Greedy Guts (2000)
"Otesánek" (original title)

When a childless couple learn that they cannot have children, it causes great distress. To ease his wife's pain, the man finds a piece of root in the backyard and chops it and varnishes it into the shape of a child. However the woman takes the root as her baby and starts to pretend that it is real. When the root takes life they seem to have gained a child; but its appetite is much greater than a ... See full summary »

Director:

Jan Svankmajer

Writers:

Karel Jaromír Erben (fairy tale), Jan Svankmajer (screenplay),

Stars:

Veronika Zilková, Jan Hartl, Jaroslava Kretschmerová

6 wins & 8 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Veronika Zilková	...	Bozena
Jan Hartl	...	Karel
Jaroslava Kretschmerová	...	Alzbetka's Mother
Pavel Nový	...	Alzbetka's Father
Kristina Adamcová	...	Alzbetka
Dagmar Stríbrná	...	Pani spravcova (mrs. caretaker)
Zdenek Kozák	...	Mr. Zlabek
Gustav Vondracek	...	Mladek, the postman
Arnost Goldflam	...	Gynaecologist
Jitka Smutná	...	Bulankova, the social worker
Jirí Lábus	...	Policeman at station
Radek Holub	...	Young postman
Jan Jirán	...	Karel's co-worker
Zdenek Palusga	...	Uniformed policeman
Frantisek Polata	...	Plainclothes policeman

Storyline

When a childless couple learn that they cannot have children, it causes great distress. To ease his wife's pain, the man finds a stump in the backyard and chops it and varnishes it into the shape of a child. However the woman takes the root as her baby and starts to pretend that it is real. When the root takes life they seem to have gained a child; but its appetite is much greater than that of a normal child.

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Plot Keywords:

baby | cult film | bottle | pregnancy | white socks | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Fantasy | Horror | Thriller

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Details

Country:

Czech Republic UK Japan

Language:

Czech

Release Date:

25 January 2001 (Czech Republic)

Also Known As:

Little Otik

Filming Locations:

Knovíz, Czech Republic

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$7,335 (USA) (21 December 2001)

Gross:

$116,710 (USA) (3 May 2002)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Athanor, Barrandov Biografia, FilmFour

Technical Specs

Runtime:

132 min 125 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital EX

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Originally, Jan Svankmajer wanted to shoot this film in early nineties and considered to cast Woody Allen and Mia Farrow as Karel and Bozena.

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Quotes

Bozena: He's our child and we have to stick by him through thick and thin.

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Connections

References Twin Peaks: Pilot (1990)

User Reviews

Strange, enjoyable, worth a look.

I had the good fortune to see this at a special showing in Washington introduced by the director. I just wanted to say that I found it fascinating, very funny, and pretty unnerving at moments. Friends of mine had recommended Svankmajer's animated works, which I have yet to see and hopefully will be able to track down and watch.

I love the visual effects-- they don't have the polished look of digitized Hollywood extravaganzas, but they have a curious, unruly life to them which I found infinitely more interesting. This is a sharp, funny, likeable yet disturbing folktale on film, and I strongly recommend those with a taste for the unusual seeking it out.