Loves of a Blonde ( Czechoslovakia - 1965 )

Amadeus (1984), One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975) போன்ற படங்களை இயக்கிய Milos Forman-னின் இரண்டாவது படம் தான் Loves of a Blonde (1965).

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Czechoslovakia-வில் உள்ள Zurc என்ற நகரில் வாழும் Andula (Hana Brejchova) ஒரு garment factory-யில் பணிபுரிந்து வருகிறாள். நகரில் உள்ள பெரும்பான்மையான ஆண்கள் போரில் இருக்க, 10 பெண்களுக்கு 1 ஆண் என்ற விகிதத்தில் இருக்கின்றனர். இந்நிலையில் வேலையை தவுத்து வேறு எதுவும் சுகப்படாத இப்பெண்களின் மனநிலையினை மற்ற அந்த factory-யின் முதலாளி அருகில் உள்ள ராணுவத்தளத்தை Zurc-க்கு கொண்டுவர பரிந்துரை செய்கின்றான்.

இளம் வீரர்கள் வருவார்கள் என்று நினைக்கின்றனர். ஆனால் ராணுவமோ உசாரா இரண்டாம் நிலையில் உள்ள நடு வயது வீரர்களை அனுப்புகிறது. வந்த வரை லாபம் என்று எண்ணி வரவேற்பு party நடக்கிறது. Andula மற்றும் அவளது இரண்டு friends-யும் மூன்று ராணூவத்தினர் correct பண்ணுகிறார்கள். ஆனால் Andula ஆந்த party-யில் Prague-ல் இருந்து வந்த piano வாசிக்கும் இளைஞன் Milda-விடம் (Vladimir Pucholt) வசியப்படுகின்றாள். இரண்டு நாள் பழகிய பிறகு (You know what could have happen!) அவன் Prague-க்கு சென்றுவிடுகின்றான்.

முன்நாளில் தற்கோலைக்கு முயற்சி செய்த Andula, இந்நாளில் கிடைத்த தற்செய்யலான் Adhoc அன்பை தக்கவைத்துக்கொள்ள Milda-வை தேடி Prague-க்கு பயணிக்கிறள்.

வாழைப்பழத்தில் ஊசி ஏற்றூவது போல எரிச்சலோடு பேசும் Milda-வின் தாய், ஆவள் பேசுவதைக்கேட்டு மகனை ஆதரிக்கவும் முடியாமல் ஆவனை அதட்டவும் முடியாமல் தவிக்கின்ற தந்தையை சந்திக்கின்றாள் Andula. 

Andula-Milda ஒன்று சேர்ந்தார்களா ? என்பது தான் கதை முடிவு.

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பலக்காட்சிகள் 10-நிமிடத்திர்க்கு மேல் போவுது. ஆனால் அப்படிப்பட்ட காட்சிகள் நகைச்சுவை பொடி தூவி bore அடிக்காமல் உள்ளது.

ரசிக்க வேண்டிய காட்சிகள்-

*****Party-யில் தன்னுடைய திருமணத்தை மறைக்க போராடும் ஒருவன். 

*****Andula-Milda இடையே நடக்கும் romance scenes.

*****Andula-வின் வருகையால் Milda-வின் தாய்-தந்தை நடந்துகொள்ளும் விதம்.

*****Hall-லில் படுத்திருக்கும் Andula-விடம் பேசவிடாமல் Milda-வை அவனது பேற்றோர் அவர்கள் room-க்கு இழுத்து செல்ல, அங்கு மூன்று பேரும் ஒரே கட்டிலில் படுக்க வேண்டிய நிலை. தோண தோண என்று பேசும் தாயை சமாளிக்க முடியாமல் அவதிப்படும் Milda-வும் அவனுடைய தந்தையும் உருண்டு புரண்டும் காட்சி.

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Trailer 

எழுதியதில் பிழை இருந்தால் மன்னித்து comment-டவும். 

Email me - filmbulb@gmail.com

The Cremator ( Czechoslovakia - 1969 )

Directed by : Juraj Herz | Starring : Rudolf Hrusinsky | Language : Czech | Genre : Horror-Drama | Country : Czechoslovakia | Year : 1969

If you can listen to just one person’ voice over for some 65 minutes out of 95 minutes of the playing time, then the film The Cremator is for you, but by saying that, I didn't mean the voice over was bad, it is a kind of hypnotizing, even while seeing the film through subs.

