to me Ivanov-Vano was one of them throughout a long career that saw him be a regular director of Soyuzmultfilm's (Russia's finest animation studio) output. 'Black and White', based on the poem by Vladimir Mayakovsky, is a very early effort of his and one example of an animated Soviet propaganda short.
Of which 'Black and White' is one of the best, darkest and most powerful. It is also incredibly brave, for even daring to tackle such hard-hitting subject matter (for back then and even now still) which most at the time would not have gone near. Even braver is that it tackled it in a way that is so "no holding back" and painfully truthful, which is what makes it so fascinating. 'Black and White' is barely three minutes and it is more powerful and more bold than many films with similar subjects that are a lot longer. Is it one of Ivanov-Vano's best? Not quite, but it is still great.
My only issue with 'Black and White' was the abrupt and heavy-handed ending, with a touch that might leave a bad taste in the mouth for some (to me even with the subject it was a touch that stuck out too much like a short-sighted sore thumb).
The animation however is great, very stylised but also beautifully detailed and atmospheric with some very memorable and daring imagery. Have not seen a more bleak final shot for anything in a long time. "Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child" is powerfully sorrowful as a song and both gave me chills and brought a lump to the throat, it fits beautifully with the images.
'Black and White' is thought-provoking, shocking and hits hard. What it has to say about the subject is painful in its truth and it makes for a disturbing watch at how bad racism and oppression was back then. It makes its point and while it is not subtle it didn't feel like to me being beaten around the head, excepting one part.
Concluding, excellent. 9/10
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