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Loves of a Blonde (Lásky jedné plavovlásky) (1965); The Firemen's Ball (Horí, má panenko) (1967)

Loves of a Blonde (1965)
December 15, 2012 - 7:30 pm

Loves of a Blonde (Lásky jedné plavovlásky) (1965)

Directed by Miloš Forman

A troop of conscripts is sent to a small factory town with a man shortage. Their smooth moves at an organized dance fail to charm young schoolgirl Andula, though she falls for a fast-talking pianist, unexpectedly following him to his home in Prague. Ironic and touching, Forman’s portrait of love’s letdowns implicitly critiques social engineering in communist Czechoslovakia of the 1960s.

Filmové studio Barrandov. Producer: Rudolf Hájek, Vlado Hreljanovic. Screenwriter: Miloš Forman, Jaroslav Papoušek, Ivan Passer, Václav Sasek. Cinematographer: Miroslav Ondrícek. Editor: Miroslav Hájek. Cast: Hana Brejchová, Vladimír Pucholt, Vladimír Menšík, Ivan Kheil, Jirí Hrubý.

35mm, b/w, 88 min. 

The Fireman's Ball (Horí, má panenko) (1967)

"The movie is just plain funny. And as a parable it is timeless, with relevance at many times in many lands." - Roger Ebert

Directed by Miloš Forman

Forman’s absurdist comedy depicts social breakdown at a ball organized for a local fire department during which raffle prizes are looted, an impromptu beauty contest becomes a farce, and a fire breaks out, challenging inebriated firemen to do their job. Based on an actual anecdote, this allegory of official corruption and ineptitude was Oscar-nominated and provided a springboard to Forman’s American career.

Filmové studio Barrandov. Producer: Rudolf Hájek. Screenwriter: Miloš Forman, Jaroslav Papoušek, Ivan Passer, Václav Sasek. Cinematographer: Miroslav Ondrícek. Editor: Miroslav Hájek. Cast: Vaclav Stöckel, Josef Švet, Jan Vostrcil, Josef Sebánek, Milada Jezková.

35mm, color, 73 min.