Les mrtvých

In his later years, Jiří Svoboda succumbed to the belief that he is a cross between Fellini and Kubrick, which unfortunately is not true... Recently, I literally endured two television productions that disgusted me with their cheap pandering. This film displeases me for almost the same reason, albeit from the opposite end – it pretends to be high art and tries to use inappropriate means to achieve it. It's overly pretentious, full of cheap and, most importantly, disruptive symbolism (the constantly appearing German Shepherd or the repeatedly passing carriage with long-dead wedding guests). The production lacks moderation, particularly evident in some of the actors' performances (both the hired killer and Jan Dolanský and Lívia Bielovič in the leading roles), who, likely at the director's behest, attempt such exaggerated, expressive acting as if they had escaped from old silent German films. The visual concept is excessively stylized, as is the script full of eccentric characters. The intention was probably to create something in the style of magical realism, but the screenwriter is not Márquez, and Svoboda is not Jakubisko. Overall impression: 25%. (18.10.2009)