The Cremator is a surrealistic dark horror film from Juraj Herz, released in 1969, but then it was banned till the fall of Soviet Union. In 1989, the film was re-released. This is the fact, I learnt later, as of now lets dig into the plot.

Plot ( **Possible Spoilers** )

The film starts with extreme closeups of a family of four visiting a zoo. The voice over of Karl Kopfrkingl (Rudolf Hrusinsky), the cremator, narrating about his family. The titles then play with chopped up photos. Cut to the story, 1938, Karl lives with his happy family. He is working in the local crematory as it's director. The German troops are in the verge of invading Czechoslovakia. 

Karl Kopfrkingl 

His favorite book is a Tibetan Book of Death, which he always refers to it. He is proud of his job, as the book suggests death is one which humans are revealed from earthly pains and sufferings. He then meets his World War I buddy Walter in a party. Walter suggests to him to prove his German origin. Walter asks him to eliminate Karl' wife and children since they are partially Jewish. By proving this, he will be given a good opportunity in future by the occupying Nazi Army (mass extermination). 

Karl often hallucinates of him being invited to Tibet to become next Dalai Lama. In the end his daughter escapes his assault, and then some Nazi sympathizers take him for the next level (mass killings). He accepts his new role eagerly, since as for him death is an escape from sufferings and by cremation the soul is liberated.

Some scenes from the film-

My Take

The voice over of Karl is a major part in the film which adds to excellent pop kind of  film making.

Fast edits, which normally doesn't give time for the viewers to comprehend the scene. For example, Karl will get a beautiful scenic painting, he hangs it before the bath tub, saying to his wife that this is the ideal place, but as he is seeing the painting which is hanging on the wall, there is a fast cut on which he sees a nude painting. There are so many scenes as above.

The next cinematic suspension of disbelief is transition from one shot to another. Some times there is no fade in or fade out or any form of transition. For example, Inside a penthouse, Karl will be talking to a prostitute, he walks off from the prostitute and turns back, -scene change- we see he is in his house talking to his wife. At first I couldn't catch this trick, since being black & white; it was hard for me to pick it.

The cinematography has to be much talked about, the camera sees unusual places, the closeups of forehead, behind the neck, the Karl' point of view shots are some thing different and some times disturbing. The camera zooms forward and backward rapidly which creates a sort of kick to the viewers.

The music adds more pace to the chilling horror, Zdenek Liska; the composer creates music which is fabulous and surrealistic too.

This film is not for a normal film goer who seek entertainment, this is a must see for film makers especially technicians. A MOVIE SHOULD'NT BE MISSED.

Further links:-

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Cremator

www.imdb.com/title/tt0063633/

Sound Track -www.juno.co.uk/products/zdenek-liska-the-cremator-spalovac-mrtvol/505628-01/

The Shop On Main Street ( Czechoslovakia - 1965 )

Language : Slovak | Director : Jan Kadar, Elmar Klos | Starring : Ida Kaminska, Jozef Kroner | Country : Czechoslovakia | Year : 1965

When you talk about World Cinema, it's hard to miss World War-German-Jew plot films, particularly movies made in Europe. The Shop On Main Street, falls in this genre. Here, we don’t see the suffering or war terror, but the innocence and guilt takes a pivotal plot. Directed by Jan Kadar and Elmar Klos, this Czechoslovakian film was released in 1965. This film went on to win the Best Academy Award in Foreign Language category in 1966. The film is set in 1940’s, when Nazi troops occupy Czechoslovakia. Tony Brtko, a jobless carpenter, living with his nagging wife in a small Slovakian town.  Tony being an Aryan race, his brother Marks, who is a Nazi town commander, gives him an opportunity to serve as a “Aryan Administrator” in a Jewish Shop as a part of Aryanization program. Tony’ wife thinks this will bring them prosperity. Tony goes to the shop, only to find there isn't much business and the shop owner widow Jewess Mrs. Lautmann is nearly deaf old woman, who cannot comprehend the real world happenings and clueless. 1st Left- Jozef Kroner as Tony When Mrs. Lautmann couldn't understand Tony’ position as an Aryan Administrator, Tony upon the advice of Kuchar, a Jew sympathizer, agrees to  act as a distant relative to Mrs. Lautmann. The local Jewish community requests Tony not to quit the shop, fearing someone else will be appointed as a Aryan Manager.

