O slavnosti a hostech

Bland and pointless. At just over 1 hour in length, it drags on for what feels like a much longer time. At best, this movie might be useful for its soporific effect; it could very easily lull a tired person to sleep with its slow pace and meaninglessness. Beyond that, it's just another pretentious "art" project by someone who wanted to make a movie but had nothing to provide the viewers other than a small bit of surrealism.

This simple and intelligent movie skillfully and effectively questions conformism and obedience to authority. It was made within the framework of the Czechoslovak New Wave and banned as "subversive" after the Soviet intervention in 1968. The critique developed in this movie is applicable to every society, not just Cold War Czechoslovakia, and therefore is still very topical and significant.

The plot is surrealist: a picnic turns into an interrogation, but the guests are soon escorted to a birthday party, which then becomes a manhunt for the one man who refused to participate in it. Along with conformism and silent consent of the oppressed, the movie shows how those who have the monopoly over means of coercion and violence arrogantly enjoy their power and control, how they meet people's fear and uncertainty with smugish delight. Each scene is ambiguous and filled with symbolism - every conversation, as well as many one-liners, can be interpreted outside of their context and applied to various social issues, which makes the movie additionally provocative and politically interesting.

A group of friends are going on a picnic. They are stopped by unknown men during the way. They don't actually notice the moment when they become slaves of a game of absurd. A game they agreed to take part in. They were softly persuaded. Or they were trying to be kind. None of them is able to cross the line drawn on the sand. Except for one who will run away. The fugitive will be chased by the guest who do not do it because of fear. Simply said, they don't want to do any harm to the host...

An idyllic party turns into a prison camp, but the guests don't seem to notice that at all. It was a film about the world we used to live in. We were invited to a similar party and tried to pretend with keeping a smile on our faces. And the cinema was able to film that "escape towards freedom".

Jan Nemec was one of the biggest individuals of the young Czechoslovakian cinema of the 60's. It was already at college were he had trouble with censorship. It stated that he was picking the wrong subjects and that he reached out for wrong authors (Hlasko, Dostojevski). He was also accused of their wrongful interpretation.

...but if is has one it is no doubt subversive. That was the British Board of Film Censors' verdict on another surrealist film, and the same is true here. It isn't about communist coups or subversion; it's about the contradictions of human nature and that makes it much more dangerous than any ostensibly revolutionary or counter-revolutionary film. The host- who says he loves surprises but hates surprises he has not arranged himself- is more like a self-made businessman or an old-fashioned nobleman than any apparatchik and even more like god- he wants everyone to enjoy his banquet and is hurt if they don't, and takes drastic measures if his generosity is rejected, while his eccentric son tries to fulfil his desires.

Masterfully lensed film. Wonderful black and white compositions with great placement of figures in the frame.

This is a fiercely anti-Stalinist work that can relate to anyone who hates unquestionable authority. It's opening scenes are pure Kafka-horror. A sadistic magistrate sent down to interrogate people just trying to live their lives seems to have absolute freedom to torment and humiliate.

Then, the magistrate is himself humiliated by a benevolent, yet all- powerful, "host". At this point the tone becomes one of blackest satire. Clearly a commentary on the post-Stalinist USSR and eastern block, the authorities "banned the film forever."