Karel Zeman
Encyclopedia
Karel Zeman was a Czech film director
, artist
, production designer
and animator
. Because of his creative use of special effects and animation
in his films, he has often been called the "Czech Méliès
."
(near Nová Paka
) in what was then Austria-Hungary
. In the 1920s, he studied at a French advertising school, and worked at an advertising studio in Marseilles until 1936. It was in France that he first worked with animation, filming an ad for soup. He then returned to his home country (by now Czechoslovakia
), after visiting Egypt
, Yugoslavia
, and Greece
.
Back in Czechoslovakia, Zeman advertised for Czech firms like Baťa
and Tatra. At Baťa's window-dressing school, where he was teaching, Zeman met the animator Elmar Klos
and showed him a sample of his work. Klos offered Zeman a job at Zlín
's animation studio. After some consideration (his wife and children were already established in Brno
), Zeman accepted the job in 1943. At the studio, Zeman met the pioneering animator Hermína Týrlová
and, collaborating with his brother Bořivoj Zeman, made his first short film, Vánoční sen (1945).
Zeman then went on to solo work, including a series of shorts starring a puppet called Mr. Prokouk. His half-hour film Král Lávra (1950), from the poem by Karel Havlíček Borovský
, won him a National Award, and was followed by his first feature film, Poklad ptačího ostrova (1952). His most unusual film may be the short Inspirace (1948), which tells a wordless, poetic love story using animated glass figurines.
It was in 1955, however, that Zeman began the work for which he is probably most famous: six feature films that combine live-action and animation
techniques to create artistic visual styles. These were:
After this, Zeman experimented with more classical forms of animation, beginning with seven shorts about Sinbad the Sailor
which were then expanded into the feature film Pohádky tisíce a jedné noci
(1974). His final films were Čarodějův učeň (1977), from the novel The Satanic Mill
by Otfried Preußler
, and Pohádka o Honzíkovi a Mařence (1980).
He died in Zlín
on April 5, 1989, a few months before the Velvet Revolution
.
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
, artist
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
, production designer
Production designer
In film and television, a production designer is the person responsible for the overall look of a filmed event such as films, TV programs, music videos or adverts. Production designers have one of the key creative roles in the creation of motion pictures and television. Working directly with the...
and animator
Animator
An animator is an artist who creates multiple images that give an illusion of movement called animation when displayed in rapid sequence; the images are called frames and key frames. Animators can work in a variety of fields including film, television, video games, and the internet. Usually, an...
. Because of his creative use of special effects and animation
Animation
Animation is the rapid display of a sequence of images of 2-D or 3-D artwork or model positions in order to create an illusion of movement. The effect is an optical illusion of motion due to the phenomenon of persistence of vision, and can be created and demonstrated in several ways...
in his films, he has often been called the "Czech Méliès
Georges Méliès
Georges Méliès , full name Marie-Georges-Jean Méliès, was a French filmmaker famous for leading many technical and narrative developments in the earliest cinema. He was very innovative in the use of special effects...
."
Life
Zeman was born on November 3, 1910, in OstroměřOstromer
Ostroměř is a village in the Czech Republic.-External links:*...
(near Nová Paka
Nova Paka
Nová Paka is a town in the Czech Republic.- History :The Town was first mentioned in 1357 with regards to the installation of new vicar to the Saint Nicholas Church. During these times the Town was called Mladá Paka . In 1563 big part of Town was destroyed by fire. In 1586 the plague killed...
) in what was then Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
. In the 1920s, he studied at a French advertising school, and worked at an advertising studio in Marseilles until 1936. It was in France that he first worked with animation, filming an ad for soup. He then returned to his home country (by now Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
), after visiting Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
, and Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
.
Back in Czechoslovakia, Zeman advertised for Czech firms like Baťa
Bata Shoes
Bata Shoes is a large, family owned shoe company based in Bermuda but currently headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland, operating 3 business units worldwide – Bata Metro Markets, Bata Emerging Markets and Bata Branded Business. It has a retail presence in over 50 countries and production...
and Tatra. At Baťa's window-dressing school, where he was teaching, Zeman met the animator Elmar Klos
Elmar Klos
Elmar Klos was a Czechoslovakian film director who collaborated for 17 years with Ján Kadár and with him won the 1965 Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film with the film The Shop on Main Street.-References:...
and showed him a sample of his work. Klos offered Zeman a job at Zlín
Zlín
Zlín , from 1949 to 1989 Gottwaldov , is a city in the Zlín Region, southeastern Moravia, Czech Republic, on the Dřevnice River. The development of the modern city is closely connected to the Bata Shoes company...
