I Was A Teenage Intellectual (1999) aka Byl Jsem Mladistvým Intelektuálem

2.5 / 5 May '11
Tagline: N/A
Directed by: Marek Dobes, Stepan Kopriva
Written by: Marek Dobes, Stepan Kopriva
Actors include: Vladimír Skultéty, Sona Tomeckova, Robert Jaskow
Genre: Comedy, Horror, Short
Length: 17 minutes
Banned: Nope

Review:
This really felt like a silly little joke which although it was a short film (at 16 minutes) it should have been maybe 3 minutes or so long. The gag is the comparison between intellectuallism and werewolfism which is kinda cute I guess but far from satisfying. Two junk food lovin' action fans are content in their lives until one of them is bitten by an intellectual. Suddenly he starts craving big words, big books and attending cult like meetings dressed in black. On a horror front this is very unsatisfying, and although I did laugh at the A Nightmare on Elm Street gag there isn't much else nice I could say.

Availability:  Not on DVD as far as I know

Kyvadlo, jáma a naděje (1984) aka The Pit, the Pendulum and Hope

4 / 5 Apr '11
Tagline: N/A
Directed by: Jan Svankmajer
Written by: Jan Svankmajer, Edgar Allan Poe
Actors include: Jan Zácek
Genre: Horror, Animation
Length: 15 minutes
Banned: Nope

Review:
At first I thought...oh no, I'm going to get sea sick from the lack of focus and the pendulum movement. Then I started to feel that doom of the swing, and as the details become clear as to the situation and set it's pretty darned neat. It's all filmed in grainy black and white, and you really don't see much if anything in the way of faces. Creepy moving parts and the animation or stop-motion stuff certainly leave one feeling uneasy. At the same time the age old Pit and the Pendulum story is very clear despite the total lack of dialog. We watch a Man struggle for survival as the pendulum swings closer and closer as he tries desperately to escape...how is that not exciting? It's definitely obvious stylistically that it's a work of Jan Švankmajer with the creative touches. Sure it's just a short film, but it packs a whole lotta punch.

Availability:  On DVD as part of the Collected Shorts Of Jan Svankmajer set

Krysar (1986) aka The Pied Piper Of Hamelin

4.5 / 5 Mar '11
Tagline: N/A
Directed by: Jirí Barta
Written by: Kamil Pixa, Viktor Dyk
Actors include: Oldrich Kaiser, Jirí Lábus, Michal Pavlícek
Genre: Horror, Animation, Fantasy
Length: 53 minutes
Banned: Nope

Review:
Wow what a grotesquely fascinating piece of work that is insanely detailed and visually spectacular. The version I saw was in Czech with no English subs or anything so any dialog was lost on me but it didn't seem to matter. I definitely understand the story (it is an old fairy tale after all), and the actions in this speak very loudly. They style is stop motion with lots of wood and carved items but with some real animals and items and even some really cool technics with paint and animation. The tale is about a greedy little town that is infested with rats who've stolen their valuables and are generally making life miserable. The Pied Piper shows up and is more than happy to lead the rats away, but when the people of Hamlin dis him look out! It's under an hour long and it's certainly stylistically reminiscent of Jan Švankmajer. This is one of the coolest looking fairy tales I've ever seen, I'd definitely see more from Jiri Trnka and I'd suggest you check this out too (though you might want to avoid showing this to wee ones).
 
Availability:  Not available on DVD

Valerie And Her Week Of Wonders (1970) aka Valerie a Týden Divu

4 / 5 Mar '11
Tagline: N/A
Directed by: Jaromil Jires
Written by: Vítezslav Nezval, Jaromil Jires
Actors include: Jaroslava Schallerová, Helena Anýzová, Petr Kopriva
Genre: Horror, Surrealism, Fantasy, Drama
Length: 73 minutes
Banned: Nope

Review:
This is one unusual surrealist fairy tale/nightmare that is about a thirteen year old girl named Valerie who is reaching puberty. It has something to do with vampires (who I give credit as they are actually rather creepy and Nosferatuesque), and magical earrings and maturing but it's not a clear cut storyline. It's just insanely imaginatively put together, and visually it does remind me a bit of the works of Alejandro Jodorowsky and the plot is somewhat similar in a way to The Company of Wolves. It's rather controversial as the actress playing Valerie is a very beautiful 13 year old girl and there is nudity involved here. Yes it's artful, and it's not necessarily "distasteful" but it did surprise me to be honest. This film is very dream like and it's one of those films you just have to ride out and not question in order to truly enjoy but I didn't mind. It's sort of creepily and magically captivating and it really has made me curious about other Czech films. Recommended for those looking for an entirely different film about growing up.

Availability:  On DVD

The Cremator (1969) aka Spalovac mrtvol

2.5 / 5 Feb '10
Tagline: N/A
Directed by: Juraj Herz
Written by: Ladislav Fuks
Actors include: Rudolf Hrusínský, Vlasta Chramostová, Jana Stehnová
Genre: Drama, Horror, Thriller
Length: 95 minutes
Banned: Nope

Review:
I guess this one just wasn't for me...over my head or too artsy or whatever you want to say. I did think the black comedy element was rather amusing, it did give me a few giggles. I can also recognize that it is a rather disturbing portrait really, a Cremator who absolutely loves his job wayyy too much. He also gets in with the wrong crowd and he begins to be obsessed with ridding the world of the Jews. Only trouble his, his family are part Jewish (you see where this is going) and as his dementia grows well let's just say the movie gets crazier. It's extremely dark, the artsy way it's shot seems to be a little too much for me, I found it nearly schizophrenic in places and hard to pay attention too. Unnecessarily obtuse I guess, but I'm sure that is just me as so many love this film. It's depraved sure, but not in a way I find very effective, watch it if you are curious because well I'm in the minority.

Availability:  On DVD