The Sorcerer's Apprentice

I saw this movie twice in my youth. It played (both times) on Canada's French CBC channel-Radio Canada in the early 1980's. The film was shown on the (now defunct) Saturday matinée series Ciné-Famille . The film itself had been dubbed in French. To this day I can remember the film as being hauntingly beautiful, captivating, mesmerizing. Everything from the transfiguration of the Miller's disciples into Ravens, to the Master Disciple(s) having to build their own coffins before their final confrontation with the Miller. This film is a masterpiece thru and thru. Sure wish I could find a French or English copy of it. I saw it today on E-Bay, but it was the German version, no subtitles ($30 + US after shipping). I should still put a bid on it. Even a version in a foreign (to me) language is worth getting.

I saw this movie two years ago at a Zeman retrospective in Montreal and I was amazed. Not only was the story excellent, but who could have imagined that such an old movie from Czechoslovakia could be so well animated ? This is not Pixar, but there is a true master of animation at work here. I saw a couple of other movies from Zeman, but this was the best. Cross your fingers and hope your local art house shows this movie someday.

Unbelievable story, excellent animation, treasure of cinematography.. What more to say?

I am actually happy I didn't have a chance to see this movie when I was a kid, because I would not be able to sleep for very very long time.. Sooo scary and dark, so much of fear, and I don't remember when last time I felt so helpless while watching a movie..

it is not another naive fairy-tale where the Good beats the Bad somehow automatically and you are just witnessing that with smile on your face 'couse you expected that.. Easily beats most of late horror movies just by atmosphere, no special tricks needed.. recommend to everyone, you wont be disappointed.. amazing, 10 of 10, no questions asked..

At first I was incredibly skeptical about this, but it turned out to be something really special.

I read the the book at school - quite a lot of years ago. And as I remembered it, it was quite good. But what almost made me not watch it was the style of animation. It reminded me of South Park but just more old school and stiffer in the way it's animated. I thought this is not going do be interesting but it was the opposite. Especially the style of animation made its atmosphere and deepness. It creeped me out some times.

The story is good. But what makes it is the way it's told. You see the main character become a grown-up in some ways and it's darkness and violent moments. One of the main feelings is despair in this movie.

Its really hard to explain but this is really something unique as far as I know. The combination of animation, the story, the character development and music is just unique.

Everybody should see this.

I saw this movie on a children's program on Dutch TV when I was on basic school, I cannot remember if it was before or after 1980. What I do remember is the impact it made on me : an atmosphere that could be called "Gothic" in the Romantic sense of the word, I still cannot believe this was broadcast on TV for youths when I especially recall the hand-shaking ceremony of the master wizard, by this magically taking the new apprentice of the mill as his magical disciple. I did not know much about the Satan's pact of the popular witchcraft stories, but GOSH, that moment was creepy to the bone!!!! The exclamation of the master wizard when the young apprentice is taken into the magical brotherhood of the other young disciples "Now the mill grinds again!!" is forever engraved in my mind!! If anyone knows where this masterpiece is distributed, send me word...