The Cremator (Spalovač mrtvol)

Iconic, suffocating and generically complex work by Juraj Herz maintains its place in the minds of film enthusiasts and scholars alike year after year and across generations. We observe the spiritual decay of a devoted family man against the backdrop of a darkened living room, a foggy bathroom or the cold tiled interior of a crematorium. The film plays around with various unusual perspectives – extreme close-ups, fisheye lenses and curtains of rain invite the viewer deeper into the disorienting mind of Kopfrkingl (Hrušínský), supported by the unforgettable score penned by Zdeněk Liška. Rudolf Hrušínský in what many consider to be his role of a lifetime and the impressive Pardubice crematorium on a big screen will certainly not disappoint, whether you’re seeing this gem of Czechoslovak cinema for the first or the tenth time. (bk)