#Petr Capek

[princessgarnetxvi]

II. Johan always knew that Anna was the one who went to the Red Rose Mansion.

I’d like to thank those who left comments and showed support on my first post. Consider this essay a part two of the original concept: Everything Johan did was for Anna.  I want to explore another notion I briefly touched upon in my first post that was requested by some and also presented to me by my own twin brother. 

The theory we are going to explore is: Was Johan aware from the beginning that Anna was the one who went to the Red Rose Mansion?

Yes.

And that brings us to another facet on what Johan’s intentions were – and that was to make sure Nina/Anna never remembered what happened to her. In reference to the Nameless Monster book, Johan consumed the other Nameless Monster who went West and was the only one left standing with no one left to call him by his name. This mirrors Johan/Anna because he left Anna with the Fortner’s under a completely different identity - a real name with real attachments as Nina Fortner knowing she would forget him. He was the ONLY one who knew his sister for who she truly was

This was his act of love

His goal was to make the world believe he was “The Chosen One” to not only lead their plans astray but to ensure that Anna would not be targeted by “The Monster.” He wanted to erase all traces of the experiment, of the horrific experiences she endured and of those who remembered them as a pair – and this also included himself.

This theory is heavily reinforced in Another Monster in this passage.

(This passage from Another Monster reinforces Johan's intention behind trying to make Nina forget her past as Anna - an act of love. Naoki made it a point to tell us "this is just like Johan.")

We will break this discussion into parts since it will be a lot of information to dissect:

I.  Peter Capek and Johan’s discussion

The one question I ALWAYS asked was why Johan left Peter Capek for Anna/Nina to kill? If we run with the consensus that Johan took on Anna’s memories of the Red Rose mansion experiment out of guilt or because of Kinderheim, why would he leave it up to Anna/Nina to kill Capek?

 Why would she feel the need to kill him?

It didn’t make any sense to me. So I revisited the episode again and it dawned on me - the meaning behind Johan’s words

“What am I? The monster inside of me isn’t inside of me, it was outside.”

He was revealing to Capek right there that he was not the “experimental monster” when asked why Johan was suddenly going against “THEIR PLANS.” Because Johan had corrupted their initial plan from the very start when he masqueraded as “The Chosen One.”  that the eugenics/red rose mansion experiments created.  (Which in its own right is deviously genius.)

it seems farfetched right?

So then, why was Capek in the next scene questioning whether he took the brother or the sister?

What made Capek question himself on something he did over 10 years prior if Johan wasn’t the one who forced him wonder?

The last person he spoke to was Johan.  And if Johan induced this thought process, then that simply means that Johan knew from the start that he was not the one who was kidnapped and brought to the Red Rose Mansion.

To put it simply, if Johan was certain that HE was taken instead of Anna, their conversation would NOT have lead Capek to wonder if he took Johan or Anna. Johan would have killed him instead.

And then Capek CONCLUDED RIGHT HERE:

Johan tells Capek where to bring Anna and this is where Johan, for the first and only time, attempts to manipulate Anna/Nina and the fragments of her memories to complete his plan on ensuring Anna did not remember what happened to her at the mansion. He tells the story as his own, using specific words on purpose: “It’s MINE to tell. My own experiences of what I endured and told YOU about.” 

Why else would he bring up this incident? It seemed so random to me at first that he started telling her his experiences about the Red Rose Mansion when they had PLENTY of other things to discuss. But he set up his plan from the moment he opened his mouth by bringing up how she welcomed him home after he returned from the Red Rose Mansion, as if that had been the ONE and only time she ever said those words to him despite living together after being adopted. He controlled the room as he had a goal he needed to achieve. 

Out of all the times Johan successfully manipulated everyone he’s met, this was the only time he did it without any malicious intent and it is also the only time he fails.

Following his extensive plan, Johan makes sure Tenma knows where to go in the event that Nina has a mental breakdown. It’s safe to assume that if Johan succeeded in concealing the truth from his sister, he was prepared to die by the hands of Nina or Tenma as well.

But that doesn’t happen. Johan’s plan fails and it’s almost as if, everything he tried to achieve was for nothing.

“He was smiling but it looked as though, he was crying too.”

