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The Death of Stalinism in Bohemia (1991)

Konec stalinismu v Cechách (original title)
| Animation, Short | 1991 (Czechoslovakia)
The Death of Stalinism in Bohemia Poster
A bust of Stalin is cut open on an operating table, leading to an elaborate animated depiction of Czech history from 1948 (the Communist takeover) to 1989 (the Velvet Revolution). Some ... See full summary »

Director:

Jan Svankmajer

Writer:

Jan Svankmajer
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Storyline

A bust of Stalin is cut open on an operating table, leading to an elaborate animated depiction of Czech history from 1948 (the Communist takeover) to 1989 (the Velvet Revolution). Some knowledge of the subject is essential in order to understand the film, which is entirely visual. Written by Michael Brooke <michael@everyman.demon.co.uk>

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Plot Keywords:

communism | surrealism | territory name in title | symbolism | independent film | See All (5) »

Genres:

Animation | Short

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

1991 (Czechoslovakia) See more »

Also Known As:

The Death of Stalinism in Bohemia See more »

Company Credits

Production Co:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), Nomad Films See more »
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Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color
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Did You Know?

Connections

References How to Drown Dr. Mracek, the Lawyer (1975) See more »

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User Reviews

 
Bohemian rhapsody in blue (plus red and white)
28 August 2006 | by lee_eisenberg – See all my reviews

After so many years of quirky imagery in his short films, Jan Svankmajer made "The Death of Stalinism in Bohemia", portraying the history of Czechoslovakia from the time that the Soviet Union took over in 1948, to the Velvet Revolution in 1989. Probably the two most fascinating scenes are when a bust of Stalin is cut open and they pull out another bust, and then when rolling pins charge through the streets like Soviet tanks crushing Prague Spring.

Even for someone like me, who doesn't know all that much about Czech history, this is still an impressive piece of work. I definitely recommend it.
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