"Crocodile Gena" - a cartoon about kindness and friendship

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

A multi-part cartoon about a funny toy Cheburashka and his friend Crocodile Gena appeared in the late sixties and immediately won an army of fans in the face of small movie lovers. Friendship, mutual assistance, mutual assistance - this is what this cartoon teaches. Crocodile Gena, a zoo worker, suffered from longing and loneliness for a long time. But then he met Cheburashka.

The cartoon is based on the book by Eduard Uspensky "Crocodile Gena and his friends". In the book, Ouspensky describes vivid pictures from the life of his heroes in simple language. Gena in the book (and in the cartoon) wears a hat and picks up a cane. And in the zoo he works as a crocodile. Cheburashka lived in the rainforest until he went to people. He didn't even know his name. This name was given to him by the director of the store, in which Cheburashka got in a box of oranges. Then he lived in a discount store, until one day he came across an ad that "a young crocodile of fifty wants the envy of his friends," which was written by Crocodile Gena. All episodes of the cartoon are full of action. Each of them teaches the child somethinggood. And what can we say about masterfully created songs. Each of them is still sung at children's matinees or at singing lessons. These include "Let them run clumsily", "Now I'm Cheburashka", "Blue car".

The evil old woman Shapoklyak and her faithful servant rat Larisa act as antagonist heroes. Shapoklyak's motto: "You can't become famous for good deeds!" That is why she is trying in every possible way to harm people, arranges dirty jokes. And the girl Galya, the dog Tobik, Cheburashka and Crocodile Gena are trying to resist her. They look for friends and help people. By the way, Ouspensky said in an interview that when creating the image of Shapoklyak, he relied on the appearance of his first wife. But the animator Shvartsman copied the old woman from his mother-in-law. In each of the episodes, Shapoklyak, colliding with friends, begins to improve. But then she messes with people again and again. And this is not surprising, because if she became kind, the cartoon would end.

Thanks to the artist Shvartsman, we have in our head the image of the mysterious creature Cheburashka. This is not a teddy bear or a puppy, this is a fluffy animal with big ears and a short tail. This is how Ouspensky describes it. In the cartoon, this look is perfectly embodied. Cheburashka, no doubt, evokes the sympathy of young viewers. The same can be said about the representative Crocodile in a suit, hat and accordion. The main characters were brilliantly voiced by Vasily Livanov and Klara Rumyanova.

Shouldnote that the first cartoons were accepted in the Soviet Union without much enthusiasm. Cheburashka, who does not have a homeland, and Crocodile Gena, who is looking for friends on the ad, did not inspire confidence on the part of the party authorities. Be that as it may, but a few years later the cartoon became one of the most popular. The proof of success is that Cheburashka is known in Sweden, Lithuania and other European countries.

Since 2006, he has become a symbol of the Russian Olympic team. He was dressed three times in furs of different colors, symbolizing the Russian tricolor flag. And when will it be the turn of Crocodile Gena to be the symbol of the country?