I always wondered why Johan’s expressions were so different compared to all the other scenes we’ve seen him. As always, in front of Anna/Nina – Johan appeared the most human.

With his failure, all that was left to do is kill the Monster responsible for it all – and them finally, himself.

II.  The Tape Recording:

When Johan found the tape recording of his "interview" during his time at Kinderheim 511, he tells the interviewer that he was reading a picture book while waiting for Anna to come home. Johan remembered who gave him that book the moment he read it at the library and collapsed - it is what triggered the memory into finally recalling who exactly the Monster was by name and face; not just voice. If Johan truly did mixed up his memories about who went to the Red Rose, then hearing that part of the recording would have revealed to him that he was the one who welcomed Anna home, not the other way around. But this revelation doesn't hit him, because he always knew who went and who stayed at the 3 Frogs.

III.    Explaining all of Johan’s other actions.

How does the rest of Johan’s actions play a part in this grand scheme?

1.   Johan will wipe his existence, taking with him the dirty lie that he was the “Monster in the making” to lead the country:  So he kills all of his foster parents. He tells Tenma from the start: “You must never know about the twins (he doesn’t say HIM but the twins) or the murdered couples” and this says a lot. He wants to make sure there isn’t a trace of a twin to the monster he masqueraded himself to be. No ties that Anna was a sibling to him. I wouldn’t be surprised if Johan gave the Fortners the idea to rename her. After all, when they were adopted by the Lieberts they retained both of their “original names” but when the Fortners took Anna in, they changed her name entirely and then Johan left.

2.   Killing The Fortners: The author purposely shows her parents outside, talking aloud that they will tell Nina the truth – that she was adopted. Which would eventually lead Nina to question her true identity and I am sure they were aware of some parts of her origins. Anna appeared on tv with the Lieberts and their murder was a big fiasco all over the paper. (The drs also took, or tried to take a photo of the twins to put in the paper/media so I am certain they covered the twin’s story on the news after the incident.)  Johan couldn’t have that because their truth would have ignited an uncontrollable flame in Nina into finding out her past. But then the author shows the pair deciding against it in the comfort of their own home. But it was too late. They had to die. I always questioned this because why would Johan leave Nina for 10 years to heal only to throw her back into the same hell?

3.  Johan having Nina meet him at the castle: Since there were already a handful of people aware of how important Anna was to Johan, he simply wanted to take her and put her somewhere safe from those who would pursue her. The other points in this list will help reinforce who these people are. But throughout the show, Nina is constantly pursued and even held captive, despite her going to the Mansion on her own volition. The Baby revealed to Tenma that after they had no use for her they were going to dispose of her or worse. Which is why Johan takes the bait and meets with Geidlitz FINALLY, only to eliminate them all.

4.    Opening the black markets and underground banks: Money is power. Money leads you to people in power. Johan not only needed money for his plans but he also needed to draw out the dirty, corrupted party he was after. Capek and the Baby discuss Johan’s methods in cleaning up loose ends concerning the banks so it’s evident that they operated with Johan. Now Johan was conspiring with those who lead the experiments at the Red Rose Mansion, somehow making them believe he was the one created for their “master plan.” The seed had been planted.

5.    General Wulf: he was truly the catalyst to it all. Johan, instead of killing him; destroyed his credibility by taking out everyone who knew him. A man is only worth as much as his word. With everyone around Wulf who respected him and knew him dead Wulf will eventually become more of a myth than a person who actually exists. Did Johan perhaps “spare” him because he saved him and Anna’s life? Ultimately, it was General Wulf who told the others like Professor Geidlitz just how important Anna was to Johan. I don’t see how else Geidlitz, the Baby etc. got this information. Johan isn’t the type to divulge anything about himself to anyone. So, who else would have relayed this information to HIS party if not for the man who found them both on the border? I just think Wulf in general would hold a lot of merit towards Johan’s existence so he had to kill all those who knew him, so that his words became less and less of the truth.

