The Fabulous Baron Munchausen
Encyclopedia
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.
The astronaut/cosmonaut leaves his spacecraft and sights other footsteps on the moon leading him to an old phonograph, then a crashed rocket with a plaque reading Jules Verne
's From the Earth to the Moon
. Taken to a dinner table, the surprised space traveller meets the characters from Verne's book and Baron Münchhausen. Inviting him to their table, the characters believe that the cosmonaut is a man actually from the moon, and kindly treat him as a small child.
The Baron decides to take him to Earth in a fanciful airship held up by a herd of winged horses. The Baron dresses the spaceman, called "Joey" in the English dubbed version and "Tonik" in the original Czech, in 18th Century costume where they land in 18th Century Turkey. Speaking in an unintelligible voice that he calls the "language of diplomacy" the Baron presents Joey to the Sultan
. However Joey's lack of knowledge of diplomatic protocol
and his falling in love with Princess Bianca, a damsel in distress
held prisoner by the Sultan, leads to a series of romantic and fanciful adventures that transform the modern scientific space traveller into a hero rivalling the Baron.
Among the exciting and satiric adventures are sword and sea battles with the Turks, being swallowed by a giant fish, and ending the conflict between two warring kingdoms.
1961 in film
The year 1961 in film involved some significant events, with West Side Story winning 10 Academy Awards.-Top grossing films : After theatrical re-issue- Awards :Academy Awards:* Atlantis, the Lost ContinentB...
tinted
Film tinting
Film tinting is the process of adding color to black-and-white film, usually by means of soaking the film in dye and staining the film emulsion...
Czechoslovak
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...
romantic
Romance film
Romance films are love stories that focus on passion, emotion, and the affectionate involvement of the main characters and the journey that their love takes through courtship or marriage. Romance films make the love story or the search for love the main plot focus...
adventure
Adventure film
Adventure films are a genre of film.Unlike pure, low-budget action films they often use their action scenes preferably to display and explore exotic locations in an energetic way....
film directed by Karel Zeman
Karel Zeman
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."-Life:...
, based on the tales about Baron Münchhausen
Baron Munchhausen
Karl Friedrich Hieronymus, Freiherr von Münchhausen , usually known as Baron Münchhausen in English, was a German nobleman born in Bodenwerder and a famous recounter of tall tales....
. The film combines 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...
with live-action and is heavily stylised.
Plot
The film begins with footsteps leading to a pond. The camera continually moves upwards to show the flight of butterflies, birds, and a progression of historical aircraft ending with a rocketship travelling through space and landing on the moon.The astronaut/cosmonaut leaves his spacecraft and sights other footsteps on the moon leading him to an old phonograph, then a crashed rocket with a plaque reading Jules Verne
Jules Verne
Jules 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 From the Earth to the Moon
From the Earth to the Moon
From the Earth to the Moon is a humorous science fantasy novel by Jules Verne and is one of the earliest entries in that genre. It tells the story of the president of a post-American Civil War gun club in Baltimore, his rival, a Philadelphia maker of armor, and a Frenchman, who build an enormous...
. Taken to a dinner table, the surprised space traveller meets the characters from Verne's book and Baron Münchhausen. Inviting him to their table, the characters believe that the cosmonaut is a man actually from the moon, and kindly treat him as a small child.
The Baron decides to take him to Earth in a fanciful airship held up by a herd of winged horses. The Baron dresses the spaceman, called "Joey" in the English dubbed version and "Tonik" in the original Czech, in 18th Century costume where they land in 18th Century Turkey. Speaking in an unintelligible voice that he calls the "language of diplomacy" the Baron presents Joey to the Sultan
Sultan
Sultan is a title with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic language abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", and "dictatorship", derived from the masdar سلطة , meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it came to be used as the title of certain rulers who...
. However Joey's lack of knowledge of diplomatic protocol
Protocol (diplomacy)
In international politics, protocol is the etiquette of diplomacy and affairs of state.A protocol is a rule which guides how an activity should be performed, especially in the field of diplomacy. In diplomatic services and governmental fields of endeavor protocols are often unwritten guidelines...
and his falling in love with Princess Bianca, a damsel in distress
Damsel in distress
The subject of the damsel in distress, or persecuted maiden, is a classic theme in world literature, art, and film. She is usually a beautiful young woman placed in a dire predicament by a villain or monster and who requires a hero to achieve her rescue. She has become a stock character of fiction,...
held prisoner by the Sultan, leads to a series of romantic and fanciful adventures that transform the modern scientific space traveller into a hero rivalling the Baron.
Among the exciting and satiric adventures are sword and sea battles with the Turks, being swallowed by a giant fish, and ending the conflict between two warring kingdoms.
Cast
- Miloš KopeckýMiloš KopeckýMiloš Kopecký was a Czech actor, active mainly in the second half of the 20th century.- Biography :...
as Baron MünchhausenBaron MunchhausenKarl Friedrich Hieronymus, Freiherr von Münchhausen , usually known as Baron Münchhausen in English, was a German nobleman born in Bodenwerder and a famous recounter of tall tales.... - Rudolf Jelínek as Tonik
- Jana BrejchováJana BrejchováJana Brejchová is a Czech film actress. She has appeared in over 70 films since 1953. She was married to actor Vlastimil Brodský.-Selected filmography:* Desire * Suburban Romance...
as Princess Bianca - Karel HögerKarel HögerKarel Höger was a Czechoslovak film actor. He appeared in nearly 100 films between 1939 and 1977.-Selected filmography:* Lost in the Suburbs * Krakatit * Old Czech Legends...
as Cyrano de BergeracCyrano de BergeracHercule-Savinien de Cyrano de Bergerac was a French dramatist and duelist. He is now best remembered for the works of fiction which have been woven, often very loosely, around his life story, most notably the 1897 play by Edmond Rostand... - Naděžda Blažíčková as Court Dancer
- Karel Effa as Adjutant
- Josef HlinomazJosef HlinomazJosef Hlinomaz was a Czechoslovak film actor and painter. He appeared in over 150 films and television shows between 1948 and 1978.-Selected filmography:* Komedianti * Hvězda jede na jih...
as Spanish General - Zdeněk Hodr as Nicole
- Miloslav Holub as Enemy General
- Miroslav Homola as Chess Player
- Rudolf HrušínskýRudolf HrušínskýRudolf Hrušínský was an acclaimed Czech actor.-Biography:He was born in Nová Včelnice to Hermina Červičková and Rudolf Hrušinský . He was born, literally, back stage during a showing of the play Taneček panny Marinky...
as The Sultan - Eduard Kohout as General Ellemerle
- Otto ŠimánekOtto ŠimánekOtto Šimánek was a Czech actor. Šimánek worked at the Prague City Theater. He also taught mime at the Prague Conservatory. He became internationally known through the role of the silent wizard Pan Tau.- External links :*...
as Ardan - František Šlégr as Pirate Captain
- Václav TréglVáclav TréglVáclav Trégl was a Czechoslovak film actor. He appeared in over 120 films between 1933 and 1977.-Selected filmography:* Revizor * Workers, Let's Go * Poslední muž...
as Sailor - Jan WerichJan WerichJan Werich was a Czech actor, playwright and writer.-Life:Between 1916 to 1924 he attended "reálné gymnasium" in Křemencová Street in Prague...
as Ship's Captain - Bohuš Záhorský as Admiral
- Richard Záhorský as Barbicain