Original Title: Spalovac mrtvol
Directed by: Juraj Herz
Starring: Rudolf Hrusínský , Vlasta Chramostova , Jirí Menzel , Jana Stehnová, Milos Vognic
Run Time: 95 min
From the outside Karl Kopferkingl (Rudolf Hrusinsky) looks like an everyday family man with a wife and two kids. But his line of work is quite unusual, he runs the crematorium for the dead. Obsessed with Tibetan book of the dead, he seems happy with his job, narrated by himself during the film. A very hypnotizing and eerie narration so to speak. The time is 1930 and although he is of Austrian heritage but he consider himself pure Czech who loves cultures.
He also loves to visit brothels and go to the doctor to get his regular dose of medicine to make him immune to STD. Whether it really works or not is in question.
But the time has changed, Nazi took charge in Germany and invaded Czechoslovakia. So Kopfkerkingl thinks, does this event and the rise of anti antisemitism will make him profitable? Then as tides are turning we get to see the creepy face of Kopfkerkingl as he would do almost anything to achieve his goals. He rationalize his evil act by misreading his favorite book.
This film is quite rare but the story is very easy to follow and the black and white medium enhance the creepiness of this film. This is not a pure horror film but a satirical and bleak film about humanity, complete with grotesque humor. Overall this film is disturbing without any gore at all.
Rudolf Hrusinsky is very excellent in this one it reminds me of Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs.
Directed by: Juraj Herz
Starring: Rudolf Hrusínský , Vlasta Chramostova , Jirí Menzel , Jana Stehnová, Milos Vognic
Run Time: 95 min
From the outside Karl Kopferkingl (Rudolf Hrusinsky) looks like an everyday family man with a wife and two kids. But his line of work is quite unusual, he runs the crematorium for the dead. Obsessed with Tibetan book of the dead, he seems happy with his job, narrated by himself during the film. A very hypnotizing and eerie narration so to speak. The time is 1930 and although he is of Austrian heritage but he consider himself pure Czech who loves cultures.
He also loves to visit brothels and go to the doctor to get his regular dose of medicine to make him immune to STD. Whether it really works or not is in question.
But the time has changed, Nazi took charge in Germany and invaded Czechoslovakia. So Kopfkerkingl thinks, does this event and the rise of anti antisemitism will make him profitable? Then as tides are turning we get to see the creepy face of Kopfkerkingl as he would do almost anything to achieve his goals. He rationalize his evil act by misreading his favorite book.
This film is quite rare but the story is very easy to follow and the black and white medium enhance the creepiness of this film. This is not a pure horror film but a satirical and bleak film about humanity, complete with grotesque humor. Overall this film is disturbing without any gore at all.
Rudolf Hrusinsky is very excellent in this one it reminds me of Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs.
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