6.  Attempting to kill Shuwald: This boils down to destroying the economy that created the Red Rose. Shuwald was the backbone of the country’s economy/power. Killing him would have plunged the country into a weakened state and ignited war. But if war was something Johan wanted to achieve, then he could have easily worked with the Right winged secret police who sought for this in the first place – and would have helped him achieve this. With Shuwald being the center of the country’s economy, then it would make sense that some of his financial activities would include funding most if not all of the country’s experiments/government operated orphanages. The Red Rose mansion experiments were continuing. Killing Shuwald would plunge his enemies and their plans into the ground. The library incident was him initially attempting to claim Germany’s economy to restructure the country to be a place safe for Anna, as potentially waging war would destroy the plan set up for Anna/Nina when she was dragged to the mansion. Meaning, if Johan took the spot as the backbone of the country, he would have completed his façade of being “the chosen one” by those who conducted the experiments, there would have no longer been a need to pursue her or the truth should it came to light. (Was he going to let Christoff take his place after he died?) But after remembering Bonaparte, he sets out to kill him instead. I also believe he spared Shuwald after hearing Carl's story but that would have to be explored in another essay.

Johan erased everyone who was aware of the twins; those who knew Anna existed. If his goal was to become a ghost, why was Hartmann left alive – a man who was rather OBSESSED with Johan?

Before arriving in Kinderheim 511, the only one who knew about the twins was General Wulf. Hartmann never mentions her and neither does Christoff. I believe Johan kept his sister a secret up until the tape recording.

I found it contradicting that Johan never bothered to kill Hartmann. He very clearly deserved to get put down after all the horrible things he did. But, Johan was not out for revenge. None of this was for him but for Anna. After all, Hartmann never once acknowledged that Johan had a sister. The tape recording was done and left in the hands of the first head administrator. And what does Johan do? Johan goes all the way to Czech and kills him because not only did he know Johan’s one weakness, but he knew about Anna’s existence.

Johan then proceeds to, for some reason, kill everyone who is trying to get the tape. Why? If they knew what was the most important to him, then it would be used against him. Johan records over the rest of the tape that perhaps showed him admitting his guilt over Anna going to the Red Rose Mansion. The start of the tape has him saying “Everyone died there.” And Johan probably told the interviewer where she was taken from. Johan finally figured out “where he needed to go.” And then he burns down the Red Rose Mansion before Anna could piece anything together.

Which brings me to my next point.

I believe after reading the Nameless Monster, a book Boneparte gave to him the day he kidnapped his mother and sister, Johan remembered the identity of “The Monster.” and his plans shifted. Yes, he killed the Lieberts because of the monster. But Johan did not SEE Boneparte that night, he only heard him. And the sound of a voice from someone you fear is more than enough to trigger a fight or flight response. Johan knew he was the monster by his voice not his face and reacted.  When he panicked and cried at the library, it was because he recalled his most painful memory, which we are shown in the final moments of the last episode. It was not Johan being dragged, but Anna being thrown away. I believe remembering that his mother was the one who made a choice AND HESITATED as well as the “Monster’s “ identity is what swayed the path of his plans.

I say this because we don’t truly know what memories were stripped from Johan after Kinderheim 511 and being shot in the head. Despite Kinderheim, Johan still retained the memories of his sister. Quite an admirable feat. We’re only assuming that Johan mixed up Anna’s story about who went to the Red Rose Mansion because Anna thinks she was responsible for making Johan who he was. Other than that, there is nothing else that points us to this concept.

( In some aspect, what she says is true*. Johan took on the role of the Monster to save her from becoming what she was tortured into being. )*

Reflecting on these points, I’d like to conclude that Johan sacrificed himself and chose Anna/Nina every single time. Every choice he made was calculated for Anna’s safety; down to killing that old couple out on the field. “I have plan.” He wanted to start over in a new country where no one would know of them. He had to kill the old couple before leaving for the border so that there wasn’t a trail for the monster; no one to tell authorities they saw a pair of beautiful blonde twins. Yet much to Johan’s shock/fear – Boneparte finds them at the Lieberts and that was the ONLY time he acted irrationality out of his own apprehension.

Was this martyrdom mentality spawned from his mother choice to throw Anna away? To the point where not even his own existence mattered? He took on the role of being her shadow, the monster in her reflection instead of allowing Anna to see herself as the beast in the mirror.

Nothing he did was ever within his own personal vendetta. 

