Inspired by Gustave Doré’s engravings in the 1862 edition of Gottfried August Bürger’s book, Zeman’s peerless adaptation is a witty and beautiful succession of colour-tinted marvels of trick photography. Seamlessly melding live action with cut-out and other forms of animation, it sits in perfect alignment with the grand whimsy of the famed baron’s (Miloš Kopecký) quicksilver flights of fancy. Liška’s soundtrack, rich in electroacoustic experimentation, equal parts diegetic sound effects and incidental music, ranks among his most innovative and playful.
4K DCP.