The Czechoslovak New Wave (Unit 1)

The Czechoslovak New Wave

Peter Hames 'The Czechoslovak New Wave'
Cover image taken from
Chytilova's Daisies (1966)

The Czechoslovak New Wave, (also known as the Czechoslovak film miracle) is a film movement that happen almost directly along side that of the French New Wave, in the late 1950s to the 1960s (rapid came into form in 1963/64) though a fairly short-lived movement, (the soviet invasion of 1968 put an end to the movement) the years it was around, was almost an explosion of experimental, political statements. The films that came out of this movement gave Czechoslovak cinema an international name. Particularly, after the two academy awards it received for best director and the recognition it received over all the international film festival circuits.





This movement was born of out a frustration with the stalinist 'socialist-realist'. These Avant guard film-makers, wanted to make films that made a statements about the oppressive society of the time. Unsurprisingly a number of these films were immediately banned, that is, if they were even allowed to be made in the first place. A good number of the directors, including the only major female director to come out of the Czechoslovak New Wave, Vera Chytikova,  was in fact banned from making films for 6 years.


'the Czechoslovak New Wave can be seen both as a 'revitalisation movement' and as a progressive development towards a socialist culture'
Hames, P. (2005) The Czechoslovak New Wave, second edition. Wallflower Press


Notable Czech New Wave Directors

• Vera Chytilova - Something Different (1963), Daisies (1966), The Apple Game (1976), Fruit of Paradise (1970)
• Jaromil Jires - The Cry (1963), The Joke (1969), Valerie and Her Week of Wonders (1970)
• Ivan Passer - Diamonds of the Night (1964), A Report On the Party and the Guests (1966)
• Juraj Herz - Morgiana (1972)
• Jiri Menzel - Closely Observed Trains (1966)

• Milos Forman - This director different from the others mentioned due to the fact that after the Czechoslovak New Wave, he made his move into Hollywood becoming well known for films such as One Flew Over the Cockoos Nest (1975). Prior to this, Forman began his career as a Czech New Wave director, making films such as, A Blonde in Love (1965) and The Fireman's Ball (1967)

Valerie and Her Week of Wonders
1970
Jaromil Jires

Closely Observed Trains
1966
Jiri Menzel

Morgiana
1972
Juraj Herz

Social/Historical Background

1948 - Feb, Coup d-etat
           Communist Party of Czechoslovakia seized power backed by the Soviet Union
           Declared 'People Republic' by the 9th May constitution until 1960s

Most of East Europe (including Czechoslovakia) was forced in communist regime by the soviet union and remained under Nazi occupation during the war. The became under a totalitarian rule, impose by the stalinist regime.
For a brief time, Socialist Realism was imposed on the film industry, lasting until at least 1956. During this time, film makers did not have full creative control over the films the chose to make. Many of them being banned should have been allowed release in the first place, it may have even been that they were not allowed to make the film at all if the script was considered 'too political' (suggesting the current political stance was negative, anything that could be called propaganda was of course allowed).
11th July 1960 - 'Czech Republic' named changed to 'Czechoslovak Socialist Republic' after implementing the 1960 constitution of Czechoslovakia. This was considered a symbol of 'final victory of socialism'
The Prague Spring (a period of liberalisation, that began when Dubcek was elected the first secretary of the communist party. during the time go soviet domination in Czechoslovakia after world war 2) was crushed in 1968 by the soviet-led forces. The 1989 Velvet Revolution marked the collapse of communism, giving way to liberal democracy. This also caused Czechoslovakia to become, Czech and Slovak Republics (1993)
The country was characterised by the the absence of democracy and competitiveness with the western European nations as part of the cold war (except for a short period in the 1960s)
1970s - saw a dissident movement into Czechoslovakia represented by Vaclav Havel (Amongst others) There was greater political participation and expression in the face of official disapproval.

How This Effected The New Wave ...

Even before The New Wave, Czech cinema was known for being pessimistic, cynical, and full of black humour. It took a strong interest in fantasy and was particularly good at creating surrealist film. This cinematic pessimism was 'intensified by the political traumas of Stalinism'. When The soviet forces came and invaded in 1968, The Prague Spring was crushed and then followed by a severe period of repression. They ironically named this 'normalisation'. During this time 'normalisation', many films were banned, and the well known surrealist tendency  was made illegal after the world war 2. Svankmajer states: 'Czech surrealism could not react to this absurd reality and therefore all creation during this period was evidently less "poetic" and "lyrical" and was more "sarcastic", full of black and objective humour'
Something else that is notable about the history of Czech cinema is the way in which the film makers take fantasy and and myth to a surrealist level, often eating is recurring motif. They take the childish, infantile nature of fairy tales and added an element of dark horror. Again I mention the work of Jan Svankmajer, who made a version of Alice In Wonderland (with the help of British Channel 4) which I cannot help but compare to Valerie and Her Week of Wonders. This idea of being infantile, is something that we can most certainly link with Chytilovas Daisies, we see these two Maries, playing with food and giggling girlishly. All these small details from earlier czech cinema are still notable in the new wave films, the new wave directors just use them in a different way, that makes a stronger political statement and involves a much more contemporary thematics style.
Historical films were also popular in the czech cinema scene. Mainly focusing on World War Two, The Holocaust and in the context of The New Wave, Stalinism.



(Contemporary world cinema, European cinema. Shohini Chaidhur) 

Jonny Walker Whiskey Advert (1960s)

Alos, in the 60's Vera Chytilova became more commercially known with the advert she created for Jonny Walker whiskey. The advert consists of a series of clips from the climatic scene in her most popular film, Daisies.







Below is a link that will take you to a copy of my final essay on this topic.

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B1joQre2b8KOd2NJWVB3Rkd6UEU/edit