Otesanek (Little Otik)

Jan Svankmajer has been called "the last of the surrealists".

His films are inevitably headtrips of the highest and finest order, blending cultural criticism with stop action animation and storylines tweaked enough to keep you flipping mental burgers in your sleep for nights.

His latest film Little Otik (Otesanek) - sounds like "ultrasonic" - is lighter on the animation than usual, but is pure Svankmajer in capturing the silliness of society and the potential repulsiveness of the human body and its daily eating rituals. Based on an old folk tale, the plot revolves around a barren couple and their tree baby (made of wood) that comes to life and starts eating people.

The tree baby monster is befriended by a little girl and lives in the basement to avoid being sawed in half by either the father or the cops. If you ever felt guilty about thinking that Czech food is nasty, Svankmajer says its ok, and shows us how nasty it can really be. Includes a great cast familiar to anyone who knows earlier Svankmajer works.

Thinky says: There is a worm in my mouth and bugs on my razor. I like it.

Category: International

Published Date

Written by Alexander Zaitchik

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