***SPOILERS*** ***SPOILERS*** A widescreen black and white 13th century Middle Ages drama that, with a few spoilers here, opens with a wedding A shy young boy offers his gift of flower petals to the bride, but underneath are bats, so his father, in a rage, literally throws his son against a brick wall, promising to offer this child to God if he survives. Later, the boy is seen joining the Order of the Teutonic Knights, befriending one of the brethren there by lying naked in the cold sea together, nearly numb from the cold as the waves continuously roll over their bodies, concluding `One must suffer to find God.' Oddly, they remain friends, but develop differing religious views, which pits one against the other. The boy returns home to his village after his father dies and develops an attraction for his step-mother, which evolves into one of the best sequences in the film. There is a procession of children singing and chanting, a sign of complete innocence, while the boy, now a young man, assumes his father's position and takes hunting dogs out into the countryside where they release a young deer, then let the dogs give chase until they consume the deer. This is juxtaposed against the scenes of the children, while the step-mother enters a private room that resembles a dungeon, removes her garments above the waist and flagellates herself, but the young man catches her in the act. She rejects him, claiming `I am your mother,' but then in the next scene, leads him out into the woods where she proclaims they can be married, and lo and behold, they are lovers, only to be spotted by the other brethren from the Order, who has maintained his religious zealotry, and feels the need to stop humans from behaving like dogs. So of course, the prominent scenes in this film are scenes of humans being mangled by wild, hunting dogs, who were thought of as werewolves, possessors of evil, supernatural powers. The contrast of this kind of paganism and a more ordered, structured religion, both equally intolerant, both causing a great deal of suffering, frames the story, while outside the Order's walls, the ocean is ever present, timeless, and never ceases to cleanse man's sins away.
5 Reviews
A Czech film that takes place in a grim setting
Red-1253 July 2011
The Czech movie "Údolí vcel," directed by Frantisek Vlácil, was shown in the U.S. with the title "Valley of the Bees" (1968). The film is set in the Middle Ages, in a time of unrest and ceaseless war or preparations for war.
A young man, Ondrej, (Petr Cepek) is attending the wedding of his father to a much younger woman, Lenora (the famed Czech actor Vera Galatíková). The boy presents flowers to the bride, but underneath the flowers he has placed bats. His father is so furious that he seizes his son, and flings him against a stone wall. The young man is unconscious, and appears dead. His father vows that, if the child is saved, he will dedicate him to a religious life.
The boy does, indeed, survive and enters an order of religious knights, who are sworn to piety and celibacy. At the home of the order, Ondrej is taken under the wing of a somewhat older knight, Armin (Jan Kacer). Armin has an obvious homoerotic attraction towards Ondrej, although it's not clear to me whether there is a mutual attraction.
The rest of the drama plays out when Ondrej decides to return home, which is forbidden. Other knights who have attempted to leave the order have been caught and (literally) thrown to the dogs. Armin follows the younger man, presumably in order to bring him back safely to the order. Events really begin when Ondrej reaches his destination.
Another reviewer has compared this film to Bergman, and I agree. Think "Seventh Seal" with rampant self-flagellation, superstition, and violence. Not an easy or a pleasant movie, but a powerful and memorable one.
We saw the film in the wonderful Gene Siskel Theatre in Chicago. Where else could you see a Czech movie made over 40 years ago? The Siskel Theatre is one of Chicago's cultural treasures.
Like The Seventh Seal, this film will work better on a large screen, but if it's available on DVD, by all means see it. You may or may not like it, but you won't forget it.
A young man, Ondrej, (Petr Cepek) is attending the wedding of his father to a much younger woman, Lenora (the famed Czech actor Vera Galatíková). The boy presents flowers to the bride, but underneath the flowers he has placed bats. His father is so furious that he seizes his son, and flings him against a stone wall. The young man is unconscious, and appears dead. His father vows that, if the child is saved, he will dedicate him to a religious life.
The boy does, indeed, survive and enters an order of religious knights, who are sworn to piety and celibacy. At the home of the order, Ondrej is taken under the wing of a somewhat older knight, Armin (Jan Kacer). Armin has an obvious homoerotic attraction towards Ondrej, although it's not clear to me whether there is a mutual attraction.
The rest of the drama plays out when Ondrej decides to return home, which is forbidden. Other knights who have attempted to leave the order have been caught and (literally) thrown to the dogs. Armin follows the younger man, presumably in order to bring him back safely to the order. Events really begin when Ondrej reaches his destination.