Looking at Johan from this perspective still retains the absolute horror of his actions, but also implements a tragedy that he was self sacrificing. A quote struck me after thinking it over in this light:

"A hero would sacrifice you to save the world but a villain would sacrifice the world to save you "

[thenezih]

Pictures I drew in the past from various periods.

[thenezih]

Thank you for this beautiful answer. I found it really touching that you connected the snowy owl with Petr's memories of Milan. I can definitely see him adopting the same pet as Franz and visit his apartment often with the excuse of having their pets spending time together, of course he's really only interested in being near his master as much as possible. Thank you very much for sharing your thoughts and for your time. ^__^

Hello, I hope you’re doing well. If you’re available, I would love to get your opinion on what type of pet you think Petr Čapek might have had during the 1970s while working at the Red Rose Mansion. I initially thought he might be interested in a white-furred Norwegian Forest Cat or a Snowy Owl. Given his Czech descent, a Czechoslovakian Wolf Dog could also be appealing to him. However, I think he might be deterred by the breed’s difficulties in domestication and the potential risks of the dog attacking other residents' pets. If possible, I’d love to hear your thoughts on what kind of animal Čapek might have adopted. Considering he was very energetic in his youth, I believe he would have made a wonderful pet owner. Thank you in advance for your insights. ^^

I think funnily, he would try to get the type of pet his master would get so probably a Norwegian forest cat (or a more exotic Bobcat or Sevral since the bastard is pretentious as shit).

But in reality he would pick something that would remind him of his friend Milan (remember the paper airplanes?) he would go for an owl, probably grey owl.

Thanks for the ask!

[boredmezzosoprano]

Okayyy… So I’ve recently become ultra obsessed with Naoki Urasawa's Monster (it’s sooo good). The trope pages for it however are really giving me a migraine🤦🏼‍♀️ simply because they labelled Johan Liebert as a Complete Monster!! If you look on the wiki list for CM in Anime/Manga - HE'S THE PAGE IMAGE🤯 Ahem, he’s a monster for sure but most certainly a Tragic Monster or what is called a Woobie Destroyer of Worlds - there’s a difference! A Woobie Destroyer of Worlds has a reason for why they are what they are, oftentimes something traumatic in their childhood - Johan had several severely messed up things happen to him from the time he was born‼️ Also a CM is incapable of loving another human being: JOHAN WOULD DO ANYTHING FOR ANNA!! Listen, I’m not trying to justify his actions but I don’t think it’s accurate to describe the character as being born pure evil when there’s plenty of textual information that refute that claim! Plus how can they call Johan a Complete Monster but not these characters:

Petr Čapek

He is complicit in Franz Bonaparta's atrocities, likely taking part in the experiments at the Red Rose Mansion. He also helped Bonaparta kidnap Anna from her home and threatened her.

He killed a family, including two children, on Bonaparta's orders.

After re-establishing himself in Germany, he psychologically tortured a new group of innocent children, driving them to violence and suicide, causing the suicide of Milan's son, and showed no remorse for it even though they were childhood friends.

He had contempt for Turkish people, trying to expel them from their homes.

He murdered the five leaders of the resistance against him.

He masterminded a plan to burn down the Turkish quarter, which could have caused massive loss of life.

He attempts to convince Johan to be the Neo-Nazis' leader in a grand plot to begin World War 3 and wipe out all non-Aryan races in the world.

He repeatedly tried to have Johan's sister kidnapped so he could use her as a hostage.

He showed no apparent remorse when his childhood friend Milan was gunned down in an attempt to assassinate him.

He ordered Eva Heinemann killed when she had served her purpose, and then had Martin killed for failing to do this.

He showed no concern for the murders committed by Johan, claiming that they were his will.

He murdered his driver in a fit of paranoia.

He gave up Bonaparta's whereabouts in order to save his own life.

Compared to Franz Bonaparta, who made a serious attempt to atone for his own crimes, Capek shows very little remorse.

The Baby

He is established to be a Neo-Nazi and a racist politician, even owning a neighborhood filled with people like him.

The Baby plans to use Nina in order to get her brother's attention.

Despite appearing affable towards Nina, it is nothing but a facade in his manipulation towards her.

He arrogantly believes that Johan supports and agrees with his racist views without understanding that he is a nihilist who doesn't care about those beliefs as he looks down on all humans equally.

