Stíny horkého léta (1978)

User Rating:

8.4/10   

Director:

Frantisek Vlácil

Writers:

Jirí Krizan (story)
Jirí Krizan (screenplay)

Release Date:

September 1978 (Czechoslovakia)

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Juraj Kukura	...	Ondrej Baran
Marta Vancurová	...	Tereza
Gustáv Valach	...	Pavel Valchar
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Václav Babka
Jirí Bartoska	...	Banderovec 'belovlasý'
Karel Chromík	...	Banderovský porucík
Jana Hlináková
Karel Hovorka	...	Farár
Václav Kovárík
Ludovít Króner	...	Hostinsky
Peter Krsak	...	Muz v civilu
Augustín Kubán	...	Banderovec 'lysý'
Zdenek Kutil	...	Banderovec 'starý'
Michal Ladizinský	...	Opilec
Robert Lischke	...	Lukás
Marie Logojdová	...	Pavlínka
Steva Marsálek
Gustav Opocenský	...	Ranený Banderovec
Ilja Prachar	...	Porucík Grygar
Milan Sulc	...	Obchodník

Also Known As:

Shadows of a Hot Summer (International: English title)

Runtime:

Czechoslovakia:100 min

Country:

Czechoslovakia

Language:

Czech

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-16

Company:

Filmové Studio Barrandov

a small community under occupation

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

Once more, Vlacil's films are largely about subjects that are not seen on screen. With some spoilers, here we have a story set in 1947 when Ukrainian right-wing anti-Communist guerillas, looking like and feeling like Nazi's, are trying to fight their way through Czechoslovakia to Austria. They come out of the forest to occupy a family's countryside farm house, kidnapping a doctor to help heal one of their wounded, but this could just as easily be about the post-war occupying forces in Eastern Europe, or the occupying Soviet forces in the 60's, as there is an initial belief that there is nothing anyone can do, or to coin a STAR TREK phrase, `Resistance is futile.' The film has a very languid pace which establishes the mood and pace of this small village, much of it is wordless, with a Sergio Leone acid-western feel, easily the most outstanding feature is the original music by Zdenek Liska, which plays on the inner psychological turmoil, providing an unseen character in the film. The father gives the appearance of passivity, as he is outmanned and outgunned, while his eager young son wants a taste of immediate revenge. But a wiser course of action is called for, waiting, giving the impression he is yielding to their demands, as the father wants to protect the lives of his wife and children, which allows for large doses of screen time where various family members are performing daily farm chores, just trying to survive this ordeal, while interspersed in each frame are men with machine guns who sadistically threaten their every impulse. This farmhouse under occupation represents a country under occupation, all feel like helpless victims where every moment is spent in fear, any minute things could spin helplessly out of control, and this film skillfully gets under everyone's skin.