Prince Bayaya

"Bajaja," a tale penned by Bozena Nemcova, a towering figure of the Czech National Revival whose visage graces their currency today despite being relatively unknown on the world stage, has been adapted by Jiri Trnka, the "master of puppets," himself a Czech luminary who, sadly, hasn't achieved global recognition. Yet, this adaptation continues to enchant.

Even with all the technological advancements, technical capabilities, marketing prowess, and manpower at our disposal today, major studios still approach stop-motion animation with trepidation. It's an inherently arduous and painstaking process.

Now, imagine undertaking such a feat in 1950s Czechoslovakia, relying entirely on analog methods.

This alone should suffice to illustrate the unparalleled brilliance and enduring value of Jiri Trnka's work.

'Bajaja' is exactly my kind of film, am a fan of fantasy and films based on folk tales and legends. The European and Soviet ones especially appeal to me. Also highly appreciate stop motion and puppet animation, especially the older stuff. Of all the directors that specialised in this kind of visual style, Jiri Trnka to me is one of the best. Some may find some of his work on the slow and old-fashioned side now, but that is an emphasis on some and may. Personally found myself immediately captivated after watching my first film of his 'The Emperor's Nightingale'.

Do absolutely agree, and there is not that much really to add, that this was the sort of story that most played to Trnka's strengths and where he really shone. 'Bajaja' to me was wonderful and is one of his best, largely because of it being one of the best examples of where he most excelled. As well as one of his most accessible, 'Bajaja' is one of those films where one doesn't necessarily need to be familiar with the Czech language to find some value in it and of his output this and 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' are good places to start.

Visually, 'Bajaja' is a wonder and is one of Trnka's best looking works. It is beautifully shot but faring even better is the enchanting and atmospheric scenery and the lively but also nuanced designs for the characters, nothing cheap here. The music, like its own character, is full of energy and beauty of tone, with a real feel for the period and a nostalgic Czech folklore vibe at times. Trnka's direction is elegant and classy throughout.

It's beautifully written in terms of story and how things map out, clearly written with a lot of honesty and affectionate love for the genre. The story is full of charm and heart, with no intelligence-insulting moments. It is also quite busy, without being too noisy or complicated, while also having bite, entertainment value, a wide range of emotions and a sympathetic quality. And it doesn't matter that there are recognisable elements and tropes, as it is one of those legend and folk-tale kind of stories.

A few of Trnka's films could be deemed slow and it is dependent on how strong the story is. The story is strong and eventful here and the fantasy/folk-tale atmosphere is so vivid, so nothing here is dull whatsoever. The characters are colourful and worth rooting for, not complex but well written.

Overall, wonderful. 10/10.

A masterpiece by the puppet master Jiri Trnka. Much better than "The emperor's nightingale". Trnka does his best when he uses old Czech legends, as in this case. The camera work and the sets are simply incredible. Colors and shadows are superb. It's fascinating how he creates a first rate animation movie with a very simple animation in fact, because there are no face movements, but the puppets express a very wide range of emotions anyway and you get touched all along the movie.

The story is complex, epic and tender. It's about a poor peasant that becomes a knight and falls in love with a beautiful princess. Pure European legend in its best tradition. There are fights, dragons, love, all perfectly animated for the sake of art and entertainment. The music is the second protagonist of the movie, because words are almost inexistent.

Maybe this film can be a little harsh for today's Western viewers, but if you are pure at heart and you like Miyazaki and Tezuka movies you will love it.