Closely Watched Trains
Ostře sledované vlaky
Czechoslovakia • 1966
Director
#131Criterion Collection →Synopsis
At a village railway station in occupied Czechoslovakia, a bumbling dispatcher’s apprentice longs to liberate himself from his virginity. Oblivious to the war and the resistance that surrounds him, this young man embarks on a journey of sexual awakening and self-discovery, encountering a universe of frustration, eroticism, and adventure within his sleepy backwater depot. Wry and tender, Academy Award–winning CLOSELY WATCHED TRAINS is a masterpiece of human observation and one of the best-loved films of the Czech New Wave.
Synopsis
At a village railway station in occupied Czechoslovakia, a bumbling dispatcher’s apprentice longs to liberate himself from his virginity. Oblivious to the war and the resistance that surrounds him, this young man embarks on a journey of sexual awakening and self-discovery, encountering a universe of frustration, eroticism, and adventure within his sleepy backwater depot. Wry and tender, Academy Award–winning CLOSELY WATCHED TRAINS is a masterpiece of human observation and one of the best-loved films of the Czech New Wave.
Criterion Closet Pick
(1)
Credits
Crew
DirectorJiří Menzel
WriterJiří Menzel, Bohumil Hrabal
CinematographerJaromír Šofr
ComposerJiří Šust
EditorJiřina Lukešová
Cast
Václav Neckářas Trainee Milos Hrma
Jitka Scoffinas Conducteress Masa
Vladimír Valentaas Stationmaster Max
Libuše Havelkováas Max's wife