Kids r kids of morrisville: Kids R Kids Morrisville | Cary Magazine

“The Radio Prague competition dedicated to Czech cinema made me go back to my barefoot childhood and relive the memories and emotions that the film I am about to talk about evoked in me. Back in 1969, as a first-grader boy, again and again, by cunning and cunning, I “dragged” my parents into a small cinema in the capital of Kyrgyzstan, Frunze, in order to watch the film again, which simultaneously tickled my nerves and made me laugh. What was shown there? A parody of a horror film and at the same time a mystical detective film by Borzhivoy Zeman “The Ghost of Morrisville Castle” (Fantom Morrisvillu).

In 1965 began and ended in 1968, a surprisingly short, but fruitful for Soviet distribution policy, period of familiarizing the viewer with world culture – not separate significant films that somehow got there, but an attempt to give the viewer an adequate idea of ​​the real course of the modern film process. In 1966, Soviet people could not see real, modern horror films, as well as westerns and spy thrillers. Inaccessible emotions were compensated by Czech parody comedies: instead of James Bond, the audience was delighted by The End of the Agent, instead of Sergio Leone’s westerns – by Lemonade Joe, and Polansky was replaced by The Phantom of Morrisville Castle.

The drummer of the symphony orchestra during the concert not only plays his rare parts, but also reads the English detective, which he placed among the notes on the music stand. And this book makes such an impression on him that he imagines himself as its hero, Sir Morris Hannibal, the owner of a medieval Gothic castle, who is about to marry the beautiful Lady Clarence.

The Phantom of Morrisville Castle

Some consider The Phantom to be a parody of a horror film, others to an English mystical detective story, but to me it looks like two in one. Its detective aspect is made in the image and likeness of the “hermetic” detective. “Hermetic” means that the action takes place somewhere in an isolated place (in a castle, on a yacht), where, by the will of fate, the heroes are cut off from civilization. “Accidentally” there is a detective and a suspicious person.

One of the “highlights” of the film is the method of introducing a ghost into the film: it is given according to the principle of the 25th frame, that is, one frame with an image of something terrible is imprinted into a normal action, and then it is repeated from time to time. As a result, we do not see this terrible yet, but we already feel it. This film is still capable of being enjoyable thanks to a good knowledge of what is being parodied. And finally, what made a special impression on my fragile nervous system – the Hindu sleeping on nails and the banjo machine gun of Manuel Diaz.

Irina Danilova wrote about her favorite Czech film .

Film “Three Nuts for Cinderella”

“Today is Friday! In the evening, a fairy tale! – I ran from art school as fast as I could, “wouldn’t be late!!!” I sat comfortably on the sofa and listened to the story of Aunt Valya, the host of the television program “Visiting the Fairy Tale”, about the city of Prague. Streets with old lanterns and houses with towers flashed on the black-and-white TV screen. The country seemed magical, and the black-and-white TV pictures were incredibly colored! And what an unusual name the actress playing the main role had – Libushe. I remember it for the rest of my life! The world’s most amazing fairy tale “Three Nuts for Cinderella” was shown on the screen. This is the most magical story ever! In the fairy tale everything was as it should be, as it should be right for us, for children. There was no fairy that gives a dress and shoes, there was no pumpkin that turns into a carriage and vice versa. In this film – everything is like in life, but only there is a miracle, so imperceptible and so obvious that you believe in it with all your might! And then, as a child, I watched this fairy tale and dreamed not about dresses, but about a horse and a crossbow, about adventures, about making my life bright and interesting with my own hands and, of course, dreamed of true love!

On Monday at school we discussed a new fairy tale with the girls. My friend Svetka suddenly said: what a terrible name, Ligushe, and she is not at all beautiful, Natasha Kharitonova from the parallel class is much more beautiful. I was a little angry with her because Svetka misheard the name of the actress. Her name is Libushe, I defended, and during the break I went secretly to look at this Kharitonova Natasha, in order to convince myself that Svetka was wrong. For my strictest taste, Natasha was not even worth Libusha Shafrankova’s little finger! I was delighted, but no longer shared my secrets with anyone.