As days pass, Tony & Mrs Lautmann develop a mother-son relationship. When the time arrives for the Nazi troops to take Jews to the concentration camps, Tony tries to save her. He manages to hide her in the shop, but the old woman becomes irritated and restless by the act of Tony, who is trying to prevent her going out. In this struggle, already drunk Tony pushes her into the closet; only discover later that she is dead by the impact. Now, Tony, with the guilt taking on him, with the one who he was trying to save is killed by himself. He then decides to take his life and hangs himself. Tony and Mrs. Lautmann A very simple story with lighter moments, except the surprising ending is told in a very linear way, there is no usage of complicated dramatics, nor new or old wave, no film noir, but just plain content with good music. The use of violin in the background score creates fear and doubtfulness. Who owns this film? In 1990’s after the fall of the Soviet Union, Czechoslovakia was split into two- Czech and Slovakia. They can divide the land, but couldn't divide the film, which is regarded as the best. Film critics and viewers still argue which side the film is closely associated and the argument continues, ironically reflecting the essence of the film itself.

Trailer

A Report on the Party and the Guests ( Czechoslovakia, 1966 )

Language : Czech

Director : Jan Nemec

Starring : Ivan Vyskocil, Jan klusak

Country : Czechoslovakia

Year : 1966

Let us jump into the plot first and then you can decide if you want to continue or close this window.

A group of seven, four men and three women are picnicking in the woods. Nearby to their place, they see a group of people. Initially, they think it’s a wedding party, but it is a group of men, who act in a kind of weird way. These men are not the kind of hilly billy or zombie or cannibal kind of people; they are dressed well, mostly in their business suit.

Later we learn the group is led by a man named Rudolf. These men take control of the picnickers; almost jail them in a non-existent room!, the room boundaries are drawn in the sand and stones are kept to symbolize the door!.

Demarcation of a room/jail cell 

When one picnicker tries escape, he is caught and tossed in the air just like what they do to a football manager after winning a match. Among these chaotic activities, there enters the man (Ivan) who identifies himself as the “Treater” of the party and the one who recently adopted Rudolf. 

He apologizes to the picnickers for bullying them. He then invites them to join him for the banquet, as there is a wedding and also a birthday celebration.

Treater, Ivan in the center with the guests

Ivan takes the picnicker’s to the lake side, a grand arrangement made for the banquet, and there are more guests. Suddenly, one of the picnickers discovers that her husband has left the party as he disliked the people here. The Treater, Ivan is disturbed by this activity of the guest, who left without saying a goodbye. 

He and his men, with their dogs go into the woods to track down the escaped guest, leaving picnickers alone in the lake side. The film ends here, when the picnickers turning off the candles as per Ivan’ request and the horrific barking of the dogs in search.

Political Satire?

If someone, like me, who is not from the same region of the film and also when the film is made some fifty years before had to dig deep to find out what the film is about?.

Certainly, the above story is not an everyday story we see or hear, the way in which the hosts of the party acts are bizarre and weird. There has to be some hidden meaning. Prior to viewing this film, I saw “The Shop on Main Street”, it’s a movie about fascism entering into Czechoslovakia, which was appreciated by the newly formed communist government, released in 1940’s. This party-guest film was released in 1960’s, which was banned by the communist government. So, I can connect some dots, but not all.

Jan klusak as Rudolf

Picnickers as Czechoslovakia. Living in peace with a democratic government.

Rodolf as Facist Germans entering into Czehoslovakia. Creating havoc and disrupting the lives of the people.

Treater, Ivan – Enter Soviet Union, by seeding communism in Czechoslovakia. Act as a savior of the people, but eventually trashing and hunting them down with their socialistic ideologies.

Is this kind of Animal Farm by George Orwell. May be !

Trailer - Snapshot of the film