Wow I never thought Cinemassacre and Svankmajer would ever cross over in my life haha, thank you for putting his name out there to an audience that might have never heard of him! Svankmajer should be a household name!!!
@@thepeternetwork I just visited someone who had TH-cam hooked up to a big screen TV to watch videos of car crashes and funny cats, for hours in a row.
I live in the Czech Republic and I am very happy that you talk about our artists. I'm all the happier that the review comes from you, because I'm your big fan.
James, content like this is some of my favorite that you put out. Your enthusiasm and knowledge on classic cinema is infectious and very appreciated and stands out among the flavor of the month trends hunting for the almighty YT algorithm's approval. Please keep up the excellent work!
I remember seeing his Alice in Wonderland movie and it freaked me the hell out. I’m glad Švankmajer’s getting more attention and recognition as the years go on. The man deserves it.
I remember seeing one of his films randomly on Facebook, without even paying much attention to the credits. It was fascinating, but vanished with the flow of the timeline. Many thanks for actually presenting us the artist, James. That is a true gift. This new review series of yours has been truly inspiring!
He probably inspired a lot of the vignettes from shows like Laugh-In, Sesame Street and The Electric Company. I got to thinking of the one from Sesame Street of the two little girls playing with doll house and some cats come along and take over the house.
Big kudos from a Czech fan for using our ridiculous "š" character! Actually my friend fundraised Insects and I did some animated bits for the marketing stuff :)
My mom used to dance for this project called Laterna Magika back in the 80s here in Prague. It was a mix of modern ballet, videoprojection, interactive scenery, pupets and such. Jan Švankmajer used to do some animation for the projection part and apparently he was a swell dude. Saw some of his stuff on the show "Magical circus" and by God that man is a genius.
1940condor: May i ask, what do they think ofJan Švankmajer in Czech Republic? Is he recognised as a national genius, or considered an avant garde outsider?
James doin' the mad flex and recommending one of the greatest surrealists of the filmmaking landscape. Faust and Alice are some of my favorite films of all time.
Wow, it feels weird to see a TH-camr like James talk about Svankmajer. Usually his work is confined to more...prestigious or avant-garde channels. Mostly underground stuff. But hey, I love me some Svankmajer!
I live in Czech Republic, Švankmajer is a genius and I'm really glad you covered him. His movie "Food" is also really funny. He also did some animations for an excellent TV series called The Visitors (Návštěvníci). I definitely recommend watching it!
love the shorts, and think they're the best way to start, but some of the features are pretty incredible. Conspirators of Pleasure might be my favorite.
Yo, James. It's kind of eerie how similar our experiences and tastes are. I remember seeing many of Jan Švankmajer's films on PBS as a kid and being terrified and / or blown away by them. Over the years I've tried to tell people about his movies, usually only getting blank stares and shrugs in return. This guy is definitely a certifiable visionary. Thanks for doing what you do best, I.E. inform people about great movies and filmmakers that are going unappreciated.
Svankmajer is one of my favourite filmmakers, the man is a genius!! My top 5: 1. Jabberwocky 2. The Garden 3. A Game with Stones 4. Darkness, Light, Darkness 5. Castle of Ontario.
Love how James exposes what would and could be lost works of so many creative artists. So many just turn on the TV or stream netflix, hulu, etc because its easy to do. They'll never get the chance to see some amazing old films/shows that aren't on those platforms unless they do their research and are able to find them somewhere. James is putting together a nice library of videos on here that are exposing many "lost" films to a new generation and keeping their spirits alive
Actually that was a feature of Czechoslovak TV at the time. Not so many commercials (all companies were state-owned after all), so breaks during sport events or televised theatrical plays were often filled with frolicking kittens and stuff.
6:50 I see that Švankmajer knew about the works of the italian Giuseppe Arcimboldo, notorious for making portraits of the nobles by drawing different objects in compositions based on their faces.
I saw one of the shorts in art class back in high school. Holy shit. Absolute nightmare fuel. I think I blocked it out but this brought back all those repressed feelings of fear
I love Svankmajer. I really recommend "Little Otik". It's a highly mindfucky movie with some absurd scenes and plot. If I remember correctly, some scenes from this were used in "the Grifter" creepypasta years ago.
I discovered Jan entirely by accident in the late 00's. Totally bizarre in a wonderful way. Great for a night where you aren't tired and have some beers handy and completely zone out to. Too bad there isn't an all-inclusive set of any kind.
I am SO GLAD you covered this! Jan Svankmajer has been in my heart since I saw Little Otik many years ago, and all of his works are simply astonishing! Thank you!
Thank you James, this is one of my favorite animator as well. Did you also know that he directed a large movies? Here is three of my favorite ones: Little Otik (Czech: Otesánek) Lunacy (Czech: Sileni) Conspirators of Pleasure (Czech: Spiklenci slasti) I definitely recommend to the the Otesánek, although I don't know if there any versions that was dubbed on english, it's still worth to watch.
I seriously appreciate how you bring talented people, movies, and interesting games to the surface from the depths. People like you give things/peoples legacy's longevity. Keep it up, we enjoy it a great deal!
Thank you for making this video, I have been telling people about him for years and he deserves more recognition! Any aspiring filmmaker, animator, or just anyone who appreciates surrealist art needs to know about Svankmajer
There's something so satisfying about reviews like these. I enjoy individual reviews of topics on anything by James. I hope he reads this and knows that I and many others respect this quality content.
