Filmotéka - Február 2018

Priatelia archívneho filmu,

4. februára sa dožíva 85 rokov slovenská muzikologička Naďa Földváriová. Pani Földváriová vyštudovala hudobnú vedu a históriu na Filozofickej fakulte Univerzity Komenského na katedre profesora Jozefa Kresánka. Vo svojich textoch, z ktorých výber vyšiel v roku 2003 pod názvom Dialóg s časom, sa opakovane venovala aj filmovej hudbe. Pri príležitosti jej jubilea sme pani Földváriovú oslovili s ponukou vybrať päť filmov do programu FILMOTÉKY. Jej výber tvorí februárový cyklus Carte Blanche: Naďa Földváriová. V rámci neho budú uvedené filozofické sci-fi Andreja Tarkovského Stalker, fascinujúca meditácia o povahe pravdy z dielne Akiru Kurosawu Rašómon,poetické zamýšľanie nad procesmi pamätania a zabúdania Alaina Resnaisa (podľa scenára Marguerite Durasovej) Hirošima, moja láska, neskorý film talianskeho majstra Federica Felliniho Ginger a Fred s Giuliettou Masinovou a Marcellom Mastroiannim v hlavných úlohách a film Malá Viera Vasilija Pičula. V samostatnom texte na inom mieste tohto bulletinu pani Földváriová hovorí, prečo vybrala práve dané filmy. Za trpezlivosť pri zostavení cyklu ďakujeme pani Földváriovej a za pomoc pri organizácii profesorovi Václavovi Macekovi.

Vo februári si pripomíname aj viaceré ďalšie výročia osobností kinematografie. Slovenský kameraman Ladislav Kraus sa 10. februára dožíva 75 rokov. Do programu sme zaradili film Sedím na konári a je mi dobre, na ktorom spolupracoval s režisérom Jurajom Jakubiskom. 24. februára oslávi 75. narodeniny režisér a scenárista Juraj Bindzár. Pri tejto príležitosti uvedieme jeho film Okresné blues. Český režisér Jiří Menzel sa 23. februára dožíva 80 rokov. Menzel, jeden z čelných predstaviteľov mimoriadne silnej generácie začínajúcej v československej kinematografii v 60. rokoch minulého storočia, získal hneď za svoj prvý dlhometrážny film z roku 1966 Ostře sledované vlaky Oscara za najlepší cudzojazyčný film. Uvedieme aj film Juraja Herza Upír z Feratu, v ktorom sa Menzel predstavil ako herec v úlohe dr. Mareka. Pripomeňme, že Jiří Menzel hrá jednu z hlavných úloh v novom filme Martina Šulíka Tlmočník, ktorého premiéra v slovenských kinách je plánovaná na 1. marca tohto roka.

Vo FILMOTÉKE pripomenieme aj výročie režiséra Costu-Gavrasa (12. februára sa dožíva 85 rokov) projekciou filmu Priznanie a aj 125. výročie narodenia režiséra Vsevoloda Pudovkina (narodený 28. februára 1893) uvedením jeho filmu Matka. Vo februári oslávi 70 rokov aj maďarský herec György Cserhalmi (17. februára) a 80 rokov maďarský režisér István Szabó (18. februára). Uvedieme filmy Počestná noc Budapeštianske poviedky. Filmová historička Eva Filová zostavila pri príležitosti nedožitých 90. narodenín režiséra dokumentaristu Andreja Kristína (13. februára) pásmo Výročia: Andrej Kristín. Projekciou filmu Zabitá neděle si pripomenieme tvorbu zosnulej českej režisérky Drahomíry Vihanovej (umrela 10. decembra 2017). 5. januára tohto roka umrel aj významný slovenský divadelný a filmový herec Marián Labuda. Do programu FILMOTÉKY sme zaradili film Kým sa skončí táto noc Petra Solana, v ktorom sa slovenským filmovým divákom predstavil po prvý raz. Stvárnil v ňom postavu Miloša, ktorý sa so svojím kamarátom Kvetinkom v podaní Stana Dančiaka snaží očariť dve české dovolenkárky v bare horského hotela počas jednej noci.

