Cheap The Fireman's Ball (Video) (Jan Vostrcil, Josef Sebanek) (Milos Forman) Price

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Customer Reviews of The Fireman's Ball

Made while Forman was still living under Communist rule in Czecholslovakia, "Fireman's Ball" was meant as a satire of government bureaucracy, though the story can be enjoyed purely at face value. The firemen are pathetic pillars of the community who engage in endless and logic-bending arguments over ridiculous little points, desperately nabbing any reluctant teenage girls for the beauty pageant; while the people outside are enjoying and upsetting the ball (even stealing all of the edible raffle prizes) to their hearts' content. Everybody's concerned only with himself or herself......until an outside siren leads everybody to a fire destroying an old man's house. Finally, everyone seems united in a common cause. The tragedy of the story--as well as the Czech people--is driven home.

Absolutely wonderful transfer--those of us who've caught it in infrequent TV broadcasts (notably on the USA network) have had to endure white subtitles obscured in decrepit-quality prints, or lost in the screen detail. Here they are completely readable. The interviews with Forman & his erstwhile photographer Miroslav Ondricek are enlightening. My one complaint is that this Criterion Collection edition doesn't give us Forman's original English-language introduction, appended to original American & British prints of the film (he looked quite stylish in a beard).

Amazing, too, that this film uses no professionals among its actors--simply friends and even schoolboy pals of Forman's.

Wow.
How to get busted in a totalitarian regime: make a film like Firemen's Ball. Just watched that last night. Amazed. Brilliant transfer. May not be as poignant as Loves of a Blonde or his later works, but a rousing critique of the regime with some really funny scenes. But, again, that transfer amazed me. Hard to believe it's a 35 year old czech film. Highly recommended. Enjoyed Forman's comments on the film and the debacle that ensued. He was almost locked up for 10 years and was luckily helped out by none other than Francois Truffaut! Beautiful.

A real treat of a movie, and an important one, as well.
The Firemen's Ball is one of a handful of Czech films that defined the "New Wave" era, and had a profound influence on filmmakers and critics around the world. Other important films of this period include Forman's "Loves of a Blonde," Jiri Menzel's "Closely Watched Trains," and "Larks on a String" (a Menzel film that hasn't been released on DVD, to my knowledge). But Firemen's Ball is a personal favorite, probably due to the fact that I lived in the Czech Republic for five years, and attended similar village balls. The characters in this wicked satire are portrayed with humor, affection and above all a level of realism that remains unsurpassed. In the end, Forman does what he does best -- he leaves you torn between laughter and tears. This film is a must-see, especially for those who are interested in understanding how filmmaking evolved in the 60s.