The influence of Soviet cultural policy on the formation of the genre structure of animated films

Petrov Nikita Pavlovich Postgraduate student; Department of Theory and History of Culture; Institute of Cinema and Television (GITR) 32a Khoroshevskoe shosse, Moscow, 125284, Russia neket_petrov@mail.ru

Introduction

The relevance of the research is determined by the importance of animated films as a tool for shaping public consciousness in the USSR, where state cultural policy had a direct impact on artistic practices. The purpose of the article is to identify the influence of Soviet cultural policy on the genre structure of animated films created in the period from 1953 to 1991. To achieve this goal, the following tasks are formulated:

1) To systematize the genre directions of animated films of the specified period;

2) Analyze the impact of ideological attitudes on expressive means and plot schemes;

3) Compare the results obtained with the data of Russian literature to identify the patterns of evolution of the genre structure.

The novelty of the research lies in an approach combining historical content analysis and a comparative method in order to consider animation as a mirror of cultural and political processes of the Soviet era.

Materials and methods

The following sources were used in the work: M.M. Gershzon ^[1], N.G. Krivulya ^[2], O.V. Petrukhina ^[3], V.O. Rodin ^[4], M.V. Romashova ^[5], L.G. Sidorkina, A.Y. Ovsyannikova, A.V. Pyankova ^[6], N.V. Tkacheva ^[7], I.V. Chelysheva ^[8], V.D. Evallier ^[9] and Riabov et al. ^[10].

To write the article, a comparative method, historical and content analysis, as well as a method of systematization and synthesis of data were used, which made it possible to objectively assess the influence of state ideology on the genre structure of animated films.

Results

The analysis of Russian literature on the topic under study revealed the multifaceted influence of state cultural policy on the genre structure of animated films produced in the period from 1953 to 1991. The systematization of the sources made it possible to identify the following areas of formation of genre and expressive characteristics due to the political and cultural attitudes of the Soviet state.

1. Systematization of genre trends

The studied materials demonstrate that at the beginning of the period under study propaganda and didactic genres prevailed, which were based on strict narrative schemes emphasizing collectivism, labor discipline and upbringing of the new Soviet man ^[5]. In the 1960s and 1970s, there was an expansion of the genre palette: classical fairy-tale and comedic animation is complemented by elements of authorial and experimental aesthetics, which reflects the gradual softening of ideological requirements and the growth of creative autonomy of artists ^[3]. The period 1980-1991 is characterized by the emergence of critically oriented and multi-layered genre forms in which traditional ideological attitudes are intertwined with signs of the post-Soviet reinterpretation of cultural heritage ^[6].

2. The influence of state ideology on expressive means

The literary analysis shows that the state policy determined not only the thematic orientation, but also specific techniques of visual and narrative design. In the films of the early 1950s, standardized plot and compositional schemes were fixed, corresponding to the canons of socialist realism: the use of traditional symbols, the rigor of the color scheme, and the emphasis on collective values ^[5]. In the following decades, new expressive techniques were introduced – multi–genre combinations, metaphorical images, innovative editing and drawing techniques - which demonstrates the adaptation of the artistic language of animation to the changing requirements of state ideology and the mitigation of censorship control.

3. Trends in the evolution of genre structure

The comparative analysis highlights the stages of development: – The period 1953-1960 is characterized by the dominance of propaganda and educational plots, where expressive means emphasize the educational function of animation;

– The period 1960-1970 was accompanied by the integration of elements of entertainment, fairy tale and comedy animation, due to the gradual expansion of the audience and the weakening of rigid ideological frameworks;

– The period 1980-1991 was marked by genre pluralization and the emergence of critically oriented forms reflecting the transitional nature of cultural policy in the last decades of the USSR ^[7].

The table below illustrates the systematization of the main genre trends and characteristic expressive means by time intervals (see Table 1):

Table 1. Systematization of genre trends and characteristic expressive means by time intervals

4. Visual elements and structural features

Archival data and analytical reviews allow us to trace the evolution of the visual aesthetics of animated films under the influence of government guidelines. Early works are distinguished by their linear composition and limited color scheme, which served as a tool for ideological education. Over time, visual language has become more complex: multi-layered compositional solutions appear, the use of symbolic images and color contrasts to enhance emotional and ideological load ^[2].

