Valerie a týden divu (1970)

Inspired by fairy-tales such as Alice in Wonderland and Little Red-Riding Hood, "Valerie and her Week of Wonders" is a surreal tale in which love, fear, sex and religion merge into one fantastic world.

Director:

Jaromil Jires

Writers:

Vítezslav Nezval (novel), Jaromil Jires (screenplay)

Stars:

Jaroslava Schallerová, Helena Anýzová, Petr Kopriva

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview:
Jaroslava Schallerová	...	Valerie
Helena Anýzová	...	Babicka / Elsa / Matka / Rusovláska
Petr Kopriva	...	Orlík
Jirí Prýmek	...	Tchor-konstábl
Jan Klusák	...	Gracián
Libuse Komancová	...	Sluzka-novicka
Karel Engel	...	Kocí Ondrej
Alena Stojáková	...	Hedvika
Otto Hradecký	...	Statkár
Martin Wielgus	...	Tchor-father
Jirina Machalická	...	Kvetinárka
Michaela Klocová	...	Sluzka
Zdenka Kovárová	...	Sluzka
Bedriska Chalupská	...	Sluzka
Robert Nezval	...	Muzikant

Storyline

A thief awakens Valerie, just 13, taking earrings left to her by her mother. By morning, the earrings have been returned, Valerie's first period has begun, and a troupe and a missionary have arrived in her 19th century town. The thief is Orick; he reports to a cloaked constable who may also be the missionary. Attention to sexuality is everywhere: Valerie's grandmother's puritanical nature, the missionary's sermon to the town's virgins, the parish priest's attempt to seduce Valerie, and lusty adults at play. Valerie's nascent sexuality puts her in great danger. Can she navigate the passage from innocence to experience, a route teaming with vampires, a murderer, and an obscure family tree?

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Plot Keywords:

innocence | older man younger woman relationship | grandmother granddaughter relationship | sexual symbolism | coming of age | 

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Genres:

Adventure | Drama | Fantasy | Horror

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

Czechoslovakia

Language:

Czech

Release Date:

16 October 1970 (Czechoslovakia)

Also Known As:

I Valerie stin evdomada ton thavmaton

Filming Locations:

Barrandov Studios, Prague, Czech Republic

Company Credits

Production Co:

Filmové studio Barrandov

Technical Specs

Runtime:

77 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This movie was filmed mostly during the summer.

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Goofs

Several times throughout the movie people are picking up musical instruments and music is heard as if they are playing them but the fingerings don't match up with the notes, or sometimes no hand manipulation is done at all, just the appearance of playing the instrument. In one case, Eaglet is playing the flute and plays it horizontally when it is the vertical kind.

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Quotes

[subtitled version]
Orlik: [of The Polecat] He's one hundred years overdue for death

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Connections

Referenced in O Bosque dos Sonâmbulos (2017)

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Soundtracks

Dobrou noc, má plavovlásko
Music by Lubos Fiser
Performed by Josef Abrhám

User Reviews

brilliant fable of adolescent awakening

A masterpiece of erotic confusion, Valerie comes as a delightful introduction to prolific Czechoslovakian director Jaromil Jires, whose career spans five decades. Jires blends reality and illusion to the extent that a synopsis does a disservice to the film, yet the literary story would work quite well on its own. Jaroslava Schallerovà, only 14 years old at the time, plays Valerie, a pretty young girl who lives with her grandmother in a beautiful yet antiseptic house. Her boyfriend (or perhaps brother), who goes by the name Eagle, sets off a chain of unusual events when he steals her earrings. A troupe of actors, or perhaps a wedding procession, comes into town, bringing with it a man who may be a monstrous vampire but may also be Valerie's father. Soon after Valerie's grandmother either disappears or dies, her Cousin Else shows up at the house and bears more than a striking resemblance to the grandmother (indeed, I believe these characters are played by the same actress). Things progress much along these lines, with eventually Valerie experiencing a major reawakening. Jires films in an impressively sensual manner, creating a mood through imagery rather than plot point. At times, however, the details get rather confusing, which can unfortunately shift attention from the beautiful composition and editing to deducing narrative developments. Many sequences appear to occur within the story but then end with the suggestion that they have just been imagined, introducing a need to constantly second-guess one's perceptions. Schallerovà plays the role with stunning (perhaps genuine) innocence. Without overindulged serenity, Valerie mystifies and befuddles through an agenda of symbol-soaked imagery and fantastic storytelling.