Reading an old issue of UK Film Mag Empire,I noticed Kim Newman (who also does an informative intro) review a Czech Sci-Fi film. Whilst trying to find the disc,I discovered that there are a large number of other Czech Sci-Fi titles that I've not heard of before. Deciding to spend April watching one Czech movie a day,I decided to watch the film which started my examination of Czech cinema.
View on the film:
Before getting to the film,I have to praise Second Run's excellent transfer,which along with offering clear audio and clean subtitles also has a razor sharp image.
Flying into space just before the Soviet Union loss their optimism in the "Space Race",co-writer/(along with Pavel Jurácek) director Jindrich Polák looks to the stars with a tantalizing sense of grandeur.
Backed by a shimmering score from Zdenek Liska, Polák makes what are clearly model effects be easy to forgive,thanks to Polák giving them a real hefty weight. Casing the movie in a "serious" shell, Polák opens the ship up to delightfully quirky,Art- Deco contents,that leaps from a futuristic disco from the genre staple groovy robot.
For their un-credited adaptation of Stanislaw "Solaris" Lem, (who was known for being "difficult",which is likely why he was not credited) the screenplay by Polák and Jurácek aims a (restrained) punch against "The West" by making all of the deadly weapons in space be covered in English language words.
Spreading peace,love and communism across the galaxy,the writers impressively take a rather realistic approach to the future machines,that include vitamin-style food pills and CCTV being used by the crew to follow office gossip. Finding conflict in peace,the writers soak the spaceship in a fantastic lived in mood,thanks to peeling away the polite manners of the space crew to unveil their abrasive natures,as Ikarie flies close to the sun.
View on the film:
Before getting to the film,I have to praise Second Run's excellent transfer,which along with offering clear audio and clean subtitles also has a razor sharp image.
Flying into space just before the Soviet Union loss their optimism in the "Space Race",co-writer/(along with Pavel Jurácek) director Jindrich Polák looks to the stars with a tantalizing sense of grandeur.
Backed by a shimmering score from Zdenek Liska, Polák makes what are clearly model effects be easy to forgive,thanks to Polák giving them a real hefty weight. Casing the movie in a "serious" shell, Polák opens the ship up to delightfully quirky,Art- Deco contents,that leaps from a futuristic disco from the genre staple groovy robot.
For their un-credited adaptation of Stanislaw "Solaris" Lem, (who was known for being "difficult",which is likely why he was not credited) the screenplay by Polák and Jurácek aims a (restrained) punch against "The West" by making all of the deadly weapons in space be covered in English language words.
Spreading peace,love and communism across the galaxy,the writers impressively take a rather realistic approach to the future machines,that include vitamin-style food pills and CCTV being used by the crew to follow office gossip. Finding conflict in peace,the writers soak the spaceship in a fantastic lived in mood,thanks to peeling away the polite manners of the space crew to unveil their abrasive natures,as Ikarie flies close to the sun.