Horst in Translation (filmreviews@web.de) This 20-minute, Grammy award nominated, animated short film from almost 50 years ago was actually the first appearance of the honey addicted bear Winnie the Pooh on the screen. The director is German Wolfgang Reitherman. You could basically divide it into two parts. In the first half Pooh Bear realizes that he has no more honey left. So he goes to get some, but obviously taking honey means getting in trouble with bees. And that's exactly what happens. After he and his pal Christopher Robin are chased by a huge quantity of bees, he gives up and thinks about other ways to get honey. Thankfully, his rabbit buddy still has some and so he visits him and eats it all up. Unfortunately, afterward, Pooh is too fat to get out of the rabbit hole and he is stuck. Christopher Robin knows no solution either, so Pooh Bear has to wait till he loses enough weight to get out on his own again. Of course, he still wants to eat honey while he is stuck. I have to say this was not a horrible short film by any means, but it's still too little material for over 20 minutes in my opinion. This was the first Pooh Bear film, was even made before the Soviet adaptation, but it's certainly not the best. Not recommended.

ackstasis 'Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree (1966)' was the first animated adaptation of A.A. Milne's children stories, and presents itself rather charmingly as a moving picture-book depicting the imaginary adventures of Christopher Robin and his favourite toys. In this first episode, directed by Wolfgang Reitherman (future director of 'The Aristocats (1970)'), Winnie the Pooh (voiced by Sterling Holloyway) attempts rather unsuccessfully to steal honey from a bee-hive in the uppermost branches of a tree, before getting himself stuck in the front-door burrow of an increasingly-exasperated Rabbit. The film seems to have been rather influential in the Soviet Union. The first Russian Winnie the Pooh cartoon, released as 'Vinni-Pukh (1969)', uses the same storyline. 'The Fox and the Hare (1974),' from my favourite animator Yuri Norstein, similarly uses the stylistic device of animating its characters as figures in a moving storybook. Here, I was slightly disappointed by the absence of Piglet. He appears for a moment in here, but doesn't say anything. John Fiedler, who subsequently voiced the character in 'Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day (1968),' would continue to do so until his death in 2005, and his voice is quite unmistakable.

Tashtago Sorry to be the spoil sport here but even as a 7 year old child when this came out I didn't like it. First I thought Pooh was a fat greedy pig , eats all Rabbit's honey and get himself stuck. After he should have been kicked out of the hundred acre wood for theft, selfishness and overall being a big pain. Second the other characters are mostly annoying and at best as in Owl just okay. How about Piglet, a nervous wreck, Rabbit another nervous wreck, Eeeyore a manic depressive, and Christopher Robin a wimp. Third and most importantly and something my kids comment on even today, why oh why is he called Pooh? Given that I've become more forgiving in recent years and definitely enjoy the animation.

Atreyu_II 1966 was the year when the first animated short of Winnie the Pooh and his friends came out. These characters immediately became a phenomenon of popularity and they're still just as popular nowadays. It all started with "Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree" in 1966, followed by many other Winnie the Pooh's shorts, all of them taking place in the magical and childish world of the Hundred Acre Wood.This first adventure introduces us these adorable characters, as well as Winnie the Pooh, the little bear obsessed by hunny (honey), lovingly called «silly old bear» by Cristopher Robin. However, Piglet and Tigger's first appearance is only in the following short "Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day". Anyway, we can see right from the start how the characters's personalities are.A delightful story, lovely songs (such as "Little Black Rain Cloud", "Up, Down and Touch the Ground", "Rumbly in My Tumbly" and "Winnie the Pooh"), great artwork and animation, charm and classic humor are another attribute here.The story is amusing and focus mostly on Pooh's determination to get some honey. Although he is a bear with very little brain, he's not the sort of bear to give up easily. It's funny how he often thinks of something, but no matter how hard he tries to think, the only thing that comes to his simple mind is honey. And it's funny that he does physical exercises, but not for the reasons you could think. You think he does physical exercises to get thinner? You better think again, he he he! He does physical exercises to get hungry, as an excuse to eat honey.The Gopher (who is not in the book) is hilarious, especially whenever he falls down his hole. That is spectacular! The nervous Rabbit can be unfair at times, but he does the right thing when he stops the Gopher from feeding Pooh with honey.As for Eeyore, his pessimistic personality is obvious right from the beginning, when he says «If it's a good day, which I doubt».