V cykle Filmová hudba sa hudobný publicista Jozef Červenka tentoraz zameral na tvorbu českého skladateľa Luboša Fišera. Uvedieme dva filmy, na ktorých spolupracoval s Jurajom Herzom – Petrolejové lampy Morgiana, a film Lásky mezi kapkami deště Karla Kachyňu. V cykle Otec a syn uvedieme filmy Kramerová verzus Kramer, Obyčajní ľudia Junior Bonner. Februárovým majstrovským dielom francúzskej kinematografie je Vreckár Roberta Bressona. Cyklus Double Bill je venovaný dvom mužom, ktorí sa vydávajú na temnú púť hľadania samých seba vo filmoch Angel Heart Blade Runner 2049. Profesor Rudolf Urc pripravil v rámci cyklu Očami filmových spravodajcov program nazvaný Malý slovenský február. Filmová historička Eva Filová zase zostavila program Kino Čas II: Ako sme plánovali.

Prajeme vám mnoho skvelých filmových zážitkov.

Dovidenia v prítmí kinosály, priatelia.    

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Filmotéka
Filmotéka je samostatná programová zložka Kina Lumière. Jej program zostavujú filmoví kurátori, zamestnanci Slovenského filmového ústavu (SFÚ): Michal Michalovič, Rastislav Steranka a Richard Šteinhübel. Pri koncipovaní programu spolupracujú s poprednými odborníkmi z oblasti filmovej histórie. Do programu sú zaraďované predovšetkým tituly z fondov Národného filmového archívu SFÚ. Tieto tituly sú uvádzané z archívnych 35 mm kópií, prípadne z digitálnych nosičov (pokiaľ filmy prešli procesom digitalizácie). Program Filmotéky je z veľkej časti prezentovaný v Študijnej sále SFÚ (K3). Študijná sála sa riadi pravidlami Medzinárodnej federácie filmových archívov (FIAF), ktorej je SFÚ členom od roku 2001.

Lektorské úvody k vybraným projekciám zahraničných filmov zabezpečujú kurátori a externí lektori.

Lektorské úvody k vybraným projekciám slovenských filmov zabezpečujú študenti Katedry audiovizuálnych štúdií FTF VŠMU.

Zdroj textov k slovenským filmom: SK CINEMA |Zdroj textov k filmom z Klubotéky ASFK: www.asfk.sk

Texty neprešli jazykovou redakciou.

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Sitting On A Branch I Am Fine

Sedím na konári a je mi dobre; Juraj Jakubisko, 1989, versions: OR : slk

The story of two a-lot-different-natured friends, the comedian Pepe and a front soldier Prengel, takes place right after the end of WW II. Finding a treasure of Jewish gold turns them into an inseparable couple, later joined by Ester, a Jewish girl returning from a concentration camp. Thus, brought together by chance, each of the three homeless people in their very own ways tries to fulfill their dreams of happiness. Show more

2D OR 15
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District Blues + short film: Eye

Okresné blues; Juraj Bindzár, 1990, versions: OR : slk

This story set in a small province town is an adaptation of authentic events. It captures the world of a group of folk musicians under the lead of rebellious Viktor. We follow their everyday struggle against the limited local district administrators. Show more

2D OR 12
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The Confession

L’Aveu; Costa-Gavras, 1970, versions: SD , ES : fra

Anton Ludvik, aka Gerard, is vice-minister of Foreign Affairs of Czechoslovakia. He realizes he is watched and followed. One day, he is arrested and put into jail, in solitary confinement. Will be shown the mental tortures during the investigations and how a faithful top-ranking civil servant is made to confess to treason. Based on the true story of Czechoslovakian communist Artur London. Show more