He runs over Tenma with his car and is disappointed that he did not die from the impact and then later kidnaps him.

Like the organization, he wants to convert Johan to his racist ideology and make him the new leader of Germany under the organization's control.

He tries to purge the Turkish community by burning down a neighborhood filled with them. This is really bad as this would qualify as an attempted genocide since he strongly hates the Turks.

While at that, he enjoys the destruction of other minorities that he causes.

The Baby tortures Tenma just because he's Asian.

Even when Tenma told him that Johan hates all humans equally, he continued to beat him anyway.

He attempts to kill Dieter, who is a kid that Tenma saved from Hartman and expresses gleefulness during the action.

He threatened to kill Martin if he failed his job.

Throughout the story, he shows no remorse for his actions.

UPDATE: Johan was recently removed from the Pure Evil wiki 😃

[redrosedaddy]

Listen, I'm not saying we should absolutely decimate your right hand man, partner in crime - vacuous waste of oxygen that is Petr Capek...but...we should totally kill him. and if you're still hesitant, he called my mother the whore of Babylon. Just thought you should know.

Did you bring the shovels?

Oh never mind I don't think they will be able to identify him after this.

[theartifxce]

The Enemy of my Enemy

    There was a common misconception that if you and your foe shared a common enemy that somehow a bond would form to overthrow this mutual foe. But Johan had no friends – and he wouldn’t start now with his greatest adversary.

There was almost a chilling excitement spreading across his skin once he stood at the foot of the stairs, knowing that the shadow of a man who evaded the world for so long was now bound to a chair in the basement. He would have reveled in the vulnerability of this man, if the circumstances were different.

But much to the blonde’s dismay, his lifelong desire to bury this Monster had to be stifled – because now lurked an even greater shadow in the depths of the underworld. This new fiend had fearlessly taken it upon himself to dance with the devil; despite the several warnings that had been heeded by so many.

Oh no, this bold man pranced along the casus belli that was of Johan’s entire existence when he decided to harm the one thing that mattered to him. Nina Fortner’s identity had been revealed from an unfortunate recording Johan nearly forgot all about until it had been used against him. From there the trail was everlasting – almost as if it had no source. But like a dog desperate for water, the blond dug and dug until everything that had been long since buried, resurfaced.

And the blood that followed along this path of mystery and deceit was boundless. The voices of the past first lead him to a familiar party – Gieldlitz and The Baby. Then it led him to some of the corrupt politicians hoping to run for the upcoming election. Johan even found himself entangled with the dealings of a Mafia from a foreign country.

But ultimately, Johan found himself right back to the beginning, piecing together memories that had been shrouded and suppressed. The group responsible for Nina’s capture not only wanted to take Johan down for all that he represented in the underworld; but they wanted to recreate the same Monster in which they could control; ironically, using the twin to replace the other.

To recreate the experiments of the Red Rose – that potentiality could only come to life if Bonaparta had left loopholes in his endeavor to bury his sins. The hauntings of his past now took form and awakened the Devil from its slumber.

A step forward creaked the wood beneath his feet, and as the blond casually embarked down the stairwell, his eyes were immediately trained on the other’s form almost instantly. Down below, the sunlight peering through from the basement window lit up the curtains of dust particles around the man’s face. The basement was half furnished, dirty and hopeless – and yet Johan offered him a lot more than what his dear sister was given when she had been locked up in a pitch black room.

“Mr. Klaus Poppe – you are quite the difficult man to find.” The words fell from his lips in a gravelly tone, destroying the reticence between them.  Johan stood still, shoulders wide and rolled back; depicting his proud demeanor. Casually, his hands were behind his back. Although on his face was a nameless smile; his unforgiving eyes bore into him.  “Or would you prefer your other many aliases?” He mocked. A reply had still not been provoked. 

                   Such a shame that the man would hardly pick up his eyes.

The Monster was hardly recognizable; he had a beard now and dressed like a simple librarian. But Johan knew, he would be able to see him for what he was through his eyes. He could never forget that cold, empty stare. Johan sat in the chair across from him and stared him down before breaking the silence once again to say, “I’m sure you’re wondering why you are still alive. So allow me to enlighten you.” He casually placed his hands on his knees and sat back. “You see, you were inefficient in cleaning up your mess. One of your prized lapdogs became too eager to follow in your footsteps.” 

