Czech director Juraj Herz is best known for his films The Cremator and Ferat Vampire...leaving this little gem to go relatively unnoticed (likely because it's hard to find with english subtitles).
It's a magical tale about a poor student, named Martin, who befriends a group of wandering comedians and puppeteers, after becoming infatuated with the head of the family's daughter, Toncka.
After conning a cruel innkeeper into feeding them a feast, he becomes the target of authorities, who represent the local baron, in his attempt to find a suitor for his daughter- Princess Beatrix- who has been stricken by a sort of love curse.
Originally, he is arrested, and held in a cell...but uses a magic cloak, which endows him with invisibility to escape.
Which just seems like an excuse to employ some really great special effects...including some stop motion provided by the legendary Jan and Eva Svankmajer(ova)!!!
Either way, the authorities return for him...but are unable to catch him because he is protected by an amulet, given to him by Toncka...resulting in a sort of slapstick chase scene.
Eventually, he gives himself up as a suitor for the princess, when the authorities threaten to imprison his friends.
Eight young men had heeded the call before him...and none of them were ever seen or heard from again...but he believes that, being the ninth, he has a good chance.
What ensues is really quite weird.
It turns out that the princess has been mesmerized by the court astrologer, who exploits her lovelessness, to harvest the hearts of young men, which he requires in order to brew an elixir that will endow him with eternal youth and everlasting immortality.
Which clearly works for him, as he is over 300 years old at this point.
With the court jester helping him out, Martin seeks to free her from the confines of this torment...even though it involves entering a realm in which time is skewed...with six minutes, in the realm, equaling a year in the outside world.
If he is successful, he will win himself the hand of the princess in marriage.
And, not only does he succeed in this feat, he also manages to save the other eight men, by stealing, and using, the astrologer's secret elixir to restore them back to life.
However, upon their escape...the princess ends up falling in love with the new court astrologer.
So Martin returns to the countryside in search of Toncka, hoping that it hasn't been too long...and it's not too late...for them to fall in love.
The whole thing has a very magical fantasy vibe to it.
With some really awesome set designs, great costumes, wonderful special effects, and an expert use of that MGM glow.
It's definitely much more heavy on the fantasy, than it is on the horror, but it quite clearly plays off the whole Student Of Prague scenario- less the doppelganger bit- with a bit of Dorian Gray spun in.
And it really is a rather fun and enjoyable family-type film, that is saturated with magic, and a load of alluring scenery.
Definitely check it out, if you get the chance.
Especially if you are Svankmajer/Svankmajerova fans...as they not only provide the stop motion effects for the film, but also a wonderfully animated intro, and the poster for the film.
6 out of 10.