2D SD ES 15
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Squandered Sunday

Zabitá neděle; Drahomíra Vihanová, 1969, versions: OR

Director Drahomíra Vihanová made her debut with the film Zabitá neděle (A Squandered Sunday, 1969), only to find that her first full-length feature would not be screened in cinemas for political reasons. This estimable film therefore had to wait until 1990 for its official premiere. Vihanová devoted the next two decades to making documentary films, only returning to features after 1989. Black and white parable Pevnost (The Fortress, 1994), based on a short story by Alexandr Kliment, was inspired by the poetics of the Czechoslovak New Wave of the 1960s. Zabitá neděle was also shaped by the formal and theoretical framework of the 1960s movement. However, her next drama Zpráva o putování studentů Petra a Jakuba (The Pilgrimage of Students and Jacob, 2000) failed to meet the expectations of both viewers and critics, with the result that Vihanová remained the author of only three feature films… Zabitá neděle was an adaptation of a short story of the same title by Jiří Křenek, part of a trilogy with a military setting. Two of Křenek´s stories were centred upon the cult of personality of the 1950s, while a longer story explored contemporary themes. All three stories were about men who due to their class origins end up in remote military garrisons, where they suffer a combination of overwhelming boredom and lethargy caused by the mechanical repetition of routine tasks. The main protagonist of Vihanová’s intimate psychological drama is officer Arnošt (Ivan Palúch), who one sunny day finds a refuge from the feeling that his life has been wasted in a prolonged retreat into nostalgia. He then commits suicide. One of the darkest offerings from the New Wave, the film captures the sense of scepticism, futility and despair felt by its hero as he contemplates the inert space-time of his life. The existential element of the film transcends both the military and historical aspects. What the film really seems to be about is the timeless desire to gain control over one’s life. The exceptional formal facet of the feature still captivates the spectator by contrast between the hero´s stagnation and the dynamic way in which the author treats the time-space of the narration. Show more

2D OR 15
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Little slovak february

Malý slovenský február; 1946 – 1948, OV (sk; versions: OR

Slovak TV shorts from 1946 – 1948. Show more

2D OR 15
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Mother

Mať; Vsevolod Pudovkin, 1926, nemý (rus.) + ST (cz; Vsevolod Pudovkin, 1926, versions: OR

The Film Version Of Gorki's Great Story Of The 1905 Revolution. Show more

2D OR 12
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The Mirror Crack'd

The Mirror Crack'd; Guy Hamilton, 1980, DB (cz; Guy Hamilton, 1980, versions: CD

Miss Marple comes to solve the mystery when a local woman is poisoned and a visiting movie star seems to have been the intended victim. Show more

2D CD 12
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Before Tonight Is Over

Kým sa skončí táto noc; Peter Solan, 1965, versions: OR : ces, deu, slk

A film examining the feelings of different people spending the night in a fancy night club. It is a story of two young administrative workers saving their money throughout the year to spend a few carefree days; two plumbers seeking erotic pleasure; a construction-site manager embezzling the wages of all his team; an unacknowledged inventor and a former major of the British Army who becomes alcohol-addict due to the political oppression of the post-war period. Show more

2D OR 15
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Angel Heart

Angel Heart; Alan Parker, 1987, versions: OR , SS : eng, fra

A private investigator is hired by a man who calls himself Louis Cyphre to track down a singer named Johnny Favorite. But the investigation takes an unexpected and somber turn. Show more

2D OR SS 15
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Blade Runner 2049

Blade Runner 2049; Denis Villeneuve, 2017, OV (ang.) + ST (sk; Denis Villeneuve, 2017, versions: OR

A young blade runner's discovery of a long-buried secret leads him to track down former blade runner Rick Deckard, who's been missing for thirty years. http://www.imdb.com Show more

2D OR 15
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Closely Watched Trains

