Jan Švankmajer's last film on Indiegogo

[garbed_attic]

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-last-film-by-jan-svankmajer-insects--4#/

To quote from an interview with fellow Czech animator Jiří Barta: "Under censorship with the Communists you were able to make films, now you have freedom you cannot get the finance to back your projects."

I know quite a few of us here are fans. My MA dissertation and a chapter of my PhD thesis were on Jan's work. For films with such abrasive textures and disjunctive editing patterns I don't half find them soothing!! I think they really appeal to me as someone who's had quite bad OCD since childhood. I also think his sly, absurdist goofy-violent humour translates well to British shores.

It's sad to think that the Czech film industry now produces significantly less films per year than under Communism... and not only during the Prague Spring. So, it makes sense that Švankmajer's turned to crowd funding. Not that I can imagine him being much of a computer person himself.

Also, if this goes ahead, maybe Barta will try the same approach to finish his long, long-gestating Golem project!

I guess they'll always be Americans using Prague for cheap shooting and equipment though!!



Post your favourite Švankmajer films here!

[Blumf]

Not that I can imagine him being much of a computer person himself.

What was the technique used on Surviving Life, I assumed it involved a lot of computer based composition, but maybe not.

http://www.electricsheepmagazine.co.uk/features/2011/06/14/interview-with-jan-352vankmajer/

Q: You have a clear interest in the materiality of the objects, in textures, shapes and surfaces and it is always wonderful to see how you bring to life very ordinary and often old, broken or discarded objects, which can become unfamiliar, menacing or amusing. Why are you particularly interested in that type of objects?

I like things that have passed through human hands. Things that have been touched. Such things are charged with emotions that are capable of revealing themselves under certain, extremely sensitive circumstances. I collect such objects, surround myself with them and in the end I cast such 'fetishes' in my films. That's also the reason why I don't like computer animation. Virtual reality doesn't have a tactile dimension. Objects and figures created on a computer have no past.

[Skip Bittman]

I'm not much for crowdfunding, but this is hard to resist. Really enjoyed Lunacy and Surviving Life, the world needs more stopmotion bugs.

[garbed_attic]

What was the technique used on Surviving Life, I assumed it involved a lot of computer based composition, but maybe not.

I mean, there were actual cut-outs used... I'm sure there was some computer based composition, but I can't imagine the man himself being hands on about it tbh. He's always been outspoken about his dislike for CGI.

I'm also interested in the degree to which he is really an animist i.e. when talking about the "inner life" of objects, how literal he is being.

[Brundle-Fly]

It's slightly unsettling to think that my introduction to Jan Švankmajer was through Keith Allen of all people. He was reviewing Alice (1988) on some late night TV review show, imploring viewers not to buy tickets for the latest Stallone effort but to see this fantastic Czech feature.  He convinced me and by fuck, Keith was right.

I slavishly taped anything of this ilk off the telly (the long lost time when BBC2 and C4 used to champion animation), and his films became religious viewing for me and my mates in 1990/91 on a late Friday night (for obvious reasons).

But, of course, these weird animations meant far more than just druggy post-pub giggles and never more than his masterpiece short Dimensions Of Dialogue (1982)

https://vimeo.com/107034946

The first and third section of this brilliant film pretty much sums up Twitter and general internet discourse.

[zomgmouse]

My favourite Švankmajer films:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jan_svankmajer#Filmography

[zomgmouse]

Resurrecting this thread as this came out last year and is online now and I watched it today and it's really interesting - very much a film within a film - nay, a play within a film within a film - as there is constant behind-the-scenes footage and commentary from Švankmajer himself as the film goes on, which itself is about a small troupe of community players rehearsing to put on The Insect Play.

Though it doesn't have the full-scale cohesion of most of his other work it's still very cool and there's some gorgeous sound design and creepy insect work. Even a bit of stop-motion thrown in for good measure.

I hope he makes something else after this.

[garbed_attic]

I hope he makes some more shorts... though, truthfully, I'm fine with him working on his collages and sculptures till the end of his days if that's what he wants to do. He's certainly earned it! My MA dissertation and PhD thesis were both largely upon Švankmajer if you have any interest in reading them!

[zomgmouse]

Do you have any links to examples of his collages/sculptures?

[JesusAndYourBush]

Years ago in the early years of Channel 4 I remember seeing one of his films during one of their Weirdy Film Evenings.  Don't know what it was called, but it involved a load of plasticine footballers appearing in a small house, and with not much room to move they proceed to play football and kill each other in a variety of unusual ways.  I remember one of them having his head squashed in a desk lid and inside his plasticene head he had real teeth (I think the animator had used a set of false teeth).

[garbed_attic]

Years ago in the early years of Channel 4 I remember seeing one of his films during one of their Weirdy Film Evenings.  Don't know what it was called, but it involved a load of plasticine footballers appearing in a small house, and with not much room to move they proceed to play football and kill each other in a variety of unusual ways.  I remember one of them having his head squashed in a desk lid and inside his plasticene head he had real teeth (I think the animator had used a set of false teeth).

'Virile Games'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOrvvOcv9dM

Collages and sculptures

[zomgmouse]

Collages and sculptures

Many thanks! :)

[Sin Agog]

Saw a bunch of those, as well as Alice and Otik, and a giant Jesus riddled with nails, in the flesh when they all went on tour in Brighton.  Didn't cost nout, either.   One of the few times I was glad I don't live up a mountain in the Andes.

[garbed_attic]

Saw a bunch of those, as well as Alice and Otik, and a giant Jesus riddled with nails, in the flesh when they all went on tour in Brighton.  Didn't cost nout, either.   One of the few times I was glad I don't live up a mountain in the Andes.

Snazzy! I was there too! For my own satisfaction and healing I recited lines as Alice to the King and Queen of heart from the film.

Pretty sure the Jesus was from Sileni.

[chveik]

Collages and sculptures

they look like species from the Codex Seraphinianus.