The indispensable specialist For the first time, an ugly man named Parasolka appeared on the screens in 1973 thanks to the efforts of director Efrem Pruzhansky and screenwriter Tadeusz Pavlenko. The adventures of the hero on fishing turned out to be so hilarious that the audience immediately demanded the continuation of the story. Subsequently, Parasolka got five short films, in which he had to become a vigilante, attend a high fashion show, learn how to hunt and figure out how to drive a car. Of course, the adventures of Parasolka, painfully reminiscent of Charlie Chaplin himself, were not as popular as a series of short films about the Cossacks, but the creative team of Kyivnauchfilm considered it an honor to put a hand in creating the next adventures of the hero who does not linger for a long time in one place. The best directors of the studio invested their efforts in creating a charming series. Was no exception and Vladimir Dakhno, the author of those same Cossacks. Working mainly on original projects, the director nevertheless did not abandon someone else's series, putting its final part under the title "Parasol in the circus". None of the authors of the original cartoon in the creation of this series was not involved, but this does not mean that its quality could suffer, because Vladimir Dakhno is known for putting a piece of his own soul into each work, and therefore in his filmography there are no openly passage tapes. And even the most controversial of his undertakings, among which can be called the ambiguous cartoon “In the world of birds”, still have unique features that make the audience without interruption is at the screen. For the script “Parasols in the circus” was a longtime friend and associate of Dakhno, Mikhail Tatarsky, who previously wrote the story for the hilarious “The Tooth was” and many other wonderful cartoons. The final part of Parasolka’s adventures was also the final stage of long-term cooperation between Dakhni and Tatarsky. And they tried to keep the memory of their work together in the brightest colors.
So, the plot of the cartoon again brings us together with Parasolka, who this time went to look for luck in a traveling circus, where his task was to clean up and help the artists. At first, no one took him seriously, since few people could think that the inconspicuous, not the most neat little guy is capable of surprises. Unobtrusively assisting clowns, jugglers and acrobats, Parasolka himself did not expect it, he gained their skills, but still did not even think that he would ever get to the arena. And one day, fate presents him with a chance that everyone in his place would dream of. Going on tour, the circus went to distant lands. Leading artists went in a personal car, while the prop together with Parasolka left on a huge truck. Having reached the destination, the service staff, consisting only of our hero, hastily set up a tent and prepared the circus for the upcoming performance. However, due to the annoying breakdown of the car, the artists were stuck somewhere halfway and could not come to the beginning of the performance. The discouraged director of the circus hastily sought an opportunity to avoid scandal and accidentally looked behind the scenes, where Parasolka juggled balls from nothing to do. Considering that it is possible to replace not only the entire staff, but also artists, the director sent Parasolka to the arena, where he replaced jugglers, acrobats, and tamers. Of course, it turned out to him, to put it mildly, eccentric, but the audience with joyful smiles and laughter perceived the new artist. And the grateful director still took Parasolka to his troupe, giving him a well-deserved place as a staff clown! That's how fame finally found its hero.
Vladimir Dakhno’s incredibly positive, fascinating cartoon was exactly the end of the multi-year franchise she had hoped for. The main character is still as energetic and enthusiastic as during his past adventures. The plot this time consists mainly of circus numbers, which at first show us professional artists, and then they try to copy Parasolka. The circus itself attracts attention, and when a hilarious comedy in the style of Charlie Chaplin’s best works is played in its scenery, the plot begins to acquire a semblance of a holiday. The action here does not stop for a second. A traveling circus simply does not have the right to rest, because its schedule usually involves constant movement between cities. Rehearsals, performances, eternal haste and well-deserved applause - all this unique spirit could ideally reproduce Vladimir Dakhno. At the same time, the director managed to organically adjust to the creative style of the directors of the previous series, so that Parasol in the Circus did not stand out against the background of the entire franchise. But at the same time, Dakhno was not going to abandon his own findings, bringing even more dynamics, high-quality animation and a kind irony that he puts to each of his projects.
Of course, the story of Mikhail Tatarsky does not suggest serious reflection. Everything we see on the screen looks exactly as it was intended. The creators were not going to permeate the cartoon with morality, but shot a funny story designed to lift the mood of the audience. And with this "Parasol in the circus" copes perfectly. The attempt to repeat the style of Charlie Chaplin was successful. And this is seen not only through the painted image of Parasolka, but also due to the accurate recreation of the atmosphere of silent films, in which the actors relied solely on their artistic talent, because it was simply impossible to record dialogues once in cinema. And Vladimir Dakhno like no other knows how to present a story with all the necessary details, using only the possibilities of pantomime. Acting voiceover Steam is not just not needed, but even contraindicated. His charming retro style is sustained without a trace, as it should be.
As a result, I want to say that "Parasol in the circus" is an excellent cartoon for viewers of all age categories. The hilarious adventures of the wordless hero ended in the circus on a major note. This is a real classic of animation, which every admirer of a good movie must necessarily familiarize himself with. And you can be sure that watching the presented cartoon will not be a waste of time for you.
8 out of 10