Ostře sledované vlaky; Jiří Menzel, 1966, versions: OR : ces

One of the most cherished Czechoslovak films of the 1960s. Ostře sledované vlaky (1966) was the recipient of the 1968 Oscar for Best Foreign Film. Similarly, this feature-film debut of director Jiří Menzel is also celebrated at home as a milestone of cinema, and as one of the key films of the New Wave. The legendary adaptation of an exuberant, yet delicate 1965 novella by Bohumil Hrabal tells the coming-of-age story of the young and inexperienced Miloš Hrma, serving as a station guard in central Bohemia at the close of the Second World War. Rather than taking an interest in the impending collapse of Nazi Germany, the timid young man focuses his attentions on women – as he seeks to lose his virginity and become a man. The lovely conductor Máša becomes the target of his efforts. Miloš’s colleagues, the station chief and dispatcher, may be opposed in spirit to the Nazi occupation, but given the tough penalties for resistance, choose to focus instead on day-to-day personal affairs. But among the duties of the railway staff is the requirement that they pay special attention to “closely watched trains” carrying armaments to the front. Ultimately, even Miloš ends up faced by a moment in which he has to partake in the “bigger” historical picture. Hrabal’s slender novella appealed to director Menzel for its unorthodox take on the war. As a film, Ostře sledované vlaky serves as a key 1960s step in de-mythologising the issue of the anti-Nazi resistance (hitherto a cornerstone of communist propaganda). Menzel’s simple story benefits considerably from the sensitive black and white cinematography of cameraman Jaromír Šofr. Twenty-three-year-old singer Václav Neckář delivers an exceptional performance as the charming and naive Miloš. Also offering an outstanding performance is Josef Somr, who plays Hubička, a train dispatcher who is the hedonistic lover of telegraphist Zdenička (in a famous scene Hubička imprints her thighs and buttocks with the office’s rubber stamps). The then 27-year-old director Menzel appears in the role of psychiatrist Brabec. The original credits neglected to mention that the role of the chicken thief was played by actor, playwright and dissident Pavel Landovský. Show more

2D OR 15
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Vampire of Ferato

Upír z Feratu; Juraj Herz, 1981, versions: OR : ces

Juraj Herz’s filmography is rich with horror stories. But many of the director’s non-horror films also contain elements of fear and terror, for example Spalovač mrtvol (The Cremator, 1968), the romance Morgiana (Morgiana, 1972), the fairytales Deváté srdce (The Ninth Heart, 1978), Panna a netvor (The Virgin and the Monster, 1978) and the drama Pasáž (Passage, 1996). Furthermore, Upír z Feratu (The Vampire of Ferato, 1981) is more of a science-fiction film than a horror, founded around many irrational elements. The story is centred on the Ferat racing car, which runs on human blood. Based on the story Upír po dvaceti letech (A Vampire Twenty Years On) by author Josef Nesvadba (this author has provided the inspiration for many Czechoslovak films), director Herz and screenwriter Jan Fleischer adapted the work into an archetypal drama about the self-destructive nature of human obsession. Such themes have attracted Herz since his short film debut Sběrné surovosti (Cruelties of Life, 1965). The protagonist of The Vampire of Ferato is Mima Veberová, who satiates her love of high-speed driving via her job as an ambulance driver, racing with Doctor Marek to the scenes of countless accidents. But while at a racing rally, and on hire to foreign firm Ferat, Mima is changed by a meeting with an old acquaintance, trainer Kříž, and a former competitor, racer Luisa. While Mima falls under the spell of the winning bloodsucking vehicle, Doctor Marek tries to save her and unveil the nefarious goings-on at Ferat. This stylised film bubbles with a horror-like atmosphere in part thanks to cinematographer Richard Valenta and composer Petr Hapka – the two components fuse perfectly during the film’s racing scenes, and also during Marek’s horrific nightmares. The leading roles go to Jiří Menzel (Marek) and Dagmar Veškrnová (Mima), the latter having been cast by Herz in his previous Holky z porcelánu (Girls from a Porcelain Factory, 1974) and Holka na zabití (A Girl to Be Killed, 1975). Trainer Kříž is played by Petr Čepek, whose expressive acting style was previously in evidence in Herz’s Petrolejové lampy (Oil Lamps, 1971). The director himself has a small cameo in the film as a vampire in a silent film, reminding audiences that the car firm Ferat is a deliberate evocation of the horror classic Nosferatu, Eine Symphonie des Grauens (1922). Yet the real star of the film is the car itself, designed by Theodor Pištěk (also responsible for the film titles and costume design). The vehicle is an adaptation of the never-produced prototype Škoda Supersport 724. Show more

