gudaulin

Martin Frič was the biggest directorial star of the First Republic and nationalized cinema, and Karel Höger was a charismatic actor whose similar style of roles, like his Lieutenant Mareš, was a perfect fit. My third star is ultimately for Höger and his acting. From a technical standpoint, there isn't much to criticize about Lost in the Suburbs, and overt propaganda is also absent from Frič's film. In fact, at the beginning of the film, the participation of Czechoslovak soldiers in operations on the Western Front is mentioned in one sentence, and it was certainly the last time that happened for many years, until the filming of Oasis and Riders in the Sky. On the other hand, with all those happy smiles, uniforms, and sympathetic Red Army soldiers dancing the Cossack dance, the whole atmosphere sends subliminal signals about a time that led to the suppression of Czech culture. This film is like the regime of the years 1945-48. In a way, I consider this kind of filmmaking more dangerous than those dull propaganda films, which are easily identifiable and laughable in their naivety and straightforwardness. What were those sympathetic soldiers doing in the Sudetenland - spreading democracy? In short, emotionally, this film never resonated with me. Overall impression: 55%.

I've read that supposedly this is Schorm's most accessible film for the audience. I'm hesitant because I have reviewed some of his films decently in the past, and The Seventh Day, the Eighth Night even impressed me at one point. The feeling from The Return of the Prodigal Son can be compared to the experience of a blind person visiting an art gallery. The film didn't anger me, disturb me, or depress me; it rather put me to sleep - and that is somewhat surprising in the late afternoon, as I cannot blame it on exhaustion or the late hour. An existential crisis is certainly a cunning thing, but this handling of it is exhausting for me. Maybe I'm also having a viewer crisis and a period where I prefer different genres and a different style of directorial work. I actually don't know what my one star is for, as I completely missed out on Schorm's vision as a filmmaker and his burnt-out human wreckage. Overall impression: 25%.

The series portrays the previously overlooked issue of prominent pro-German collaborators during World War II. Moreover, it does so professionally with a broad scope and illumination of the motives that led them to betray. The viewer is usually introduced to the background of historical events, where the documentary writer places the person being discussed, and witnesses how the ostracized historical character gains human traits, but also loses them under the weight of their immoral actions. After the fifth episode, I raised my rating to five stars and my overall impression to 90%.

The high rating of this little film is related to the fact that a well-calculated formula works reliably, and the kitsch that plays with the audience's sentiment and expectations is timeless... Incidentally, Vladimír Slavínský's work was the embodiment of kitsch even during the First Republic. The film cannot be denied professional execution and a quality cast. But the script...well, the story is incredibly silly... Overall impression: 35%.

This is the fifth version of the legendary literary classic that I had the opportunity to see, and the Slovaks did not embarrass themselves. On the other hand, they also did not impress me and I must say that both American film versions can offer the viewer incomparably more, starting with a beautiful historical setting and ending with a star-studded international cast. Juraj Kukura presented an interesting study of French libertinism and Soňa Valentová was sympathetic in her moral purity and infatuation, but the rest just fell flat. For example, Jana Nagyová Pulm was unremarkable and I found the servant characters unnecessary. Overall impression: 60%.

In its time, this film was something like a revelation to me. Thanks to it, I became, when it already seemed that I would finally grow up, a dreamy child again, much to the displeasure of everyone around me... I discovered the works of Jan Švankmajer thanks to it and became a big fan of his. In this film, Švankmajer capitalized on the previous two decades of his artistic work and experiences from his early short films. It is surrealism in its purest form, where it is not so much about the story, but rather about the barrage of artistic installations, artifacts, and ideas, as well as avant-garde animation that pushed the boundaries of what was previously known and possible. The elevator ride impressed me the most with its passing floors filled with a variety of strange creatures and plants created by Švankmajer. He devised an entire alternative world and used old illustrations from Brehm's "Life of Animals" and 19th-century encyclopedias as a starting point for creating creatures that seem to come from a fantasy world. Švankmajer's wife, Eva, also contributed to the film's artistic aspects. Overall impression: 100%. I have seen four more versions of Alice to this day, but none came close to Švankmajer's...

Needful Things can essentially be perceived the same as the overwhelming majority of adaptations of Stephen King's works. It is boring and cheap, with a small budget. Those who are unfamiliar with the book may think it's passable, but those who have read it will likely suffer and the deprived ending will provoke a surge of fury. The last 8 pages of the novel, if managed well in terms of screenplay and special effects, would surely push horror fans deep into their seats. Also, if the atmosphere of thickening tension and pervasive evil could be successfully conveyed through a quality script in the film, it would be a top-notch horror affair. Like this, it is only worth an overall impression of 40%. An added positive aspect that contributes 10% to this film is the involvement of Max von Sydow, who truly suited the role of the envoy of hell.

When I saw the film at the premiere in the movie theater, it undoubtedly made an impression on me, mainly because it clearly deviated from the commercial path of Czech cinema in the 90s. I classified it as a rarely seen art back then, but since then 16 years have passed and I had the opportunity to watch Jakubisko's previous work as well as a considerable amount of world cinema, so I have something to compare it to. The acclaimed Fellini, whom Jakubisko partially followed, could be incredibly manneristic and purposeless in many cases, and Jakubisko is no different. He undoubtedly has a sense for finding suitable locations, he can work wonders with the camera, and with his reputation, he is able to attract top actors and gather an adequate budget. However, he is capable of resorting to logical inconsistencies, inexplicable anachronisms, and nonsense for cheap effect, he chooses highly debatable pseudo-actors, and above all, he artistically plagiarizes himself from more successful previous decades. As a whole, the film appears melodramatic, awkward, and overly ambitious. In some films, the actors overact, while here the director overacts, which ultimately results in kitsch targeted at festival audiences. His effort is not helped by the re-casting of Deana in the lead role. She has never been a great actress. I understand that family needs to stick together and that Deana brings joy to her husband, but a great film usually arises from different motivations. Overall impression: 25%.

Four Rooms is an auteur film, meaning that the director makes a film for the author, their relatives, and closest friends. Fortunately, in America, it works a bit differently, so this time four directors came together, each to shoot a story set in one room of the same hotel. It's a black comedy involving a corpse, a severed finger, marital crises resolved through bondage and firearms, and a bet involving a meat cleaver. The weakest story is attributed to Allison Anders, simply because her witch tale lacks a strong point. Fortunately, Quentin Tarantino balances it out by poking fun at himself, and I just hope that lost bet didn't hurt him too much. A decent cast, and several nice scenes. Overall impression: 60%.

Duck Soup was my first and last encounter with the work of the Marx brothers. If this film can be considered a showcase of their film productions, which it really is given the direction and evident attempt at an alternative style of cinematic language, then I have to say that the style of humor that was very popular at that time is simply not for me, as it seems cheap and pandering. Overall impression: 40%.