The film “Three Nuts for Cinderella”

Many years later, I watched this fairy tale several more times: the second time when I studied at an art school. I watched the film for the third time when I was a student of the graphic arts faculty of the Pedagogical Institute. Early in the morning, we were sleepy, tormented by a slight hangover in mismatched pajamas, sitting around the TV and watching this magnificent fairy tale, Gulnara’s 14-year-old son laughed at us, and we were happy!

And now I freely bought a DVD with this fairy tale and have already watched it twenty times, probably! When I’m sad or too tired after work, I turn on this amazing film and realize how brilliant and timeless it is! There are absolutely no special effects, except for a very small one, but there is incredible warmth, great love and a miracle in which we don’t believe at all sometimes, that’s why we don’t have them . … But the most heartfelt thing was that I understood the words of the song, performed by Karel Gott (I’ve been learning Czech for half a year), and they were all about me!:) About my life. I am the same bird that keeps flying around the world, knows little grief and still does not build its nest in any way ……

Pavel Travnichek (center) in the film “Three Nuts for Cinderella”

I would like to write a script and film a sequel to this fairy tale! The main roles will, of course, be Pavel Travnichek and Libushe Shafrankova, the adult king and queen! And there will be a completely new story, new miracles and, probably, new special effects, although it doesn’t matter so much…»

Until the next meeting in letters. Loreta Vashkova and Anton Kaimakov worked on the program, argued, quarreled and put up.

All reviews of the movie “The Phantom of Morrisville Castle” (Czechoslovakia, Czech Republic, 1966) – Afisha-Kino

All movie reviews

Fantom Morrisvillu, Czechoslovakia, Czech Republic, 1966

6. 8

7.3

• • 17×17

    258 Reviews, 293 ratings, rating 169

    on the occasion of the elderly seld Sir Hannibal Morris ( oldřich Nov Wor83) with a young wife Clarens in the sort of brief a bunch of guests arrive, among which gossip journalist Alan Pinkerton ( Vít Olmer ) and his constant police opponent Inspector Brumpy ( Jaroslav Marvan ). Immediately after the wedding, strange and sometimes inexplicable events begin to occur in the house – the bride faints several times, the groom is tried to be killed, an uninvited guest appears claiming an inheritance, and a mystical figure in a black robe is watching all this confusion from behind the walls. Convinced of the seriousness of the danger threatening everyone, Pinkerton and Brumpy begin to investigate ….

    The well-known in our country film “The Phantom of Morrisville Castle” is the brightest example of mass comedy cinema in Czechoslovakia in the middle of the last century. The tricks taken from Western cinema were polished to a shine in order to show the “unprepared” viewer of the socialist countries a slightly different, parodic dish – one that could digest the consciousness of an immature proletariat. Therefore, you should not look for some clever moves or jokes here, the meaning of which becomes clear after a while, here, on the contrary, everything is very simple and concise. The fact that it is interrupted by… turning the pages of a book read by the percussionist of the symphony orchestra and through whose mouth the narration is being conducted…

    The protagonist is played by Vit Olmer, who is simply insanely similar to Andrei Mironov – as it should be, a tall, stately blond of athletic build, who, in addition to everything, is extremely witty and tactful.
    In contrast to him, the image of a fussy and stupid detective of Scotland Yard, vaguely reminiscent of the image of Inspector Lestrade performed by our Brondukov, was created.
    The villain is a slender curly-haired character named “Singing Diaz”, who takes his charm and singing rather than brutality and cruelty.
    Well, what a Czech cinema without sexy women – there are even two of them. Moreover, the director even leaves one of them in a negligee for a couple of frames – can you imagine what a sensation it was at the cinemas ?.

    In general childhood it is never too late to remember with a kind word …

    April 1, 2011

  • Evgeny Khokhlov

    76 reviews, rating 64

    5

    Czechoslovak film Parodia for English classical children’s children.

    There is no detective intrigue, however, as such. Actually, the ghost appears for only two minutes, and the rest of the time the actors play together a standard sitcom with a criminal tinge.

    October 25, 2009