Hrabals postwar classic about a young mans coming of age in germanoccupied czechoslovakia is among his most beloved and accessible works. This forgiving bent is on ample display in closely watched trains one of the more moving debut features of the 1960s. Closely watched trains 1966 is one of them fereign films. Although no one will ever arrive at a definitive answer about who invented cinema probably because no single person was responsible, louis lumiere 18641948 has one of the strongest claims because he. This film is a stylish and sensitive examination of adolescent fears and insecurities, a topic that never ever goes out of fashion. Indeed, if youre charged up emotionally, youd better lie down for an hour or. One of my alltime favourite films since i saw this at the film school. September 2014 learn how and when to remove this template message.
In the meantime, we are lucky to have closely watched trains, a film that remains as fresh and potent as it was when we first saw it so many years ago, a film that continues to reward many a close rewatching. The film has certainly dated in its unabashed sexism, but its message of smaller personal concerns being swamped by greater political ones is still touching. He is ineptly led into an erotic encounter with a beautiful girl and fails to perform. Trainee milos has just joined the railway company and is learning the job. Wry and tender, academy awardwinning closely watched trains is a masterpiece of human observation and one of the bestloved films of the czech new. Its economy of expression, darkly spiced with humor, is in sharp contrast to the seriousness of its intent an anthem for doomed youth set in german occupied czechoslovakia in 1945. Oblivious to the war and the resistance that surrounds him, this young man embarks on a journey of sexual awakening and selfdiscovery, encountering a universe of frustration. I dont think ive ever seen a film so filled with metaphor and sly social criticism. In a small town still occupied by the germans as world war iis tide is turning toward the allies, apprentice trainwatcher milos is oblivious to the war.
But watched trains is really milos coming of age story, complete with the requisite. Closely watched trains 1966 6 11181966 xc comedy, drama, war 1h 33m user score. It is a comingofage story about a young man working at a train station in germanoccupied czechoslovakia during world war ii. Closely watched trains film by menzel 1966 britannica. Closely watched trains 1966 greatest film scenes youtube. He undergoes several philosophical changes as he becomes attracted to the czech underground. This oscarwinning czech film based on the german occupation of the country during wwii is as heralded as it is surprisingly simplistic. At a village railway station in occupied czechoslovakia, a bumbling dispatchers apprentice longs to liberate himself. A scene from 1966 czechoslovakian film closely watched trains ostre sledovane directed by jiri menzel. The relatively short history of film is packed to the gills with urban legends, both true and false, so it shouldnt come as a surprise that one of the firstever movie screenings is also the source of films most longstanding legends. Jiri menzels closely observed trains 1966 the author. Closely watched trains is a quiet, charming, very, human film. Bohumil hrabal the close watcher of trains art bin. Renowned film scholar georges sadoul in his dictionary of films wrote, jiri menzels first feature recalls the work of milos forman in its elliptically funny, but tender observation of the quirks of humanity.
Another source of entries was the list of movies that either take place on trains or feature memorable train scenes given in the movie list book. From jiri menzels famous film closely watched trains from 1966. It was released in the united kingdom as closely observed trains. Closely watched trains is the subtle and poetic portrait of milos hrma, a timid young railroad apprentice who insulates himself with fantasy against a reality filled with cruelty and grief. Closely watched trains npr coverage of closely watched trains by bohumil hrabal and translated by edith pargeter. Closely watched trains 1966 josef somr and jitka zelenohorska in closely watched.
Closely watched trains 1966 directed by jiri menzel. It merges a typical comingofage story with large amounts of humor and a somewhat uncommon war story. Closely watched trains by bohumil hrabal is the coming of age story of milos hrma, a young man in czechoslovakia. Closely observed trains won menzel a best foreign film oscar when he.
Its wwii and czechoslovakia is under the control of the third reich. Later i knew about the situation that many talented people went through in czechoslovakia after the prague springtime and the invasion of the country by the soviet tanks in 1968. It has won several international awards, including an oscar for best foreign film in 1967. Jiri menzels closely watched trains, his debut film which he made at the age of 28 and which one the academy award for foreign language film that year, is at once one of the simplest examples of a comingofage film and one of the most layered ones.
Our oblivious hero works as a train stationmaster trainee, woos the ladies, and encounters all sorts of odd people while apparently unaware that a war is going on around him. A funny look at a dramatic world through the eyes of railway workers in a small town in wartime czechoslovakia. When i saw this film, about twenty years ago, i knew nothing about bohumil hrabal, the author of the novel, and jiri menzel, the director. Czech director jiri menzels closely watched trains ostre sledovane vlaky was the recipient of the academy award for best foreign language film in 1967. Bohumil hrabal 191497 began writing stories when he was a member of an underground literary group in postwar czechoslovakia that. Did one of the first film audiences panic over footage of. A reference guide to film themes, settings, and series, by richard b. Closely watched trains at a village railway station in occupied czechoslovakia, a bumbling dispatchers apprentice longs to liberate himself from his virginity. See the full list of closely watched trains cast and crew including actors, directors, producers and more. This article needs additional citations for verification.
Closely watched trains is the perfect example of a smart comedy. Closely watched trains, a 1965 comingofage novella by the czech writer bohumil hrabal. The 15 most philosophical comedy movies of all time. Closely observed trains won the best foreign film oscar and sparked a brief craze for czech filmmaking in the west. Jiri menzel closely watches a young man whose life revolves. It comes from czechoslovakia and isnt pushy like those big american movies. Closely watched trains trailer turner classic movies. The setting is germanoccupied czechoslovakia during wwii. As the main character and narrator, twentytwo year old milos hrma tells the story of his time working at a. Jiri menzel, its director, stayed and was unable to make films for some time. In the story, based on bohumil hrabals novel of the same name, vaclav neckar plays a czech railroad worker during the nazi occupation. In the story we follow young milos during the last days of wwii. Arrow has done a great job with the transfer and special.
Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. The hidden world performed incredibly well in cinemas and has now. Beyond menzel, the name to survive is milos forman, whose the firemans ball 1968 was very much of a piece with the film under discussion, and who then of course went on to great success in hollywood with one flew over the cuckoos nest 1975 and amadeus 1984. Guised as a coming of age story of a young man, milos hrma, it is really the coming of age story of a country. Ostre sledovane vlaky is a 1966 czechoslovak film directed by jiri menzel and is one of the bestknown products of the.
Jiri menzel, closely observed trains 1966 closely watched trains, closely. Closely watched trains 1966 the criterion collection. Closely watched trains is a slender but tightly and skillfully written novella. Pack with lots of characters, acute observations of people, sexy, funny and sad in their turn. View the tcmdb entry for closely watched trains 1967. Closely watched trains 1966 the movie database tmdb. Closely watched trains, a czechoslovakian movie directed by jiri menzel in 1966, won the award in the best foreign language film category in 1968.
An apprentice train dispatcher at a village station seeks his first sexual encounter and. Closely watched trains 1966 greatest film scenes vishadan m. Closely observed trains, however, won hollywoods best foreign language film. Its no wonder ken loach regards this as a favourite film. Closely watched trains 1966 cast and crew moviefone. Armstrong and mary willems armstrong 1990, mcfarland, isbn 0899502407. The story is set in prague towards the end of the second world war. Ostre sledovane vlaky is a 1966 czechoslovak film directed by jiri menzel and is one of the bestknown products of the czechoslovak new wave. I dont know if im ready to declare closely watched trains a masterpiece yet, but, im pretty close. Day after day as he watches trains fly by, he torments himself. It has subtitles and is in black and white actually a strength as it is superb film stock.
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