Groovy Dancing and Communist Tanks: Stark Contrasts of Prague in August of 1968

Caught in the Clash of Groovy Dancing and Communist Tanks – Prague Spring 1968

What does groovy dancing have to do with communist tanks? Not much, but one day in August of 1968, groovy music videos were being filmed simultaneously in and around Prague. A popular television program at the time, Europarty had crews filming music videos for the show. It was the height of Prague Spring, and there...

History, Music, NOSTALGIA

July 18, 2019

Movie Scenes from Prague

Today we are looking at movie scenes from Prague. Many films and music videos choose Prague for obvious reasons, it’s beautiful, picturesque, romantic, haunting, glamorous, unique, and well… just picture perfect. Each of these videos are just a few minutes, so take a peek and enjoy your little video visit to Prague. Mission Impossible –...

ENTERTAINMENT, Movies

June 25, 2019

Watch This: Swingtime – StB – A False State Border Within the Republic

Imagine it… The StB – A false state border within the republic – and a fictional story of people who have crossed it. This is the theme of the the 2006 film Swingtime. It focuses on the so-called akce Kámen (Stone action), during which State Security agents deliberately mystified the citizens of the Czechoslovak Republic. Especially...

ENTERTAINMENT, Movies

June 16, 2019

Zem Spieva or the Earth Sings – A Czech/Slovak Magnum Opus

Zem spieva (The Earth Sings) is a 1933 Czech documentary film written and directed by Karel Plicka (in Slovak: Karol Plicka) (1894 – 1987), a Czechoslovak photographer, film director, cinematographer, folklorist, and pedagogue. He is considered a founder of Slovak film education and film making. He helped establish the genre of ethnographic film in Czechoslovakia. Following Karel Plicka’s graduation...

History, Movies, PEOPLE

May 30, 2018

Old Czech Language and the National Anthem

Czech language developed at the close of the 1st millennium from common West Slavic. Until the early 20th century, it was known as Bohemian but I will refer to it as old Czech language in this post. I wanted you to hear a wonderful example of old Czech language, at least as old an example...

Bohemians, ENTERTAINMENT, History, LIFESTYLE, Movies, NOSTALGIA

May 28, 2018

The Tragic 1895 Quicksand Disaster at the Town of Most

Imagine walking with your family, coming home from market when suddenly the buildings around you begin to crumble and the earth begins to swallow the people right in front of you. That is exactly what occurred in 1895 in a city called Most in Bohemia (now the Czech Republic) in the worst quicksand disaster in...

History, Movies, NOSTALGIA

May 27, 2018

Resistance Has a Code Name: Operation Anthropoid

Being May 27th, we are looking at an evil monster from history known as the Butcher of Prague and the various films made about Operation Anthropoid, the plot to kill him in Czechoslovakia. Operation Anthropoid, with its course and consequences, is the most heroic and tragic story in the modern Czech history. Warrant Officer Jozef Gabčík (Slovak)...

History, Movies

May 25, 2018

In Memory of Award Winning Czech Director Miloš Forman

Miloš Forman, the most successful Czech-American filmmaker and scriptwriter, who lived in the US since 1968, a holder of two Oscars for the best directions, three Golden Globe awards and BAFTA prizes in the same category, died on Friday, April 13, 2018, in a hospital in Danbury, Conn. He was 86. He has been SVU...

Bohemians, ENTERTAINMENT, Movies, PEOPLE

March 24, 2018

Czech Animation Master Jiří Trnka Documentary

Today we are sharing a short twelve minute documentary which will educate you on the famous Czech puppet-maker, illustrator, motion-picture animator and film director. A man who some believe was better than Walt Disney at telling a tale and a man who is known as one of the Czech Republic’s greatest animators, puppeteers, illustrators and story...

Bohemians, Childrens Books, Movies, PEOPLE

February 28, 2018

Watch Viktor Polesný’s Murder in Polna

Zločin v Polné, or as it is more commonly known in English, Murder in Polna is a excellent two part film which follows the story of and deals with the Hilsner Affair. On an Easter Sunday in 1899, a nineteen year old seamstress named Anežka Hrůzová was found dead between the two towns of Věžníček, and Polná....

ENTERTAINMENT, Movies

February 26, 2018

Czech Opera and Operetta Diva Jarmila Kšírová

The lovely Jarmila Kšírová was a very talented Czech Opera and Operetta diva. She was born December 29, 1910 in Prague and died on November 27, 1983 in East Berlin. With her singing talent and natural beauty, she reaped success all over Europe. Like many other gorgeous Czech women, her natural beauty and attractiveness is...

Music, PEOPLE, Women

January 30, 2018

Watch This: Dark Blue World or Tmavomodrý Svět

Coming from famous Czech director Jan Svěrák who also directed the film Kolya, comes Dark Blue World (2001). This is a historic action movie about a group of fighter pilots training to fight for their country which has been invaded by the Nazis in 1939. The plot follows two pilots in particular (Ondrej Vetchý and Krystof Hádekwho) who...

ENTERTAINMENT, Movies

January 27, 2018

Kolya – A Heart Wrenching Drama

Kolya is a Czech drama released in 1996 that follows the story of Louka, (portrayed by famous Czech actor Zdenek Sverák) a former concert cellist at the Prague Philharmonic who now works playing among others at funerals where he barely makes ends meet. He agrees to marry a Russian woman who needs citizen papers in exchange for...

ENTERTAINMENT, Movies

January 21, 2018

Fairytale Ax Soup Recipe from Honza Málem Králem

You know we love sharing Czech recipes and today we’re sharing another from a Czech pohádka (fairytale) movie called Honza Málem Králem (How Honza Almost Became a King). Czech and Czechoslovak fairytale films, known locally as pohádky are especially popular during the holidays. This specific fairytale soup is called Sekyrková polévka (Ax soup). I have elaborated a bit, added...

ENTERTAINMENT, Movies, Recipes