MovieChat Forums > Ostrzhe sledované vlaky (1966) Discussion > Czech Films

Czech Films

posted 17 years ago by davidgoesboating
4 replies | jump to latest

In my limited knowledge of Eastern European cinema, it took me a while to get around to seeing films from the country that was once called Czechoslovakia.

And yet, it seems that they have at least two brilliant film-makers. One is Jan Svankmajer, and the other Jiri Menzel, who directed this film.

It's good to see that a relatively obscure country has been blessed with so much talent. I would like to say the same for my own home country, but Australia has Peter Weir and that's about it.

[–] Kinematico 16 years ago

what do you mean with "obscure country"??? Prague is one of the prettiest cities on the world and the former Czechoslovakia has a millenary history. How come such a rich country could be "relatively obscure"???

BTW you have totally forgotten Milos Forman who was born and raised in Czechoslovakia. Forman directed several great movies during his years in that country. Movies like "The Loves of a Blonde" or "The Firemen's Ball"

I am not an expert on czech cinema but in the last years I've seen some wonderful movies from that country like "Divided we Fall" directed by Jan Hrebejk, "Kolya" by Jan Sverák or "Zelary" by Ondrej Trojan.

Obscure???

[–] PsychoDingo 12 years ago

I think it would be fair to say that the Czech Republic/Slovakia/Czechoslovakia are not obscure countries, but their cinema has not been highly accessible in English-friendly forms until recently. So to those of us in English-speaking countries, Czechoslovak cinema can seem obscure.

The ironic thing is that coconuts are, in fact, migratory.

[–] PsychoDingo 11 years ago

Czech Republic and Slovakia are in central Europe. just sayin'

They'll hang you as sure as 10 dimes will buy a dollar

[–] davidgoesboating 11 years ago

You'll have to forgive my 18-year-old self for not getting that one right. I had Iron Curtains on my mind.

I'm now going to get back in my time machine and recommend Chytilova, Forman, Jires, Nemec, Trinka and so on. And tell myself not to call the former Czechoslovakia 'obscure'.