He paused. 

“Surely you haven’t forgotten him, Petr Capek?” He waited for a reply and when nothing came he continued, “Although he wasn’t too hard to find; he did not have the ties and knowledge about the secret police I needed. Not like you did. To them, he was just a pawn in their grand scheme and he fed them well thinking he could follow in your footsteps by taking my sister again.” He allowed his words to linger, his voice monotonous as it bounced off the stone walls of the room. 

The man before him still remained like stone. 

 “But unfortunately, they knew he was the weakest link. So after getting most of the funding, they took everything and fled; including my sister.” Johan finally leaned forward, his eyes growing dangerous as he stared him down, 

“The only reason why you are still alive Mr Franz Bonaparta, is because, much to my dismay, you are the only one who can help me locate her.”

@redrosedaddy​

[thenezih]

Thank you for your wonderful answer. Siamese cat would be a wonderful pick for Bonaparta, they're intelligent and very cuddly and would be a great source of warmth for him. Petr would definitely be eager for a Czechoslovakian wolf dog, possibly he watched many films in his youth, and would envy the protagonists who befriended exotic creatures. He would want to appear powerful in front of his master by owning this animal however I think it would eventually eat him due to his unbearable energy. As a first time pet owner, Petr would certainly experience physical challenges when walking the dog, and Petr would likely be dragged on the sidewalk, trying his best to not let go of the leash in instances where the wolfdog chases after a squirrel, or other prey. Thank you for this. ^^

Hello, I hope you're doing well. If you have a moment, I would love to get your opinion on what type of pet Petr Čapek and Franz Bonaparta you believe might have had during the 1970s while they were working at the Red Rose Mansion. For Petr I imagine he might have been drawn to a white-furred Norwegian Forest Cat or a Snowy Owl. Considering his Czech descent, a Czechoslovakian Wolfdog could also be a fitting choice—although, given the breed's challenging temperament, I believe Petr would’ve been deterred by the idea of adopting it. As for Franz, I can picture him with a German Shepherd. The breed’s high intelligence and loyalty seem like a perfect match for Franz's own intellect and meticulous nature. Not to mention, the breed’s German roots would align seamlessly with his background. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this! What kind of animal do you think each character might have adopted? Thank you very much in advance. ^^

Hiiiiiiiii!

So, when it comes to the pup to Čapek, I basically agree with @plainteacup: I think he'd have a pet that reminded him of Milan, so either something Milan could have as a kid (hah, maybe the wolfdog?) or a bird (again, the paper planes).

As for Bonaparta: a siamese cat, maybe? I also think he'd love to have a creature straight from a fairy tale, maybe even two of them. xd

Sorry for the lack of substance here, it's not something I thought about! Thanks for the ask. <3

[lesterplatt]

Pilsner Urquell – 180 PRIM hodinek s jedinečnými letopočty from BLACKBOT on Vimeo.

Once upon a time. One beer, a watch and a hand. A challenge! Our story for Pilsner Urquell and PRIM Manufacture 1949. The details that make up the bigger pictures. One Robot, as Josef Capek would say. The transformation of mechanical movement into tenderness. That was a challenge!

Agency: Triad Client: Pilsner Urquell Director: Oliver Beaujard

DOP: Matěj Piňos Lovely Set design by: Nino Zardalishvili Producer: Karel Honsa Line producer: Alexandr Sedláček Styling: Kateřina Bořík Krobová Make up: Oli Bartakovičová Gaffer: Pavel Homolka 1AC: Jakub Martínek 2AC: Matěj Holly Colorist: Vojta Štetka VFX: Filip Mašek a Matúš Mišák Sound design: Miky kocáb Voiceover: Igor Bareš Beerstyling: Dana Navrátilová Blackbot: Vojta Nedvěd, Tomáš Šiška Photographer: Tomas Mikule Assistant photographer: Jonáš Hrdý Cast: Jiří Šimek, Hana Drozdová and Dan Pazdírek Many thanks Ondřej Suchánek, HEXAR.cz , BLACKBOT , BIOFILMS RENTAL - nejdostupnější rental pro filmaře. , Bao-bab, Petr Maceček, Aneta Běhavá

