Zánik samoty Berhof
Directed by:
Jiří SvobodaCinematography:
Vladimír SmutnýComposer:
Jozef RevalloCast:
Jana Brejchová, Ladislav Křiváček, Evelyna Steimarová, Milan Kňažko, Marek Probosz, Zbigniew Suszyński, Petra Kolevská, Vítězslav Pohanka, Štefan Mišovic (more)Plots(1)
World War II may have come to an end but in the Czech-Polish-German border region life is still full of danger. Bands of Nazi guerrilla Werewolves are hiding out in the forest, waiting to get across the frontier into Germany. Along the way they force themselves upon the humble local farms, leaving a trail of corpses in their wake. Based on the novel of the same name, the film’s director avoids the usual period simplification, instead constructing a monumental tragedy of people in critical situations, concentrated into a few days and within the walls of a secluded mountain dwelling. Along with the farmer’s daughter Ulrika, the heroes here are Fear, Despair, Brutality and Destruction, yet ultimately also Mercy, the bringer of hope. The film’s sombre atmosphere is heightened by Smutný’s expressive lens and a mesmeric score. (Karlovy Vary International Film Festival)
(more)Reviews (2)
Depressing times, bleak surroundings, human cruelty, and somber footage make you want to find the nearest beam to hang yourself from, but the whole point is that in everything, no matter how difficult, you need to find a sliver of happiness. Perhaps by pulling the cart a bit further... A comparison with Vláčil’s Shadows of a Hot Summer comes to mind, and that film the edge with its tightness and character development. On the other hand, the name Ladislav Křiváček, though lacking Juraj Kukura's charm, manages to capture attention even without a pitchfork in hand.
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Quite a depressing depiction of the post-war period on the Czech-Polish-German border that keeps me awake at night. To give this the fifth star, I was missing maybe only something that would somehow alleviate the brutal rawness with which Mr. Jiří Svoboda made this film, because as it is, it made me terribly sick in my stomach. Imagine that you live on a remote farm and you hope that, after the German and Soviet troops, armies will finally stop passing through your fields when suddenly the war comes to an end. Normally you would rejoice and celebrate, but unfortunately there are some guerillas who are unable to accept defeat. I didn’t know that such dark films used to be made in my country. The Downfall of the Secluded Berhof is one such film and also one of the most atmospheric Czech films I’ve ever seen.
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