Customer Reviews

My Sweet Little Village [VHS]

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

"My Sweet Little Village" is a fantastic portrayal of village life and mentality in Central Europe. Set somewhere in the Czech countryside during the 1980s, the film focuses around the village simpleton Otik and the portly farm collective truck driver who has to work with him. Along the way, viewers meet all of the often odd denizens of the village. Menzel is a masterful director as his film is both funny and endearing. The actors also do a fantastic job. What makes this film so outstanding is that it is an almost perfect reflection of rural life in this part of Europe, which anyone who has spent even a little time in the villages of e.g. the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, etc. can attest to.

It's been several years since I saw this movie, but I remember it being a sweet, charming movie that I truly enjoyed. Village simpleton Otik and the cast of characters will work their way into your heart!

What a delight! Forget the Holywood for one night and see this marvel of cinematography. You will not only be entertained in the best way movie can offer, you will be educated about people of socialism era in east Europe as well. This movies portrays life, mentality and values of ordinary villagers, whose ambitions were simple - walk trough life with a little of joy and smile on the lips. The story has a bad guy too, of course, but people in this movie, so realistic and rooted, will capture your heart. The Oscar winner director Jiri Menzel put on the screen a life with all its dimensions and he did it great - again. And by the way - you will laugh your lungs out, providing you do not laugh only at Adam Sendlers.

A cynic may try to discount this classic as nostalgic kitsch, but I am not one. The characters in this little gem come to life in much the same way the heroes of (yes!) Bergman or Charlie Chaplin do: once seen they're difficult to forget.
The accident-prone doctor, Otik (of course), the city slickers and crass bureaucrats, it's all here. Not to mention copious amounts of beer, poetry and kielbasa.
I only have one obvious question: Region 1 DVD???!!!

This movie is a must for everybody who wants to underestand the Czech nature. This is not the Prague, this is the village. The different faces of one country. The great Czecho-Slovak casting features the superb actors of the socialist Czecho-Slovak era. And we should not forget the Hungarian actor playing Otik. A very soft and pleasant journey through even more pleasant Czech village summer. I love this movie and I was looking long time to find it in English... Finally... I think I get it as Xmass present for my wife. She has to underestand... the Czech nature.

This movie which is well known to Czechs does a wonderful job of capturing the spirit of a Czech village (under communism) and the subtle ways in which people managed to live under those circumstances. While some of the context may be incomprehensible to foreigners the insight provided is invaluable.

It's not Hollywood - it's better! I tell everyone that I love this movie. If you are comfortable with English subtitles or can understand the Czech language, buy it. You'll want to see it more than once. If it's ever on TV in your part of the world (which is how I found it), don't miss it. After you see it, you'll be rushing back to amazon.com to buy it!