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.
