gudaulin

They say "three strikes, and you're out," but in the case of these TV productions, two similar experiences are enough for me, and the third time I'll save my time for something more worthwhile. I don't know the stage play, but its adaptation for television is not so much humorous as it is a festival of awkwardness. The actors overact incredibly, which might be intentional to a large extent, but it comes off as forced and cheaply pandering. Jitka Čvančarová is a mediocre actress, suitable at best for a telenovela. Overall, this production is for regular readers of tabloids. Overall impression: 20%.

Typical Fellini. The director focuses his attention on decorations, costumes, bizarre characters, and a huge amount of symbols on the screen, while the plot itself is insignificant. Fellini incorporated autobiographical elements into the story of a housewife dealing with her husband's infidelity. It is a distinctly personal film. For the viewer, it is a feast for the eyes, although due to the number of dream scenes and the loose pace, it certainly isn't a film for everyone. Overall impression: 80%.

A rather imaginative elaboration of the motif of the mysterious story by the genre classic Ray Bradbury, which I had the opportunity to read some time ago. There are certainly many reservations - for example, that the script is unfinished and the direction is weak - but since I approached The Gathering from the beginning as a small genre film primarily intended for the television screen, I didn't have exaggerated expectations that would lead to disappointment. Overall, it is an average film in its genre, i.e., a mysterious drama with elements of horror. Christina Ricci is charismatic even when the script doesn't work well for her, and the combination of Christian mysticism with supernatural horror is functional. Overall impression: 50%.

A weaker television average, where a more significant experience is hindered by overly superficial execution and typically limited television budget. The choreography of the sword fights could and should have been more imaginative. Overall impression: 45%.

This was an attempt by Věra Plívová-Šimková to venture into the field of a socially engaged film with an environmental theme. However, it is influenced by the time period, so the child characters collect the waste of untidy vandals without revealing deeper connections to the ecological crisis. In her filmography, it is rather a weaker work. Overall impression: 50%.

I would say that this is a somewhat overrated film. The concept is good, especially in the first half, where the director unfolds a game full of disturbing hints and doesn't push too hard, it has a decent atmosphere, and in some moments it is even comically entertaining, although it is primarily a psychothriller with a horror atmosphere. Unfortunately, in the second half, the script unfolds way too wild of a performance around the psychosis of the main character and his gradual mental breakdown. The problem is also that Polanski as an actor is far from the qualities of Polanski as a director, so it is true that films where Polanski cast himself in the lead role are noticeably weaker. A charismatic actor like Jack Nicholson should have been cast in the part where the film escalates and shows the paranoia of its protagonist. Polanski succeeds in the first half, where he only needs to show his shy face, but he fails in the parts where he meant to unfold a wide range of emotions. Overall impression: 55%.

A detective film where Karel Höger stands out in terms of acting, and as an interesting note, it was directed by Oldřich Nový. From today's perspective, it's nothing exceptional. Overall impression: 50%.

An attempt to build on the American school of classic detective stories in the noir style. It has a very good cast with the central duo of Dana Medřická and Jaroslav Marvan, as well as a decent script, but it is somewhat outdated and the actors in the supporting roles are not as good. Overall impression: 60%.

During its broadcast on the American television market, this sitcom was very popular, managing to empty entire streets despite the exceptionally high competition from other TV stations. The creators approached the subject differently than Altman, who directed a very raw and unpleasant anti-war film about the absurdities of war. The series M*A*S*H is clearly more mainstream, full of positively-tuned humor, with an emphasis on humanistic values while maintaining the original anti-war sentiment of the story. The series was successful practically everywhere it appeared, and as far as I know, it received exceptional reception, especially in Israel, where they have their own experiences with war, so why not at least laugh about it? For me, MASH was never a full-fledged cult show, and I was bothered by a certain slickness of the environment. Above all, the quality of the series declined over time, with later episodes sometimes even plagiarizing themselves. Overall impression: 75%.

I traditionally have a problem with Vlasta Burian's acting, as I tend to lean more toward intellectual verbal humor, but I must admit that Vlasta Burian was excellent in this film and it is probably the only film where I fully accept his acting style. It's a lever comedy that surprisingly still has something to say today, and from a historical perspective, it deserves a solid 5 stars. Overall impression: 90%.