Another reviewer has compared this film to Bergman, and I agree. Think "Seventh Seal" with rampant self-flagellation, superstition, and violence. Not an easy or a pleasant movie, but a powerful and memorable one.
We saw the film in the wonderful Gene Siskel Theatre in Chicago. Where else could you see a Czech movie made over 40 years ago? The Siskel Theatre is one of Chicago's cultural treasures.
Like The Seventh Seal, this film will work better on a large screen, but if it's available on DVD, by all means see it. You may or may not like it, but you won't forget it.
"But your spirit will rise,above your weakness,and human wretchedness."
morrison-dylan-fan28 April 2016
Warning: Spoilers
Getting near the end of viewing one Czech film from the Cold War era every day for April,I decided to look around on YouTube for any hidden gems.Finding nothing but non-Eng Subs movies,I suddenly spotted the first part (with Eng Subs) of a Czech movie that a fellow IMDber had mentioned,which led to me getting ready to be stung by the bees.
The plot:
Joking around with his dad, Ondrej soon discovers that his dad is unable to take a joke,when he is almost beaten to death.Feeling guilty, Ondrej's dad decides to send him off,in order to become a member of the Order of Teutonic Knights.Joining the Knights,Ondrej follows their rules as closely as possible,and begins to admire fellow Knight Armin von Heide. Restrained by the rules,Ondrej decides to escape from the Teutonic Knights.Feeling betrayed,Heide decides to go in search of Ondrej,in order to cleanse him of his sins.
View on the film:
Draining any mythical aspect from the film,co-writer/(along with Vladimír Körner) director Frantisek Vlácil & cinematographer Frantisek Uldrich dig into the rustic edge of the Czech New Wave,by laying the castles and the outdoor wilderness bare,with the saturation of white giving the title a brittle atmosphere.Limiting the background soundtrack to chants,a small amount of folk singing and the eerie sound of bees, Vlácil gives the film a cold "saintly" mood,where the burnt-out whites are broken by the black tar of blood running down the screen.
Reaching the screen just as the Soviet Union invaded the country,the screenplay by Körner and Vlácil displays a sharp allegorical sword,by making Ondrej's discovery of his individuality one that struggles to break free from the dogmatic rules/religion that the Knights have decided to follow without the slightest of whisper of doubt.Getting very close to the edge,the writers give the relationship between Ondrej and von Heide a strikingly homo-erotic undertone,where the wounds of jealousy fuel Heide increasingly fanatic nature,as Onedrej enters the valley of the bees.
The plot:
Joking around with his dad, Ondrej soon discovers that his dad is unable to take a joke,when he is almost beaten to death.Feeling guilty, Ondrej's dad decides to send him off,in order to become a member of the Order of Teutonic Knights.Joining the Knights,Ondrej follows their rules as closely as possible,and begins to admire fellow Knight Armin von Heide. Restrained by the rules,Ondrej decides to escape from the Teutonic Knights.Feeling betrayed,Heide decides to go in search of Ondrej,in order to cleanse him of his sins.
View on the film:
Draining any mythical aspect from the film,co-writer/(along with Vladimír Körner) director Frantisek Vlácil & cinematographer Frantisek Uldrich dig into the rustic edge of the Czech New Wave,by laying the castles and the outdoor wilderness bare,with the saturation of white giving the title a brittle atmosphere.Limiting the background soundtrack to chants,a small amount of folk singing and the eerie sound of bees, Vlácil gives the film a cold "saintly" mood,where the burnt-out whites are broken by the black tar of blood running down the screen.
Reaching the screen just as the Soviet Union invaded the country,the screenplay by Körner and Vlácil displays a sharp allegorical sword,by making Ondrej's discovery of his individuality one that struggles to break free from the dogmatic rules/religion that the Knights have decided to follow without the slightest of whisper of doubt.Getting very close to the edge,the writers give the relationship between Ondrej and von Heide a strikingly homo-erotic undertone,where the wounds of jealousy fuel Heide increasingly fanatic nature,as Onedrej enters the valley of the bees.
The Middle Ages Come to Life
nbott22 October 2002
This is, without a doubt, one of the finest films I have ever seen. It works so well on so many levels. It is a religious drama, an historical drama and a darn good yarn. The acting is first-rate throughout and the cinematography and music are breathtaking in their beauty. Vlacik had an obvious fondness for deep poetic and metaphysical image and story-telling. But, he also had a gift for sheer drama. There are many shocking moments that almost take your breath away. You really feel you are in the Middle Ages with all of its existential isolation and horror.
