Something Different & A Bagful of Fleas

Two early works by the great Czech filmmaker Věra Chytilová come to DVD from Second Run

Film Review by Lewis Porteous | 22 Mar 2016
Film title: Something Different & A Bagful of Fleas
Director: Věra Chytilová
Starring: Vladimir Bosak, Eva Bosáková, Jirí Kodet
Release date: 29 Feb
Certificate: PG

Věra Chytilová’s 1962 short A Bag of Fleas is an exuberant, experimental work notable for its feminist politics and tendency to blur the boundaries of artifice and documentary. When viewed alongside its predecessor, the following year's Something Different could rightfully be considered more of the same. Though her debut feature found Chytilová with nothing new to say, it nevertheless confirmed an intention to explore and push the limits of her form.

Averse to conventional narratives, the storytelling here is loose and gently abstract. Fleas was shot in a real factory dormitory, its non-actor residents turning in naturalistic performances and defying prevalent female stereotypes. Most of the action is shown from a single character's first-person perspective, while one scene abandons visuals entirely as the girls chat after lights out. The film culminates in a disciplinary hearing, but plot is secondary to playful innovation.

A more sombre tone is sustained throughout Something Different, where two separate narratives are intercut to evoke women pushed to their limits. Tawdry and frustrating domestic scenes sit next to documentary-style footage of a real-life champion gymnast in training. Both protagonists are governed by men and social expectation, and it's with varying shades of tragedy that each cling to their routine even when presented with the opportunity to serve themselves.

There's something unmistakably mercurial about these pieces, as the filmmaker could never have foreseen the results of her wilfully unconventional methods. Both she and her casts worked faithfully in the moment to ensure an elusive honesty runs through every frame.

Extras

Second Run have form for high-quality Chytilová DVD releases, and this disc is no exception. Both titles are sourced from immaculate prints, with A Bagful of Fleas enjoying its long-overdue world premiere on a digital format. The sound is crisp and the subtitles read naturally, while an accompanying booklet offers an illuminating essay on the Czech New Wave.


Released by Second Run – order your copy at secondrundvd.com