With Jirí Menzel's film adaptation of Bohumil Hrabil's witty Czech masterpiece, I Served the King of England soon to be released outside the Czech Republic, I thought it timely to recommend this social and political satire which Milan Kundera described as "one of the most authentic incarnations of magical Prague, an incredible union of earthy humour and baroque imagination"The film itself is typical of literary adaptations losing a good deal in the process but still remains worthy of its 2 hour run time with elements reminiscent of Roy Andersson and Jacques Tati. Jirí Menzel's previous adaptation of Hrabel, Closely Watched Trains won the 1967 Academy Award for best foreign film.
Here is the original Czech trailer followed by the American trailer. The Czech version is superior even with the language barrier though the subtitles in the over-the-top American trailer does give more background for those unfamiliar with Hrabil's book.
Links:
I Served the King of England (Sony Picture Classics)
Jirí Menzel interview
Jirí Menzel Wiki
I Served the King of England (Dear Cinema)
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