Chronicle of a court jester
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| German title | Chronicle of a court jester |
| Original title | Bláznova kronika |
| Country of production | Czechoslovakia |
| original language | Czech |
| Publishing year | 1964 |
| length | 80 minutes |
| Rod | |
| Director | Karel Zeman |
| script |
Pavel Juráček , Radovan Krátký , František Smolík , Karel Zeman |
| production |
Václav Dobeš , Růžena Hulinská , Jiří Maras |
| music | Jan Novák |
| camera | Václav Hunka |
| cut | Miroslav Hájek |
| occupation | |
| |
Chronicle of a court jester (alternative title [in the GDR]: Die Hofnarrenchronik , original title: Bláznova kronika ) is a Czechoslovakian adventurous comedy film with fantasy elements and cartoon sequences in black and white from 1964 . The film was shot by Karel Zeman , who - together with Pavel Juráček , Radovan Krátký and František Smolík - wrote the script. Petr Kostka , Miloslav Holub and Emília Vášáryová can be seen in the leading roles . The work had its world premiere on December 18, 1964 in Czechoslovakia. In the German-speaking area it was seen for the first time on May 14, 1965 in what was then the GDR. In the Federal Republic of Germany it had its premiere on June 13, 1967 in the program of the ARD .
action
The young Bohemian farmer Peter is a simple-minded foolish fellow, comparable to Hans Jakob Christoffel von Grimmelshausen's Simplicissimus . From the field, along with his ox, the Mansfeld recruits drag him to war, which later generations will call the thirty-year- old. Peter succeeds in escaping the Mansfeld men, but only to fall into the hands of the imperial family, who are also in need. “Nobody takes away our right to a hero's death,” they chant as they go into battle in a good mood. Together with Matthias, an obsessional comrade who was the only one who was able to escape a battle, Peter soon finds himself in trouble again when - because of his pretty looted clothes - he is mistaken for a gentleman who is a good match for the lord's daughter, Princess Veronika, should deliver.
Matthias, Peter and the farmer girl Lenka, who met the two boys on the way and were happy to take them with them, find involuntary quarters in a castle dungeon . But the fortunes of war are capricious, and the whims of Lady Fortuna (and those of the damsels) carry Peter and his companions - the girl disguised as a jester - back to more comfortable rooms. It goes back and forth between the fronts a few more times until Peter and Lenka finally escape the merry-go-round of war and look for a quieter, more peaceful life somewhere in the dark.
Reviews
The Protestant Film Observer draws the following conclusion: “Czech feature film […] that exposes the senselessness of war. The successful, sometimes highly poetic mixture of feature film and trick scenes allows the director to mock the stupidity and empty pathos of the people who have been walking hand in hand with uniforms and military equipment for centuries. A film whose nicely packaged educational element is also intended for younger viewers. ”The lexicon of international films also came to a positive conclusion. It notes succinctly: "Subtle, enjoyable entertainment."
Web links
- Chronicle of a jester in the Internet Movie Database (English)
- Five pictures from the film at Cinema.de
Individual evidence
- ^ A b Evangelischer Filmbeobachter , Evangelischer Presseverband München, Review No. 243/1967, pp. 327–328.
- ↑ Lexicon of international films, rororo-Taschenbuch No. 6322 from 1988, p. 547.