2D OR 15
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Jubilee: Andrej Kristín

Výročia: Andrej Kristín; rôzni, 1960 – 1987, OV (sk; Director: various, versions: OR

Slovak documentary shorts from 1960 – 1987. Show more

2D OR 15
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A Very Moral Night

Egy erkölcsös éjszaka; Károly Makk, 1977, OV (maď.) + ST (sk; Károly Makk, 1977, versions: OR

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2D OR 15
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Kramer vs. Kramer

Kramer vs. Kramer; Robert Benton, 1979, OV (angl.) + ST (sk; Robert Benton, 1979, versions: OR

Ted Kramer is a career man for whom his work comes before his family. His wife Joanna cannot take this anymore, so she decides to leave him. Ted is now faced with the tasks of housekeeping and taking care of himself and their young son Billy. When he has learned to adjust his life to these new responsibilities, Joanna resurfaces and wants Billy back. Ted, however, refuses to give him up, so they go to court to fight for the custody of their son. Show more

2D OR 15
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Ordinary People

Ordinary People; Robert Redford, 1980, DB (cz; Robert Redford, 1980, versions: CD

The accidental death of the older son of an affluent family deeply strains the relationships among the bitter mother, the good-natured father, and the guilt-ridden younger son. Show more

2D CD 15
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Junior Bonner

Junior Bonner; Sam Peckinpah, 1972, OV (angl.) + ST (sk; Sam Peckinpah, 1972, versions: OR

Ace Bonner returns to Arizona several years after he abandoned his family, Junior Bonner is a wild young man. Against the typical rodeo championship, family drama erupts. Show more

2D OR 12
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Pickpocket

Pickpocket; Robert Bresson, 1959, versions: OR , SS : fra

Michel is released from jail after serving a sentence for thievery. His mother dies and he resorts to pickpocketing as a means of survival. Show more

2D OR SS 12
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Budapest Tales

Budapesti mesék; István Szabó, 1976, OV (maď.) + ST (sk; István Szabó, 1976, versions: OR

"Budapest Tales" is about a group of people (consisting of Szabo regular Andras Balint along with Ildiko Bansagi and Karoly Kovacs) who find a broken down tram while trying to go to the city. The people band together and try to get the tram back on the train tracks and head towards the city. Along this journey the passengers encounter many people who join them on the tram. What started out as only a handful of people has now turned into a small village. As the people travel on to the city each person takes on certain roles and through the course of time these roles will change. Some people fall in love, others out of love, and a few even die. But life goes on. The people keep the tram going hoping to reach Budapest. Show more

2D OR 15
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Cinema Time II: How we planned and built

Kino Čas II: Ako sme plánovali a budovali; 1949 – 1973, OV (sk; Director: various, versions: OR

Slovak shorts from 1949 – 1973. Show more

2D OR 15
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Stalker

Stalker; Andrej Tarkovskij, 1979, versions: OR , CS : rus

A guide leads two men through an area known as the Zone to find a room that grants wishes. Show more

2D OR CS 15
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Rashomon

Rashômon; Akira Kurosawa, 1950, OV (jap.) + ST (sk; Akira Kurosawa, 1950, versions: OR