The previous reviewer describes the film fairly well so I will not get into the actual story. But if you have a chance to see this film at a film festival, see this film. This film is as good as the best of Kurosawa, Rivette, Bergman, Angelopoulos etc. 10 points out of 10.
The previous reviewer describes the film fairly well so I will not get into the actual story. But if you have a chance to see this film at a film festival, see this film. This film is as good as the best of Kurosawa, Rivette, Bergman, Angelopoulos etc. 10 points out of 10.
Rich, absorbing, phenomenal historical drama
I_Ailurophile19 December 2021
The filming locations are choice, and as one should expect of Theodor Pistek, the costume design is absolutely outstanding. Fresh off his masterful 'Marketa Lazarová,' director Frantisek Vlácil again demonstrates his utmost skill with phenomenal, meticulous arrangement of shots and scenes, and further guiding his cast into careful, steadfast performances. Everything about the production design and art direction is truly top-notch, clearly considered and realized only with painstaking mindfulness - all brought to fruition within Frantisek Uldrich's cinematography, lush and striking despite the black and white presentation. From a visual standpoint, by all means, this is fantastic - and though it ultimately requires a bit of patience at the outset, 'Údolí vcel' as a whole is a superb cinematic experience.
I could understand some viewers being put off by the somewhat staggered, unnatural pacing of the film. Vlácil's direction is very precise, as is the screenplay he concocted with Vladimír Körner, such that there is no extraneous element in the story or the film at large. Still, it's a precision that feels mechanical and artificially ordered, instead of organic and fluid - not unlike the chaste, nigh ascetic moral persuasion of the knights depicted in the narrative. Yet so long as one can abide that minor indelicacy, there is much to love about 'Údolí vcel.' Characters are complex and vivid, as is the dialogue. The story is compelling and fabulously absorbing, filled with strong themes - including not least of all pride, arrogance, and the cruel haughtiness and inhuman demands of religious zealotry; cleanliness is godliness, and godliness is next to devilry. We're treated to complicated and roiling emotions, engaging drama - and touches of more robust violence, too. And it's all capped off with wonderfully strong scene writing to actualize every slight detail of every last aspect: dynamic, vibrant, as full of life as it is thoughtfully conjured.
I admit having rather high expectations to begin with, having greatly enjoyed 'Marketa Lazarová.' My assumptions were squarely met: this is an excellent movie, another fine example of a marvelous classic that has been much too forgotten, overlooked, and underappreciated in the years since its release, especially outside Slovakia and the Czech Republic. I feel like I am being far too brief in my praise, but I struggle to speak at greater length without betraying plot points. Suffice to say that for anyone who is receptive to international cinema, and to high-minded classics so grand in their craft as to approximate art films, I think this is a roundly essential view. I am solidly impressed - frankly, I think this is just about perfect. It won't be for everyone, for many reasons, but as far as I'm concerned - if you have the opportunity to watch 'Údolí vcel,' then it is well worth seeking out to do so.
I could understand some viewers being put off by the somewhat staggered, unnatural pacing of the film. Vlácil's direction is very precise, as is the screenplay he concocted with Vladimír Körner, such that there is no extraneous element in the story or the film at large. Still, it's a precision that feels mechanical and artificially ordered, instead of organic and fluid - not unlike the chaste, nigh ascetic moral persuasion of the knights depicted in the narrative. Yet so long as one can abide that minor indelicacy, there is much to love about 'Údolí vcel.' Characters are complex and vivid, as is the dialogue. The story is compelling and fabulously absorbing, filled with strong themes - including not least of all pride, arrogance, and the cruel haughtiness and inhuman demands of religious zealotry; cleanliness is godliness, and godliness is next to devilry. We're treated to complicated and roiling emotions, engaging drama - and touches of more robust violence, too. And it's all capped off with wonderfully strong scene writing to actualize every slight detail of every last aspect: dynamic, vibrant, as full of life as it is thoughtfully conjured.
I admit having rather high expectations to begin with, having greatly enjoyed 'Marketa Lazarová.' My assumptions were squarely met: this is an excellent movie, another fine example of a marvelous classic that has been much too forgotten, overlooked, and underappreciated in the years since its release, especially outside Slovakia and the Czech Republic. I feel like I am being far too brief in my praise, but I struggle to speak at greater length without betraying plot points. Suffice to say that for anyone who is receptive to international cinema, and to high-minded classics so grand in their craft as to approximate art films, I think this is a roundly essential view. I am solidly impressed - frankly, I think this is just about perfect. It won't be for everyone, for many reasons, but as far as I'm concerned - if you have the opportunity to watch 'Údolí vcel,' then it is well worth seeking out to do so.
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