Ave Maria

Consider Soyuzmultfilm the quintessential studio when it comes to Russian animation, and one of the best when it comes to animation in general when getting into their work while my tastes in animation was continuing to broaden. And for Russian films and shorts. Some of their best work came actually from other directors than Ivan Ivanov-Vano, my personal favourite of his being 'The Snow Maiden' (which is to me one of their best).

Soyuzmultfilm did do much better and more accessible than 1972's 'Ave Maria', as did Ivanov-Vano in his later career and his career in general. While finding a good deal to like and do admire its good intentions, 'Ave Maria' was more close to being a lesser effort of his and the studio's. There are people that will find it admirable and powerful but also others that will find it too heavy-handed for their tastes. Can see both sides of the argument on this one.

'Ave Maria' visually looks pretty stunning, if more so the animation than the live action footage. Especially the backgrounds, which are never too flashy but also don't look static, with a simple colour palette without being restricted and actually looking quite atmospheric. The painterly character designs blend well and are simple but expressive. It is not just how they look, it's the emotions conveyed that struck me, even though not Asian and born well after this was made it resonated with me. Reminding me, in the way it affected me emotionally, of the occasion when hearing a recording of my great-grandfather singing suffering from emphesyma at 73.

The short also stood out in its use of Schubert's beautiful 'Ave Maria', the only film/animation in my view that utilises it even better and just as powerfully is 'Fantasia' in its own way. It matches the images like a glove without being intrusive, not just adding to the impact but enhancing it as well. It's beautifully performed as well. The live action may be somewhat primitive but is hard-hitting and doesn't jar quality-wise or emotionally. 'Ave Maria' is unflinching and pulls no punches, doing so in a way that's harrowing and very poignant, will admit to tearing up and getting chills.

For all its emotional power, 'Ave Maria' did feel somewhat heavy-handed, especially with the voice over and one-sided portrayal of the American soldiers. The subject is sensitive and hits hard to even people that don't easily get emotional watching something, but one does get the point it's making quite quickly and did feel like it could easily have been told just as effectively in about perhaps half the length it was. As lovely the beginning was, it could have gotten going quicker.

Despite being very authoritively and expressively delivered, personally did feel that the voice over wasn't really needed when the images were pretty much saying it all and what we needed to know already. That's one of the primary reasons as to my criticism of there being too much of a heavy hand. Hate using the term "propaganda" usually and like the plague as it can be used by people looking for a reason, or further reason, to hate something, but do think it's apt here.

Although with those reservations, 'Ave Maria' is still very well made, with a beautiful marriage of visuals and music, and causes quite a stir emotionally that it is difficult to be overly hard on it. 6.5/10