Stars: Jaroslava Schallerová, Helena Anýzová, Petr Kopriva, Jirí Prýmek, Jan Klusák, Libuse Komancová, Karel Engel, Alena Stojáková, Otto Hradecký | Written and Directed by Jaromil Jires
A Czechoslovakian cult classic, Valerie and Her Week of Wonders, based on a novel written by the poet, Vitezslav Nezval, was adapted to the screen and directed by Jaromil Jires, a film-maker associated mostly with his prominence during the Czech New-Wave of cinema in the 60’s. This, probably his seminal film, has now found a home on Blu-ray in the UK thanks to Second Run (the film is out there on Criterion in the States too), and I was happy to sit down again and experience this masterpiece of Czech art cinema for the first time in a few years.
Ethereal from the outset, Valerie and Her Week of Wonders almost resembles a 60’s experimental film made by students, the opening credits look amateur in a way,...
A Czechoslovakian cult classic, Valerie and Her Week of Wonders, based on a novel written by the poet, Vitezslav Nezval, was adapted to the screen and directed by Jaromil Jires, a film-maker associated mostly with his prominence during the Czech New-Wave of cinema in the 60’s. This, probably his seminal film, has now found a home on Blu-ray in the UK thanks to Second Run (the film is out there on Criterion in the States too), and I was happy to sit down again and experience this masterpiece of Czech art cinema for the first time in a few years.
Ethereal from the outset, Valerie and Her Week of Wonders almost resembles a 60’s experimental film made by students, the opening credits look amateur in a way,...
- 2/24/2020
- by Chris Cummings
- Nerdly
Valerie and Her Week of Wonders
Written by Jaromil Jires and Ester Krumbachová
Directed by Jaromil Jireš
Czechoslovakia, 1970
Beginning with Jaroslava Schallerová’s glance directly into the camera, Valerie and Her Week of Wonders instantly and insistently unravels in playful nods of incongruous and intentionally self-conscious stylization. Directed by Jaromil Jireš, this 1970 feature, in classic art film tradition, takes a basic narrative with reasonably standard character types and turns the whole thing topsy-turvy via stunning imagery, a proliferation of ambiguous symbolism, and a structure that leads to places quite unexpected, if certain sequences lead anywhere at all. It certainly is a wondrous week for young Valerie, and the film itself is equally astounding.
After Eaglet (Petr Kopriva) steals Valerie’s (Schallerová) magical earrings, apparently at the behest of the Constable (Jirí Prýmek), otherwise referred to/existing as the malicious Polecat, a vampire-type monster who terrorizes a small Czech town, an...
Written by Jaromil Jires and Ester Krumbachová
Directed by Jaromil Jireš
Czechoslovakia, 1970
Beginning with Jaroslava Schallerová’s glance directly into the camera, Valerie and Her Week of Wonders instantly and insistently unravels in playful nods of incongruous and intentionally self-conscious stylization. Directed by Jaromil Jireš, this 1970 feature, in classic art film tradition, takes a basic narrative with reasonably standard character types and turns the whole thing topsy-turvy via stunning imagery, a proliferation of ambiguous symbolism, and a structure that leads to places quite unexpected, if certain sequences lead anywhere at all. It certainly is a wondrous week for young Valerie, and the film itself is equally astounding.
After Eaglet (Petr Kopriva) steals Valerie’s (Schallerová) magical earrings, apparently at the behest of the Constable (Jirí Prýmek), otherwise referred to/existing as the malicious Polecat, a vampire-type monster who terrorizes a small Czech town, an...
- 7/7/2015
- by Jeremy Carr
- SoundOnSight
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