[fionamccall]

In praise of the historical films of Frantisek Vlacil

I’ve just watched Dablova Past (Devil’s Trap) by the Czech new-wave director Frantisek Vlacil.  I simply can’t get enough of his films – this is the fifth I’ve seen and I had to buy it from Amazon to access a copy.  All part of my general plan to get more and more obscure in my tastes with each passing year.  The plot involves a millers’ family who miraculously survive being burnt alive by Swedish soldiers during the Thirty-Years’ War, and are thereafter suspected to be in league with the devil by suspicious locals.  In any case anyone who has read Chaucer or sang the Miller of Dee knows that millers tended to be isolated figures isolated by geography and relative wealth from the rest of the community. Move forward a hundred years, and a new priest arrives, who appears at first to be a man of God, but is soon combining with the local ruler (this is the communist era so think disgusting/greedy Henry VIII clone) in attempting to get rid of the current miller as a trouble-maker after he disrupts a religious procession by miraculously finding much-needed water. A violent love-triangle between a local girl (with a rather sixties-looking dress and haircut), a game-keeper and the attractive blonde strapping miller’s son causes further trouble, but the locals prove surprisingly resistant to attempts to stir them up to chase after the miller for witchcraft.  A disastrous accident, a disappearance and a pursuit through some mysterious caves - modelled I suspect on the dramatic ‘abyss’ at the Punkva caves I visited in the Moravian Karst with the University of Portsmouth choir in 2018 -  ensue.

The Punkva caves in Moravia; below: the abyss.

Vlacil’s films usually have historical settings, but aim for a realistic style, with odd camera angles, atmospheric modern music and details of costume combining to suggest the strange actuality of past existences.  There is a great sense of stillness in their black and white photography, but this is combined with dramatic plots often contrasting dark physical desires with higher and purer religious aspirations perhaps somewhat reminiscent of Tarkovsky’s Andrei Rublev.  Marketa Lazarova is Vlacil’s most celebrated film, chosen by the Czechs themselves as the best Czech film of all time.  It is set in a time of transition between paganism and Christianity, with a complex plot involving feuding families, rape and violence, which I have to admit I enjoyed but sometimes found hard to follow.  The Valley of the Bees is my favourite: a son dispatched to become one of the Teutonic Knights becomes torn between his religious calling, and the temptations offered by the young wife of his dead father whom he first became attracted to when she married his father as a young teenager.  It ends with an unforgettable act of violence, which it would spoil things to reveal.  

The lead actor in the film, Petr Capek, is also the main character in Adelheid, which I caught up with recently.  He has very hypnotic eyes, appropriate to the portrayal of a Teutonic knight, but here evoking the hidden depths of a Czech soldier returned from World War II, now come to take charge of an old mansion house, while suffering from a mysteriously-debilitating stomach complaint.  He is waited on by the daughter of the former Nazi commandant, on day-release from an internment camp, while her father awaits execution for crimes committed there. The crumbling remnants of the derelict old estate house, containing abandoned tokens of its cultivated Jewish former owner owner, as well as of the girl’s strange upbringing, are used to great effect, as we explore the psyches of the Czech soldier searching for human contact from a girl who may or may not have been brutalised by Nazi values or by being forced to witness her father’s ill-treatment of prisoners in the cages still standing outside.

Vlacil’s earlier film, The White Dove (1960) is somewhat different, being set in it’s own present day, and involving a boy who shoots and then restores a dove which has got lost on its way from Western Europe.  The boy appears to be crippled, but it is an affliction that is in his mind rather than his body, his own return to mental health being paralleled by that of the dove he nurtures and eventually releases to fly back to a girl waiting endlessly by the Baltic coast for its return.  The film uses the architecture of buildings and the shapes of sand and sea for the parallel stories of girl and boy to great effect and seems to be trying to say something about the possibility of allowing the spirit to move freely between East and West.   Films:

The White Dove (1960)

Dablova Past (Devil’s Trap) (1962)

The Valley of the Bees (1967)

Marketa Lazarova (1967)

Adelheid (1970)

[scotipipas-blog1]

#monster #manga #petr #capek

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Epilogue

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