's animation studio. After some consideration (his wife and children were already established in Brno
Brno
Brno by population and area is the second largest city in the Czech Republic, the largest Moravian city, and the historical capital city of the Margraviate of Moravia. Brno is the administrative centre of the South Moravian Region where it forms a separate district Brno-City District...
), Zeman accepted the job in 1943. At the studio, Zeman met the pioneering animator Hermína Týrlová
Hermína Týrlová
Hermína Týrlová was a prominent Czech stage designer, animator, and film director. She was often called the mother of Czech animation. She was a close collaborator of Karel Zeman.-External links:**. [14-05-2003] Por Andrea Fajkusová*....
and, collaborating with his brother Bořivoj Zeman, made his first short film, Vánoční sen (1945).
Zeman then went on to solo work, including a series of shorts starring a puppet called Mr. Prokouk. His half-hour film Král Lávra (1950), from the poem by Karel Havlíček Borovský
Karel Havlícek Borovský
Karel Havlíček Borovský was a Czech writer, poet, critic, politician, journalist, and publisher. He lived and studied at the Gymnasium in Německý Brod , and his house on the main square is today the Havlíček Museum...
, won him a National Award, and was followed by his first feature film, Poklad ptačího ostrova (1952). His most unusual film may be the short Inspirace (1948), which tells a wordless, poetic love story using animated glass figurines.
It was in 1955, however, that Zeman began the work for which he is probably most famous: six feature films that combine live-action and animation
Animation
Animation is the rapid display of a sequence of images of 2-D or 3-D artwork or model positions in order to create an illusion of movement. The effect is an optical illusion of motion due to the phenomenon of persistence of vision, and can be created and demonstrated in several ways...
techniques to create artistic visual styles. These were:
- Cesta do pravěkuJourney to the Beginning of TimeJourney to the Beginning of Time is a 1955 Czechoslovak children's science fiction feature film directed by Karel Zeman. Produced using a combination of 2-D and 3-D models, it was the first of Zeman's productions to include actors in conjunction with stop-motion and special effects, and won awards...
(1955), inspired by Jules VerneJules VerneJules Gabriel Verne was a French author who pioneered the science fiction genre. He is best known for his novels Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea , A Journey to the Center of the Earth , and Around the World in Eighty Days...
's Journey to the Center of the EarthJourney to the Center of the EarthA Journey to the Center of the Earth is a classic 1864 science fiction novel by Jules Verne. The story involves a German professor who believes there are volcanic tubes going toward the center of the Earth...
and the paintings of Zdeněk BurianZdenek BurianZdeněk Michael František Burian was a Czech painter and book illustrator whose work played a central role in the development of palaeontological reconstructions during a remarkable career spanning five decades... - Vynález zkázyThe Fabulous World of Jules VerneThe Fabulous World of Jules Verne is a 1958 Czechoslovak adventure film directed by Karel Zeman, based on Jules Verne's 1896 novel Facing the Flag. It has also been released under the novel's title....
(1958), based on Verne's Facing the FlagFacing the FlagFacing the Flag or For the Flag is an 1896 patriotic novel by Jules Verne. The book is part of the Voyages Extraordinaires series....
, and filmed to emulate the original illustrations for Verne's novels - Baron PrášilThe Fabulous Baron MunchausenThe Fabulous Baron Munchausen is a 1961 tinted Czechoslovak romantic adventure film directed by Karel Zeman, based on the tales about Baron Münchhausen. The film combines animation with live-action and is heavily stylised.-Plot:...
(1961), celebrating the legendary Baron Munchausen and the engravings of Gustave DoréGustave DoréPaul Gustave Doré was a French artist, engraver, illustrator and sculptor. Doré worked primarily with wood engraving and steel engraving.-Biography:... - Bláznova kronikaA Jester's TaleBláznova kronika is a 1964 Czech film directed by Karel Zeman. Described by Zeman as a "pseudo-historical" film, it is an anti-war black comedy set during the Thirty Years' War. The film combines live action with animation to suggest the artistic style of the engraver Matthäus Merian....
