Surviving Life (Theory and Practice) (2010)

The film uses a mix of cut-out animation from photographs and live-action segments, and tells the story of a married man who lives a double life in his dreams, where he is married to another woman.

Director:

Jan Svankmajer

Writer:

Jan Svankmajer (screenplay)

Stars:

Václav Helsus, Klára Issová, Zuzana Krónerová

2 wins & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Václav Helsus	...	Evzen / Milan
Klára Issová	...	Evzenie
Zuzana Krónerová	...	Milada (as Zuzana Kronerová)
Daniela Bakerová	...	MUDr. Holubová
Emília Doseková	...	Super-ego
Marcel Nemec	...	Colleague
Jan Pocepický	...	Antiquarian
Jana Olhová	...	Prostitute
Pavel Nový	...	Janitor
Karel Brozek	...	Boss
Miroslav Vrba	...	Fikejz
Frantisek Polata	...	Doctor
Ludmila Hanuláková	...	Cashier in Sportipo
Lenka Dvorská	...	Cashier in cinema
Vaclav Jezek	...	Waiter

Storyline

The film uses a mix of cut-out animation from photographs and live-action segments, and tells the story of a married man who lives a double life in his dreams, where he is married to another woman.

---

Plot Keywords:

psychotronic film | dream | surrealism | part animation | 

---

Taglines:

Psychoanalytická komedie (A psychoanalytical comedy)

---

Genres:

Animation | Comedy | Fantasy | Mystery

---

Details

Official Sites:

Athanor [Czech Republic] Bontonfilm [Czech Republic]

Country:

Czech Republic Slovakia Japan

Language:

Czech

Release Date:

16 September 2010 (Slovakia)

Also Known As:

Surviving Life

Box Office

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$11,133

Company Credits

Production Co:

Athanor, C-Ga Film, Ceská Televize

Technical Specs

Runtime:

109 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital EX

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Connections

References La Dolce Vita (1960)

User Reviews

Psycho/dream analysis in original setting, with hilarious special effects

We have not often the chance to see both famous psycho analysts Freud and Jung attending a real psycho analysis session, where they can observe what became of the science they invented. This film offers that rare opportunity, even to the extent that we see these two learned experts fighting over the approach taken.

In fact, Freud and Jung are just pictures hanging on the wall. Not limited by their form they cover their ears, or applaud what is being said by the resident psychiatrist. Some of the time they even strike or kick each other, resulting in broken glass and ultimately both falling on the floor.

Things like this, and many other "impossible" things, can be turned into reality when integrating live figures with an animated decor. The director makes his appearance at the start of the film, to explain this uncommon setting as being inevitable, not being able to raise enough cash for a "real" film. Given what we know about this director, we easily pick this up as a joke, because of his established fame in delivering animated pictures.

The story gets complicated where reality starts getting mixed with dreams, but not too difficult to follow. Missing one or two clues is not the end of this particular world, where humor and satire go along hand in hand. That is especially the case when psychiatric practices are ridiculed, for instance the frivolous attempts made to explain the dreams of the main characters in this story.