Barking Boxshot
Adelheid
Czechoslovakia, 1963 /1962
Length / Something Different: 81 minutes
Length / A Bagful of Fleas: 43 minutes
Sound: Mono (restored)
Black and white
Original aspect ratio: 1.37:1
Language: Czech
Subtitles: English On/Off
PAL / DVD9
Region 0
RRP: £12.99
buyRelease Date: 29 Feb 2016
Second Run DVD 106

For Vera Chytilová, documentary and fiction were two equally adventurous processes. Something Different follows two women – one strand as a documentary of a gymnast in gruelling training (real life Olympic gold-medallist Eva Bosáková), whilst the second is the fiction of a discontented housewife (Věra Uzelacová). In A Bagful of Fleas, young factory girls defying imposed rules are played by non-professionals and the film shot in a free-wheeling cinéma vérité style.

These two terrific early works introduce themes evident across Chytilová’s career: a female viewpoint in a world dominated by men, the expectations and strictures of female gender roles, and a strong critique of her society. Combining formalism with anarchy and spiked with rebellious humour, her films broke strictures of genre and ideology to chart a new path for Czechoslovak cinema.

Available for the first time, the DVD presents these films from superb new high-definition digital transfers of the brand new restorations of the films by the Czech National Film Archive, and II Cinema Ritrovato, Bologna and also includes a booklet featuring a new essay on Chytilová and these films by Czech cinema expert Peter Hames.

more about the film

Blonde Stills

Special Features

• Something Different – first-ever release of the film in the UK, presented from a new high-definition digital transfer of original materials.

• A Bagful of Fleas – a world-premiere release on DVD, presented from the new 2k restoration of the film.

• 16-page booklet featuring a new essay by Czech cinema expert, author and film programmer Peter Hames.

• New and improved English subtitle translations.

Related Titles

Something Different (O nĕčem jiném)

Directed by Věra Chytilová

Screenplay - Věra Chytilová
Cinematography - Jan Čuřík
Music - Jiří Šlitr
Sound - Miloslav Hůrka
Editor - Miroslav Hájek
Art direction - Vladimír Labský
Assistant director - Jiří Menzel

Main Cast
Věra Uzelacová - Věra
Eva Bosáková - Eva
Josef Langmiler - Josef, Věra’s husband
Jiří Kodet - Jirka, Věra’s lover
Luboš Ogoun - Eva’s trainer and ballet master
Milivoj Uzelac jr. - Milda
Vladimír Bosák - Eva’s husband


A Bagful of Fleas (Pytel blech)

Directed by Věra Chytilová

Screenplay - Věra Chytilová
Cinematography - Jaromír Šofr
Editor - Marie Čulíková
Sound - Gustav Houdek, Jan Kindermann, Benjamin Astrugá

 

Related Titles

Věra Chytilová's renowned films Daisies (which includes the documentary Journey/Cesta), Fruit of Paradise (which includes Chytilová's short film Ceiling/Strop), and her 1998 film Traps
are also available.


Barking BoxshotDaisies BoxshotBarking Boxshot


 

Appreciation

Something Different:
1963 Mannheim Film Festival / Winner: Best Film


"During filming I did not think about the differences between documentary and fiction, two equally adventurous processes. I really wanted to avoid stereotypes and attain an authenticity of expression. I was interested in my personal discovery of the world and the possibility of expressing it through film"
Věra Chytilová on A Bagful of Fleas

"No parallel can be found in all the history of the Czech cinema for such lack of conventionality, such spiritual independence in probing the lot of women" Jan Žalman

"Established Chytilová as not only an artistic force to be reckoned with, but as a female director unconcerned with assimilating with her male counterparts. Rather, Chytilová devoted herself with revolutionary fervor to breaking the conventions of female representation on screen"
Film Comment

"Chytilová’s brilliant and innovative first feature, Something Different - cited by Rivette in his famous 'Montage' text and clearly a significant formal influence on his subsequent Out 1: Spectre (1974)" Jonathan Rosenbaum, Cinema Scope

"A wonderful debut from a director of immense talent"
Bonjour Tristesse on Something Different

"Particularly relevant to women’s cinema because of their freedom, fluidity, inter-subjectivity, and excess... to which I would add wit, sympathy, and observation" Peter Hames

"One of the Czech New Wave’s most rebellious, irreverent and boundary-breaking talents... a vibrant innovator, whose uncompromising vision in a decidedly male-run industry made her known as the ‘First Lady of Czech Cinema’ "
Carmen Gray, BFI

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