(1964), a satire of the Thirty Years' WarThirty Years' WarThe Thirty Years' War was fought primarily in what is now Germany, and at various points involved most countries in Europe. It was one of the most destructive conflicts in European history....
, suggested by the drawings of Matthäus MerianMatthäus MerianMatthäus Merian der Ältere was a Swiss-born engraver who worked in Frankfurt for most of his career, where he also ran a publishing house.-Early life and marriage:... - Ukradená vzducholoďThe Stolen AirshipThe Stolen Airship is a 1967 live-action/animated film by Czech filmmaker Karel Zeman. The story is based loosely on Jules Verne's Two Years' Vacation. The film consists of live-action scenes, generally shot in black and white, as well as hand-drawn, stop motion, and cutout animation...
(1967), inspired by the Verne novels Two Years' VacationTwo Years' VacationTwo Years' Vacation is an adventure novel by Jules Verne, published in 1888. The story tells of the fortunes of a group of schoolboys stranded on a deserted island in the South Pacific, and of their struggles to overcome adversity...
and The Mysterious IslandThe Mysterious IslandThe Mysterious Island is a novel by Jules Verne, published in 1874. The original edition, published by Hetzel, contains a number of illustrations by Jules Férat. The novel is a sequel to Verne's famous Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea and In Search of the Castaways, though thematically it is...
, the Art NouveauArt NouveauArt Nouveau is an international philosophy and style of art, architecture and applied art—especially the decorative arts—that were most popular during 1890–1910. The name "Art Nouveau" is French for "new art"...
style, and the 1891 Prague Centennial ExhibitionGeneral Land Centennial Exhibition (1891)The General Land Centennial Exhibition was a World's fair held in 1891 in Prague, then in the Austria–Hungarian Empire.Many buildings were erected for this exposition, including the Průmyslový palace .-Summary:... - Na kometě (1970), an anti-war fantasy based on Verne's Hector Servadac
After this, Zeman experimented with more classical forms of animation, beginning with seven shorts about Sinbad the Sailor
Sinbad the Sailor
Sinbad the Sailor is a fictional sailor from Basrah, living during the Abbasid Caliphate – the hero of a story-cycle of Middle Eastern origin...
which were then expanded into the feature film Pohádky tisíce a jedné noci
Adventures of Sinbad the Sailor
Pohádky tisíce a jedné noci is a 1974 Czech animated film directed by Karel Zeman. The film combines the voyages of Sindbad the Sailor with elements of other tales from the Arabian Nights...
(1974). His final films were Čarodějův učeň (1977), from the novel The Satanic Mill
The Satanic Mill
-Plot:Set in the late 17th century, the story follows the life of Krabat, a 14-year old Wendish beggar boy living in the eastern part of Saxony. For three consecutive nights, he is called through a dream to a watermill near the village Schwarzkollm. Upon heeding the call and arriving at the mill,...
by Otfried Preußler
Otfried Preußler
Otfried Preußler is a German children's books author. His best-known works are The Robber Hotzenplotz and The Satanic Mill ....
, and Pohádka o Honzíkovi a Mařence (1980).
He died in Zlín
Zlín
Zlín , from 1949 to 1989 Gottwaldov , is a city in the Zlín Region, southeastern Moravia, Czech Republic, on the Dřevnice River. The development of the modern city is closely connected to the Bata Shoes company...
on April 5, 1989, a few months before the Velvet Revolution
Velvet Revolution
The Velvet Revolution or Gentle Revolution was a non-violent revolution in Czechoslovakia that took place from November 17 – December 29, 1989...
.
