After success of Kytice (internatinoal: Wild flowers), which is based on the famous collection of poems of K.J.Erben, one of the most well-known character of classic Czech literature, Mr. Brabec went for even more famous poem Máj of K.H. Mácha, which is considered the peak of Czech romanticism (learnt by heart in almost every Czech high-school).
I'm not sure, whether Máj has some decent translation in English. If not, it could make the film in-apprehensible for a non-Czech viewer. As the poem is in center, recited through the whole movie by Jan Tříska, amateur English translation could ruin it all.
In general Brabec made a good job with this movie. The photography is wonderful. It makes look the Czech scenery (which I as the Czech citizen find predominantly boring) beautiful and truly dramatic. The music is also very good. Aside of the poem, there are very few dialogs. That's why the music plays such an important role, sometimes even make you shiver.
The weakest point of the movie is undoubtedly the scene after Vilém having killed his own fathers rides past the gallows where ghosts of the dead appear to him. The music is really unsettling (something like half rap half electronic version of Máj) and the whole scene make you more smile than hold your breath as the rest of the movie usually does.
The whole story is being told by the village executioner (Jan Tříska), whose scarecrow face appears on the screen more than is needed. Sure that face of his has some dramatic features, but as I said before, he is in the shot almost more often that the main characters.
Despite the above mentioned criticism, the movie shows well the atmosphere of the poem, and the romantic spirit of K.H.Mácha work. I give 7/10.
I'm not sure, whether Máj has some decent translation in English. If not, it could make the film in-apprehensible for a non-Czech viewer. As the poem is in center, recited through the whole movie by Jan Tříska, amateur English translation could ruin it all.
In general Brabec made a good job with this movie. The photography is wonderful. It makes look the Czech scenery (which I as the Czech citizen find predominantly boring) beautiful and truly dramatic. The music is also very good. Aside of the poem, there are very few dialogs. That's why the music plays such an important role, sometimes even make you shiver.
The weakest point of the movie is undoubtedly the scene after Vilém having killed his own fathers rides past the gallows where ghosts of the dead appear to him. The music is really unsettling (something like half rap half electronic version of Máj) and the whole scene make you more smile than hold your breath as the rest of the movie usually does.
The whole story is being told by the village executioner (Jan Tříska), whose scarecrow face appears on the screen more than is needed. Sure that face of his has some dramatic features, but as I said before, he is in the shot almost more often that the main characters.
Despite the above mentioned criticism, the movie shows well the atmosphere of the poem, and the romantic spirit of K.H.Mácha work. I give 7/10.