1973 - THREE WISHES FOR CINDERELLA, the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic version of Cinderella.

 Not really the kind of film I watch, but I was a little curious about how they would tell the story of Cinderella in Eastern Europe without the presence of an overblown Disney animated feature. They definitively made some changes although the basic story is still the same

Cinderella is still the downtrodden maid to her evil stepmother and stepsister,  The director Vaclav Vorlicek apparently thought one stepsister was enough.  There is no magic pumpkin or cute mice in this version.  In fact they even got rid of the fairy godmother.  Instead Cinderella ends up with hazelnuts that have three magic wishes. Cinderella also seems to be able to talk to the animals like Doctor Doolittle. Well you can kind of guess the rest from here.  Cinderella uses her wishes to go to the ball, meets the prince loses her shoe etc.

Vaclav Vorlicek is the same director who filmed the very funny science fiction film Who Wants To Kill Jessie.  However the time Vorlicek is aiming for something a little more mellow and sweet. This is after all a children's story.  Vorlicek filmed Three Wishes For Cinderella during the winter which gives it an intriguing kind of mystical look. 

The performances are as expected emphasized to play up the romantic and fantasy elements of the story.  An interesting film to take a look at.

The film was written by  František Pavlíček, the running time is 83 minutes.

1966 - WHO WANTS TO KILL JESSIE?, crazy sci-fi/fantasy from Czechoslovakia

This screwball film from Czechoslovakia has to be seen to be believed.  The wife of a scientist has invented a device that can make a person's dreams come true.  She uses it on her husband while he is asleep and out comes a blonde bombshell named Jessie who is the featured character in a comic book series he has been reading called "Who Wants to Kill Jessie?".  Along with the blonde, a couple of her antagonists also materialize, a strongman and his henchman who is dressed as a cowboy.  The comedic situations arise when people in the real world have to deal with imaginary comic book characters who continue to act like they are in a comic book story.

The film is full of sight gags and slapstick.  The two comic book bad guys chase after Jessie all through the city.  They create havoc where ever they go, and their are many scenes of stuff getting destroyed.  The comic book characters don't actually speak in the real world.  They communicate with dialog balloons and everyone eventually reacts to this as it is completely normal thing.

 

The film is short and sweet, it sets up it's comic situation and then milks it for some laughs without overdoing it.  A funny and very weird film.

 

Co-written by the director Václav Vorlíček along with Miloš Macourek.  The running time is 81 minutes.