A heinous crime and its aftermath are recalled from differing points of view. Show more

2D OR 15
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Hiroshima, My Love

Hiroshima mon amour; Alain Resnais, 1959, versions: CS , OR : fra, eng, jpn

A French actress filming an anti-war film in Hiroshima has an affair with a married Japanese architect as they share their differing perspectives on war. Show more

2D CS OR 12
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Ginger and Fred

Ginger a Fred; Federico Fellini, 1986, OV (tal. + angl.) + ST (cz; Federico Fellini, 1986, versions: OR

Amelia and Pippo are reunited after several decades to perform their old music-hall act (imitating Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers) on a TV variety show. It's both a touchingly nostalgic journey into the past, and a viciously satirical attack on television in general and Italian TV in particular, portraying it as a mindless freakshow aimed at morons Show more

2D OR 12
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Little Vera

Maleňkaja Vera; Vasilij Pičul, 1988, OV (rus.) + ST (sk; Vasilij Pičul, 1988, versions: OR

A story about a young woman, Vera, who is somebody, living the life of a troubled teenager in the time right before the end of the Soviet Union. She lives in a very small Russian apartment with her mother and father, however being this close to each other makes the living get rough. Their daily life is plagued with massive amounts of alcohol (mainly vodka) and when she tries to escape her home life, she meets up with a boyfriend, Sergei who then moves into her already small apartment after sleeping with her. Every day little Vera has to go through hell just to get by, which even involves her going against her own morals after her father has done something extremely wrong. Show more

2D OR 15
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Oil Lamps

Petrolejové lampy; Juraj Herz, 1971, versions: OR

Czech filmmakers have several times been galvanised by the writings of Jaroslav Havlíček. The result in most cases was a film that merged the quality of the literary template and the personality of the particular filmmaker, whether it be Barbora Hlavsová (1942) directed by Martin Frič, Prokletí domu Hajnů (The Curse of the Hajns’ House, 1988) directed by Jiří Svoboda, or Jaromil Jireš’s Helimadoe (1992). However, the most famous adaptation of a Havlíček novel is the psychological drama Petrolejové lampy (Oil Lamps). The film is based on an eponymous novel first published in 1935 as Vyprahlé touhy (Parched Desires) and released again in 1944 following revisions and a change of title. The motion picture was made in 1971 according to a screenplay from Lubor Dohnal, Václav Šašek and Juraj Herz, the last of whom also directed the film. The director, who achieved fame in the 1960s with his excellent drama Spalovač mrtvol (The Cremator, 1968), made Petrolejové lampy into an expressive account of unfulfilled female desires. The main protagonist of the film, set in the early 20th century, is wealthy thirtysomething Štěpa Kiliánová, whose liberalism makes it difficult for her to find a suitor among her social circles in a small town. She ends up marrying her worldly cousin Pavel for whom she harbours a naïve admiration despite knowing that he is merely interested in the dowry. It is only after the wedding that Štěpa finds out that her husband suffers from syphilis. She’s now not only unable to have children, she’s also to suffer her husband’s physical and mental decline… The role of Štěpa was delivered by Iva Janžurová, 30 at the time, in one of her stand-out performances. Janžurová also starred in the main double role in Herz’s romantic drama Morgiana (1972). The actress found a worthy counterpart in Petr Čepek who performed Pavel as an impressive study of the devastation of a conquering, elegant manhood. In 2006, Herz directed a theatrical performance of Petrolejové lampy on the stage of Prague theatre Na Jezerce with Bára Hrzánová and Radek Holub in the two leading roles. In 2013, Radim Špaček and David Jařab recorded a theatrical performance of Petrolejové lampy, which Jařab staged with the Prague Chamber Theatre. The stars on this occasion were Karel Roden and Ivana Uhlířová. Show more

