theatrum-1

"F. L. Vek" is legendary TV serial based on the extensive novel by Alois Jirásek, famous Czech author of historical novels. Its central character is Frantisek Ladislav Vek, literary projection of interesting historical person living in years 1769 and 1847. The serial catches his childhood in the village, teenage in one Prague cloister, where he was educated, young years in Prague where he was studying philosophy and adult age after his comeback to village. He was big lover of art and music. His life was an encounter between longing and need, art and conventional life of village merchant, obligation and love, Catholicism and protestant faith. He was big patriot and he consorts with many Czech artists of its time (so the serial is full of historical men and women). He also met W. A. Mozart and sang in the premiere of his opera Don Giovanni. The important theme of the time was Czech language (in relationship with German language) which was viewed as one main element of nationality. And fight for it was the leitmotiv of all Vek's (Hek's) life.

This serial which reflects the epoch of the birth of independent Czech nation was pictured in the similar time. 1971 was time when the idea of so called Prague Spring (1968) was suppressed by starting Normalization. Serial represents national trusts in social and political changes on the picture of Czech National Revival. There were many analogies between those and these days (e.g. censorship, religion submission, totalitarianism, domiciliary search and - - revolt against it, braveness of revivalists...). The performances are great. Radoslav Brzobohatý is excellent in his role of young and adult F. L. Vek, Antonie Hegerlíková as his mother is moving and convincing (as well Jan Pivec in role of his severe and unwavering father), Jan Triska as poet Sebestian Hnevkovský is cheerful, Radovan Lukavský as poet, translator and dramatist Václav Thám is splendid in his rise and fall. I must recommend this work (which had been forbidden for a long decades of communist totality in Bohemia) - it's an example of "ancient" art of Czech TV serial. The best actors, perfect screenplay and fascinating atmosphere.

"Golden Fish" is one of average crime stories from the seventies. This time (first of all the decade after occupation of Czechoslovakia in 1968) was called the Normalization. And this weak movie is a good illustration of it. Although the story is interesting (the investigation of murder of drug-sub-dealer with a few suspicious), the realization is ineffectual, schematic and untrustworthy. There are many goofs, stereotype dialogs and banal acting of some persons. The investigators (one elderly, experienced detective and a few young criminologists) are played by noble actors, their behavior seems to be resolute and clear. The black and white look on the problematics continues with the picture of drug addicts, who are represented by long-haired boys with emblems of hippies (it's a reductive expression of Czech underground). It's a element of propaganda known from other syn-chronic literary or film works (e.g. Thirty Cases of Major Zeman) but there's no wit or charm, only sterile seriousness. I like this movie only for the memories on my first meeting with it in my teenage.