Ostre sledované vlaky (1966)

User Rating:

7.9/10   

Director:

Jirí Menzel

Writers:

Bohumil Hrabal (novel) and
Bohumil Hrabal (screenplay)

Release Date:

18 November 1966 (Czechoslovakia)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | War

Plot:

A young man follows his father's footsteps and joins the railway company, where he learns the job and has his first affair...

Plot Keywords:

Virginity | Railway Station | Czechoslovakia | Train | Explosion

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 1 win & 4 nominations

Cast

Václav Neckár	...	Milos Hrma
Josef Somr	...	Hubicka
Vlastimil Brodský	...	Zednicek
Vladimír Valenta	...	Max
Alois Vachek	...	Novak
Ferdinand Kruta	...	Uncle Noneman
Jitka Scoffin	...	Masa (as Jitka Bendová)
Jitka Zelenohorská	...	Zdenka
Nada Urbánková	...	Victoria Freie
Libuse Havelková	...	Max's wife
Kveta Fialová	...	The countess
Pavla Marsálková	...	Mother
Milada Jezková	...	Zdenka's mother
Zuzana Minichova
Václav Fiser	...	Plasterer (as V. Fiser)

Also Known As:

Closely Observed Trains (UK)
Closely Watched Trains (USA)

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

Czechoslovakia

Language:

Czech | German

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Certification:

UK:15 | South Korea:15 | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Chile:18 | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 | Sweden:15 | West Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Lodenice, Czech Republic

Company:

Filmové Studio Barrandov

Trivia:

In the opening sequence, the "German" tank shown during the anecdote about Janos' grandfather is a Soviet SU-152 "tank killer" of WWII vintage.

Goofs:

Continuity: The blanket covering the stamped girl changes between shots.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Jeopardy!: (#26.35)" (2009)

Unusual use of stamp pads!

Imagine coming of age in a time when you are surrounded by sexual images. This Academy Award winning film can be the Czechoslovakian version of so many of the Judd Apatow films we see today.

Brilliantly photographed in black and white, it shows Milos (Václav Neckár) trying to become a man. His first opportunity with his girlfriend Masa (Jitka Bendová) ends in disaster and he attempts suicide. His doctor advises him to get a more experienced woman to teach him, so he goes on a quest to find one.

This all takes place during the Nazi occupation of Czechoslovakia, so there are many political overtones to the film. It is hilarious as Milos works at a train station where his coworker Hubicka (Josef Somr) doesn't seem to have problems getting action whenever he wants.

He does manage to arrange help for Milos, but tragedy strikes before he is able to use his new found knowledge with his girlfriend.

An excellent picture and a real funny story that manages to avoid the crudity of modern tales of the same sort.