5. Generalized research results

The data obtained indicate that Soviet cultural policy had a decisive influence on the formation of the genre structure of animated films. State attitudes expressed through ideological directives and censorship requirements contributed to the standardization of storylines and visual techniques at the beginning of the period under study, and subsequent liberalization and the gradual easing of ideological restrictions gave rise to the emergence of new genre forms and experimental aesthetics. Thus, the dynamics of the development of the genre structure of animation reflects the complex interaction between government regulations and the creative initiative of artists.

Thus, the results of the literature analysis demonstrate that Soviet cultural policy was one of the main factors that determined both the thematic focus and the expressive means of animated films, this was reflected in the genre structure of the production in the period from 1953 to 1991.

Discussion

The results obtained in the study indicate that the state cultural policy in the USSR had a decisive influence on the formation of the genre structure of animated films produced in the period from 1953 to 1991. The revealed stage-by-stage development of the genre orientation confirms that in the early stage (1953-1960) strictly regulated, agitational and educational forms characteristic of the established norms of socialist realism prevailed, whereas the subsequent liberalization of the creative environment contributed to the emergence of more diverse genre forms, including fairy-tale, comedic and author's animation.

The most important observation is the systematization of genre trends by time intervals, which allows us to trace the dynamics of adaptation of expressive means to changes in ideological attitudes. Thus, the first works were focused on education and collectivism, while the subsequent stages were characterized by the integration of elements of entertainment aesthetics and experimental techniques, reflecting not only changes in the state management of culture, but also the growing creative autonomy of artists. A comparison of our findings with previous studies demonstrates that the results are consistent with works that focus on the transitional nature of Soviet animation during the period of weakening censorship control and changes in artistic standards.

The generalized analysis revealed a connection between the observed genre transformations and the historical and cultural processes taking place in the country. In other words, the observed pattern in the evolution of the expressive means of animated works allows us to generalize that state directives not only dictated the canonical content, but also defined specific visual and narrative techniques, which were later adapted by the creative environment taking into account the changing socio-political situation.

It should be noted that our research is based on a thorough analysis of literary sources, which allows us to objectively assess the contribution of state policy to the formation of the genre structure of animation. Unlike previous studies, which focused mainly on certain aspects of animation aesthetics, this analysis covers the entire period of the system's existence from 1953 to 1991 and demonstrates how changes in ideological attitudes transformed not only the plots, but also the technical and compositional means of artistic expression.

At the same time, some unexpected points were also discovered. For example, in the later periods of the study, a combination of traditional forms with innovative techniques is observed, which indicates a gradual weakening of the dominant ideological patterns and the emergence of opportunities for subjective authorial interpretation. This trend needs to be studied using methods of content analysis and comparative semiotics in order to assess the degree of influence of external factors (for example, international cultural exchange) on the internal dynamics of genre transformations.

Thus, the conducted research makes a significant contribution to understanding the relationship between state cultural policy and the development of the genre structure of animated films in the USSR. The results demonstrate that government policies not only had a direct impact on the content and form of cartoons, but also set the framework for creative experiment, which in the future became a source of renewed aesthetics and an expansion of the genre palette. Further research in this area can build on the findings, expanding the analysis of specific visual elements of individual works, which will allow us to better understand the mechanisms of adaptation of artistic language to the conditions of cultural policy.

Conclusion

The conducted research demonstrates that the state cultural policy of the USSR influenced the formation of the genre structure of animated films. The results indicate that in the period from 1953 to 1991, there was an evolution from strictly regulated propaganda and educational forms to a variety of experimental and author's animation. An analysis of the sources revealed a connection between ideological directives and the creative initiative of artists, which caused the renewal of expressive means. The findings confirm that government guidelines not only shaped the content of cartoons, but also set the framework for subsequent creative experiment. These results contribute to understanding the mechanisms of ideology's influence on the artistic language of animation and can serve as a basis for further research in the field of film history and cultural studies.