Feature Films
| Year | Original Czech title | Standard English title | US release title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1952 | Poklad ptačího ostrova | The Treasure of Bird Island | N/A |
| 1955 | Cesta do pravěku Journey to the Beginning of Time Journey to the Beginning of Time is a 1955 Czechoslovak children's science fiction feature film directed by Karel Zeman. Produced using a combination of 2-D and 3-D models, it was the first of Zeman's productions to include actors in conjunction with stop-motion and special effects, and won awards... |
Journey to Prehistory | Journey to the Beginning of Time |
| 1958 | Vynález zkázy The Fabulous World of Jules Verne The Fabulous World of Jules Verne is a 1958 Czechoslovak adventure film directed by Karel Zeman, based on Jules Verne's 1896 novel Facing the Flag. It has also been released under the novel's title.... |
An Invention for Destruction | The Fabulous World of Jules Verne |
| 1961 | Baron Prášil The Fabulous Baron Munchausen The Fabulous Baron Munchausen is a 1961 tinted Czechoslovak romantic adventure film directed by Karel Zeman, based on the tales about Baron Münchhausen. The film combines animation with live-action and is heavily stylised.-Plot:... |
Baron Munchausen | The Fabulous Baron Munchausen |
| 1964 | Bláznova kronika A Jester's Tale Bláznova kronika is a 1964 Czech film directed by Karel Zeman. Described by Zeman as a "pseudo-historical" film, it is an anti-war black comedy set during the Thirty Years' War. The film combines live action with animation to suggest the artistic style of the engraver Matthäus Merian.... |
A Jester's Tale | War of the Fools |
| 1967 | Ukradená vzducholoď The Stolen Airship The Stolen Airship is a 1967 live-action/animated film by Czech filmmaker Karel Zeman. The story is based loosely on Jules Verne's Two Years' Vacation. The film consists of live-action scenes, generally shot in black and white, as well as hand-drawn, stop motion, and cutout animation... |
The Stolen Airship | N/A |
| 1970 | Na kometě | On the Comet | On the Comet |
| 1974 | Pohádky tisíce a jedné noci Adventures of Sinbad the Sailor Pohádky tisíce a jedné noci is a 1974 Czech animated film directed by Karel Zeman. The film combines the voyages of Sindbad the Sailor with elements of other tales from the Arabian Nights... |
Tales of 1,001 Nights | Adventures of Sinbad the Sailor |
| 1977 | Čarodějův učeň | Krabat — The Sorcerer's Apprentice | N/A |
| 1980 | Pohádka o Honzíkovi a Mařence | The Tale of John and Mary | N/A |
Short Films
| Year | Original Czech title | English title | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1945 | Vánoční sen | The Christmas Dream | Released in the US as A Christmas Dream |
| 1946 | Křeček | The Hamster | |
| 1946 | Podkova pro štěstí | Horseshoe for Luck | The first Mr. Prokouk film |
| 1947 | Pan Prokouk ouřaduje | Mr. Prokouk, Bureaucrat | |
| 1947 | Brigády | Voluntary work | The third Mr. Prokouk film |
| 1947 | Pan Prokouk v pokušení | Mr. Prokouk in Temptation | |
| 1948 | Pan Prokouk filmuje | Mr. Prokouk Filming | |
| 1948 | Inspirace | Inspiration | |
| 1949 | Pan Prokouk vynálezcem | Mr. Prokouk, Inventor | |
| 1950 | Král Lávra | King Lávra | |
| 1955 | Pan Prokouk, Přítel zvířátek | Mr. Prokouk, Friend of the Animals | |
| 1958 | Pan Proukock detektivem | Mr. Prokouk, Detective | |
| 1959 | Pan Proukock akrobatem | Mr. Prokouk, Acrobat | |
| 1971 | Dobrodružství námořníka Sindibáda | Adventures of Sinbad the Sailor | |
| 1972 | Druhá cesta námořníka Sindibáda | The Second Voyage of Sinbad the Sailor | |
| 1973 | V zemi obrů. Třetí cesta námořníka Sindibáda | In the Land of Giants (the third voyage) | |
| 1973 | Magnetová hora. Čtvrtá cesta námořníka Sindibáda | The Magnet Mountain (the fourth voyage) | |
| 1973 | Létající koberec. Pátá cesta námořníka Sindibáda | The Flying Carpet (the fifth voyage) | |
| 1974 | Mořský sultán. Šestá cesta námořníka Sindibáda | The Sultan of the Sea (the sixth voyage) | |
| 1974 | Zkrocený démon. Sedmá cesta námořníka Sindibáda | Taming the Demon (the seventh voyage) |
External links
- Gallery of Czech stop-action animation including clips from The Fabulous World of Karel Zeman.
- Karel Zeman filmography detailed filmography of Karel Zeman in Polish.
- A Strange Introduction to Karel Zeman: The Czech Visionary (TCM Movie Morlocks)