Báječná léta pod psa 1997

The story of an ordinary family living in Czechoslovakia from around 1963 until the Velvet Revolution. Based on the semi-autobiographical novel by Michal Wiewegh.

The film perfectly captures the mood and sense prevailing in communist Czechoslovakia. We open with a queue for meat which Father (Ondrej Vetchy) bypasses to do some blackmarket dealing with the butcher. "Mother" (Libuse Safrankova - at her usual brilliant best) is expecting her first child (which arrives at an unfortunate time - just after the interval at the theatre). Baby Kvido is the apple of his grandmothers' eyes but his formative years are interrupted by the Soviet Invasion of 1968. The film follows the effect the Soviet "occupation" has on Kvido's parents. The mid-life crisis of Father is fed by the arrival of the stunningly beautiful Mirjana from what used to be Yugoslavia. Mother and Father fall out over dinner when Mirjana is invited round. The film explores how the weight of a cruel and corrupt society and an unhappy marriage drag a man down.

Starring the wonderful Libuše Šafránková (Libuse Safrankova - Three Wishes for Cinderella) and the handsome Ondrej Vetchy (Dark Blue World).

Original Czech dvd release. Czech spoken language, subtitles in ENGLISH and Czech. Region 2 Pal dvd comes in a flat cardboard sleeve (there are 2 versions of the covers, the main picture shows the version available now). Please check your dvd player compability.

Please note: My listings include now "economy shipping", although I will continue to send items via regular air mail. This is only to protect myself from buyers opening 'items not received' cases too early, as Ebay's delivery estimates have allowed that.