"30 prípadu majora Zemana" (1975) TV series

Writers:

Jirí Sequens (writer)
Jaroslav Sikl (novel)

Seasons:

1

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Plot Keywords:

Criminal | Number In Title | Character Name In Title

Cast

Vladimír Brabec

...

Jan Zeman / ... (30 episodes, 1976-1980)

Also Known As:

30 Cases of Major Zeman (International: English title) (informal alternative title)
Tricet prípadu majora Zemana (Czechoslovakia) (alternative spelling)

Country:

Czechoslovakia

Language:

Czech

Color:

Color

Company:

Ceskoslovenská Televize

Movie Connections:

Edited into Rukojmí v Bella Vista (1980)

Masterpiece when you write thesis on Czech socialist movies

Otherwise not worth seeing.

This is a 1975 serial celebrating 30 years of Czech Police (1945-75). It tells a story of one man returning from concentration camp in 1945 - a true communist - who joins the newly created communist led police forces and spent his live at the service. In each episode he solves a case. He begins with post-war Nazis hiding in the Czechoslovakia, "agents from the West", continues with couple of murders, as well as some usual crimes. It ends with stories aimed to criticize independent musicians and artists and showing them all as drug addicts.

As for its size, the production costs etc. it is definitely one of the most expensive serials made during the communist era. Many locations were used. Each part is over 80minutes of footage.

The characters are black and white. No mistake ever admitted. It is a serial full of lies, which should not be taken seriously in any way except that this is the truth the communist believed. No joke ever.

It is sometimes aired on TV. I do not think it was ever published on VHS or DVD and never any translation will be made. If you are a scholar seriously studying Czech propaganda film production it is a must to see, but otherwise... not worth wasting your time.