Dark Alchemy: The Films of Jan Svankmajer (Paperback)

~ Peter Hames (Editor)

Editorial Reviews

Review

“This collection of essays is the first book-length work in English on Czech film animator Svankmajer. Hames and his contributors are all veteran British commentators on the avant-garde cinema, but Hames (author of The Czechoslovak New Wave, and other works on the cinema of Eastern Europe, and organizer of a large retrospective of Czech and Slovak film at the National Film Theatre of Britain) inspired the current book.”–Choice --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Product Description

Czech animator Jan Svankmajer is one of the most distinctive and influential of contemporary filmmakers. As a leading member of the Prague Surrealist Group, his work is linked to a rich avant-garde tradition and an uncompromising moral stance that brought frequent tensions with the authorities in the "normalization" years following the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968. This collection of essays presents a complete portrait of this fascinating filmmaker.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Praeger Paperback (August 30, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0275952991
• ISBN-13: 978-0275952990
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,483,464 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Surreal Art Made Real, February 10, 2001

By	James D. Summar - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Dark Alchemy: The Films of Jan Svankmajer (Contributions to the Study of Popular Culture) (Hardcover)

Finally reaching a broad audience with his first feature length film, Alice, in 1988 and later with Faust in 1995, this filmmaker has gained his due attention. Dubbed the Animator of Prague, Jan Svankmajer ranks as perhaps the most prominent member of the Czechoslovakian Surrealists.

Peter Hames has studied Svankmajer's art for many years and brought his store of knowledge to bear as editor of this collection of well-written essays. Most of the essays focus on Svankmajer's development as a surrealist and, to a lesser extent, a mannerist. Also, they explore his use of tactile objects and the concepts that undergird their use. For the person exploring the foundations of Svankmajer's art, this book is indispensable.

Hames includes an interview he conducted over several sessions with Svankmajer that is particularly illuminating, especially since English translations of Svankmajer's words are few and far between. Svankmajer speaks candidly about his place in the history of Surreal art, his personal theory of artistic creation, and the state of art in Europe.

One article within the book will challenge even the practiced reader. Frankly, this particular article possesses a density and obscurity that might make better sense if left untranslated.

If you are as fascinated with Svankmajer as I, purchase this book. If you are a casual fan, you might want to explore other sources before buying this one.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Surreal Art Made Real, February 10, 2001

By	James D. Summar - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Finally reaching a broad audience with his first feature length film, Alice, in 1988 and later with Faust in 1995, this filmmaker has gained his due attention. Dubbed the Animator of Prague, Jan Svankmajer ranks as perhaps the most prominent member of the Czechoslovakian Surrealists.

Peter Hames has studied Svankmajer's art for many years and brought his store of knowledge to bear as editor of this collection of well-written essays. Most of the essays focus on Svankmajer's development as a surrealist and, to a lesser extent, a mannerist. Also, they explore his use of tactile objects and the concepts that undergird their use. For the person exploring the foundations of Svankmajer's art, this book is indispensable.

Hames includes an interview he conducted over several sessions with Svankmajer that is particularly illuminating, especially since English translations of Svankmajer's words are few and far between. Svankmajer speaks candidly about his place in the history of Surreal art, his personal theory of artistic creation, and the state of art in Europe.

One article within the book will challenge even the practiced reader. Frankly, this particular article possesses a density and obscurity that might make better sense if left untranslated.

If you are as fascinated with Svankmajer as I, purchase this book. If you are a casual fan, you might want to explore other sources before buying this one.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Surrealism at its best, November 15, 2005

By	Denis Blot - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Jan Svankmejer is one of the most talented stop motion animation filmmakers currently working. Unfortunately his brilliant films have had only limited release in the United States and little in-depth reading is available on him and his body of work. Dark Alchemy provides some very interesting essays on Svankmejer, the history of Czech film, and surrealism. Those who do not have a film background and a good understanding of surrealism may have difficulty in understanding a lot of what is discussed, much of which would be considered heavy academic reading. The exception being an in-depth interview with Svankmejer. In fact one or two additional interviews with Svankmejer covering some of his specific films in depth might have made for a more well rounded book.