MovieChat Forums > Tmavomodrý svet (2001) Discussion > this movie was so depressing!!

this movie was so depressing!!

posted 16 years ago by squirmy_monkey
13 replies | jump to latest

I did not understand this film at first. When I saw that Franta and some other Czechs ended up in a prison camp I just assumed that they had been captured by the Nazis. I did not realize until halfway through that they were actually in a Czech prison. I was confused when I saw this because I just assumed they would be hailed as heroes. After all they were fighting the Nazis who invaded their country! It would've helped if they had given some more background about what happened after the war and why they treated the pilots this way. It is very depressing, because you know that even if they survive all the dangerous air battles they will just go home to torture and death in their own country. It made me really sad after watching this movie. Although I thought it was excellent especially the dialog and the air battles.

[–] monika-zihlova 16 years ago

Hello...the communists came into power in 1948 (In Czechoslovakia). They needed to influence so many people that they was able to. And the pilots were obstracting. How you write - they were heroes. And they were well-educated. People had respect for them. And it means - pilots had an infuence. It was the reason. Communists wanted to oust of everyone, who had an influence and wasn't communist. Czech pilots could be also potential snoopers for USA or GB. So that communist thought out some reasons and put the pilots in the prison. It is sad, but true. The pilots got the acknowledgement as lately as the situation in Czechoslovakia became looser in 1968.
I hope that you understand - my english is quite weak:)
Have a nice day, Monika

[–] morph1066 16 years ago

Monika is right. If you follow the time period of that era it makes perfect sense. The Soviets under Stalin already had a long history of sending millions of political prisoners into labor camps and the only thing that divided Hitler and Stalin is that the U.S. and G.B. needed Russia as an ally during the war. Otherwise, they would have gone after him and a whole new set of historical events would have taken place. This film shows an accurate example of how the citizens of a conquered nation seeking freedom with help from the major powers, only to become their pawns in the Cold War.

Overall I liked this movie and its historical reference on a topic we don't usually get exposed to compared to all the usual garbage that hollywood throws at us.

[–] squirmy_monkey 16 years ago

ok thank you for the good explanation. I am American so I did not know the Czech history at all. Our history books of WWII end with our soldiers coming home as heroes. It did not occur to me that in other countries the victorious soldiers would come home & be imprisoned as spies or as enemies of the govt. that really is sad!!

[–] morph1066 16 years ago

I'm American and I knew that.

[–] squirmy_monkey 16 years ago

congratulations, give yourself a muffin. But they do not teach Czech history in most history books in the US, even in college it was not mentioned (and I went to a good school). I am not trying to defend ignorance it's just this film will not work as well with American audiences (except you) because we do not know the history.

[–] spr1g 15 years ago

I didn't know anything about Czech history until I studied there abroad. Americans give no respect or attention to central and eastern European countries, just places that are nice to visit and our economic bedfellows.

[–] SipteaHighTea 13 years ago

We only pay attention to Europe in a negative viewpoint when it comes to not understanding their economic, political, and social way of life when it comes to having free education, free medical care, and an overall better living standards. We are always screaming socialist this and socialist that and how bad European form of socialism would be for the end of American civilization. Its not perfect; however, it beats the American system in today's world.

[–] chrissso 8 years ago

I would like to give Morph a second muffin as he is sooooo smart!!!

[–] SipteaHighTea 16 years ago

I wish there was more tension and verbal dogfights between the Czechs and the English RAF senior officers. The English welcome the Czechs, Poles, etc., when they were fighting for their lives in 1940. However, once the threat of invasion subside, then the English started to view them as unwelcome guests. Furthermore, the foreign flyers had to put up with the Kings Regulations since they were wearing RAF uniforms even though they were kind of their own force. I am surprise the foreign flyers did not resort to put the English officers in the hospital with all the verbal garbarge they had to take.

[–] drawhanger 16 years ago

Ahoj Monicko, yak se mas! I agree with your comments. I think where the Stalin and his fronta na maso statue was built on the Vlatava, they should erect a large memorial to the Czech Airmen.
I understand if this was a Czech film, only intended for domestic release, then there would be no need to explain why they were in prison.

[–] dbc1951 15 years ago

War is unpleasant but the pilots kept their humanity. The good guys did win.

The Czech and Slovak pilots eventually had the last laugh. It is unfortunate that it took so long for their efforts to be officially recognized in their own homeland.

[–] nelsinho_777 13 years ago

is it depressing?

[–] PsychoDingo 12 years ago

On the DVD that I have (Sony Pictures Classics, Region 2), there is text at the very beginning that explains what's going on, and why.

Perhaps the theatrical release or other DVD versions don't have that.