2D OR 15
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Morgiana

Morgiana; Juraj Herz, 1972, versions: OR : ces

Iva Janžurová has confirmed her acting mastery on the big screen numerous times. One of the seasoned actress’s most unforgettable characters remains her double-role in Juraj Herz’s costume psychological horror Morgiana. The director had given Janžurová a small part in his drama Znamení Raka (Sign of Cancer) (1967). The female lead in Petrolejové lampy (Oil Lamps) (1971) – the luckless Štěpa – foreshadowed further collaboration on Morgiana. Due to the advent of normalisation the loose adaption of Alexander Grin’s romantic novel Jessie and Morgiana was the picture that brought to an end Herz’s “stylised” period, the culmination of which remains Spalovač mrtvol (The Cremator) (1968). Janžurová, meanwhile, was forced to abandon the expressive shades of her acting register that she had been able to give free reign to in Morgiana (though the distinctive, Art Nouveau costumes and make-up did restrict the actress’s register). In the role of two sisters different in age, appearance and character – the younger, kind beauty Klára and the older, ugly and spiteful Viktorie – Janžurová created two utterly antithetical portraits. By contrast with the original book and genre convention, the viewer gradually begins to sympathise with the demonic titular character – in part because within Herz’s chillingly sarcastic, ambiguous conception the naive and good-natured Klára comes across as irritating and fake. The scheming Viktoria, jealous of her sister’s undeserved happiness safeguarded by the love of a handsome lieutenant (Josef Abrhám), is by contrast a vibrant and fascinating character and the audience will her on as she plans to kill Klára discreetly. Herz and screenwriter Vladimír Bor did not pursue the logic of the fact the story concerns one woman afflicted by a split personality; rather a “different” view of the narrative is provided by the eponymous hero – the black cat Morgiana. The camera work of the accomplished Jaroslav Kučera made a marked contribution to the visual appeal and artistic coherence of Herz’s noteworthy picture. Show more

2D OR 15
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Love Between the Raindrops

Lásky mezi kapkami deště; Karel Kachyňa, 1979, OV (cz; Karel Kachyňa, 1979, versions: OR

Novelist Jan Otčenášek co-wrote the screenplay of Lásky mezi kapkami deště (Love between the Raindrops), a romantic story with autobiographical elements filmed in 1979 by the respected director Karel Kachyňa. The protagonist of a narrative set in the 1930s is Karel “Kajda” Bursík, whose childhood and teens are spent in Prague’s Žižkov district. His family face all kinds of pressures: his mother dies and his shoe-making father vainly pours his energies into trying to compete with industry leader Baťa. The gifted Kajda tries to escape the fate society has mapped out for him and, by contrast with his labourer older brother Pepan, attends grammar school. However, war is on the horizon – and the character’s first romance with the delicate Pája is accompanied by disillusionment… In his film Kachyňa successfully alternates comic and tragic elements as Kajda’s affair of the heart comes into conflict with his brother’s down-to-earth approach. Divided into six “movements”, the narrative sketches, in a mildly poetic haze, a tough coming of age in a tough period. Its makers evidently borrowed the formal structure (in which individual cabaret numbers reflect the changing social mood) of Bob Fosse’s musical Cabaret (1972). Kachyňa’s favourite cinematographer Jan Čuřík gave the picture an engaging look that balanced the dazzling retro atmosphere with the harsh social context. A number of bizarre small roles performed by leading actors (incl. Rudolf Hrušínský as a voyeuristic pharmacist and Miroslav Macháček as his friend Ráb) help evoke the vanished world of the old working class district. Lukáš Vaculík, then 17, made his screen debut as Kajda, while the seasoned Vladimír Menšík took the role of his father, the luckless cobbler Bursík. Pája was played by Tereza Pokorná in an early appearance. Michal Dlouhý portrayed the young Kajda and Eduard Cupák is the narrator as the now adult protagonist looks back on his younger days. Show more

2D OR 15