Wow! Never saw this video coming from you. I've been a huge fan of Jan Svankmajer and the Brothers Quay for years. Excellent seeing that you're a fan as well. Thank you for drawing attention to their amazing works!
This reminds me of Peter Gabriel's sledgehammer and Phil collins land of confusion. Those music videos from the 80s used to freak me out, but I couldn't stop watching them.
Díky za šíření povědomí o Českém kinematografickém umění! Srdečně, tvůj Český fanoušek! Thank you for spreading the awareness about Czech cinema art! Sincerely, your Czech fan!
I watched his take on “Alice in wonderland” and man is it weird, but it is also comforting in a way. I suggest watching it by yourself with no other technology distraction you.
Stop motion always caught my attention, and adding another great artist to my collection and one that I haven't even seen. Thanks nerd! Looking upward for more material like this in the future.
I see now where Jack Stauber gets his inspiration from. For anyone who is into this, I highly recommend his pop-opera "Shop". It's otherworldly and so so good
Great to see you talking about these! I help with a weekly movie night, and I've been sticking in some of his work the past few weeks to share with people. It always goes over really well!
I'm so happy you're sharing Jan Svankmajer with your fans. I haven't seen Manly Games and now I MUST watch it. A few of my favorites: The Flat, Picnic with Weissman, Food, and Flora.
I remember when James was reviewing books he mentioned how Kirk Hammet was a huge fan of monster movies, and it was something awesome when you are a fan of someone and you find out that that person is also a fan something you are a fan of. Jan Svankmajer is a brillaint filmmaker and an artist and its is really cool to see James loves his stuff as well.
Thanks to a great video store, I was able to discover these back in the mid 90's. Love stop motion so much and glad to see Jan getting some much needed recognition.
I remember seeing some of these as a kid. People wonder why I have such a fascination with stop motion, especially clay. This is a big reason why. Thanks for the nostalgia trip and new material. I never knew his name. Now I won't forget.
This reminds me of Raoul Servais' "Harpya" (1979) which I've mistaken for Švankmajer's work for a long time. Also a must watch if you are fascinated by Švankmajer's works.
Omfg that collection of his work you have on display there, I've had that for a while!!! I'm so happy you've made a video about him, hopefully more and more people will check out and appreciate his work.
Thanks for this James, I really appreciate that you introduced his work. He should be recognized more, and you didn't even go into his full-length movies, which are equally bizarre. Greetings from Prague!
Thank you for showcasing this artist! I am superised they didn't teach us about this guy when I studied classical animation for 2 years. What a master!
Thank you, Nerd. This man deserves more attention
Rozhodně.
Jasně :-)
Čus :D
Souhlasím
3.2 million subs...... this man needs at least 5
I’m loving these only James reviews. Feels like monster madness X
No fatties allowed
Totally!!!
I was about to say the same thing !
@@david24745 💀💀💀💀
@@david24745 I didn't want to say it like that, but...
Even after all these years, James is still my favorite person on the internet
x2
Raul Alvarez x3
X4
One of the most legitimate, most honest. So many have been exposed to be nothing but a disappointing person.
The original Internet Celeb!
''Jeez, how much beer is this guy gonna drink?'' You've never been to Czech Republic, were you?
I guess he wouldn't say that if he was in his Nerd character :D
funny thing is, the football pennons on the wall are German teams (Hamburger SV and FC Bayern München) so I guess the guy should be German.
Beer in Czech Republic is pretty awesome, and roasted ham, I've been to Prague, beautiful city.
Not to mention he's dumping a shot of something into each mug of beer too, haha
Příliš pravdivé KKonaW
As a Czech, seeing James talking about this is absolutely insane
I love the "James sitting behind the counter talking about cool stuff" videos
Wow I never thought Cinemassacre and Svankmajer would ever cross over in my life haha, thank you for putting his name out there to an audience that might have never heard of him! Svankmajer should be a household name!!!
"Here's a bunch of people getting massacred, now stare at a cat"
Sounds like my kind of tuesday.
But...but its Wednesday....? Lol
Pretty much describes your average TH-cam viewer.
I wonder if the cats are there to reflect the violence lol.
@@Phantomsangel More like deflect... or defuse?
@@thepeternetwork I just visited someone who had TH-cam hooked up to a big screen TV to watch videos of car crashes and funny cats, for hours in a row.
I live in the Czech Republic and I am very happy that you talk about our artists. I'm all the happier that the review comes from you, because I'm your big fan.
James, content like this is some of my favorite that you put out. Your enthusiasm and knowledge on classic cinema is infectious and very appreciated and stands out among the flavor of the month trends hunting for the almighty YT algorithm's approval. Please keep up the excellent work!
I remember seeing his Alice in Wonderland movie and it freaked me the hell out. I’m glad Švankmajer’s getting more attention and recognition as the years go on. The man deserves it.
I remember seeing one of his films randomly on Facebook, without even paying much attention to the credits. It was fascinating, but vanished with the flow of the timeline. Many thanks for actually presenting us the artist, James. That is a true gift. This new review series of yours has been truly inspiring!
This is the best review you've done in a while.
Svankmajer’s Faust completely changed my life. I have such an appreciation for his work. The man is a master of his craft, truly a genius.
I watched this as a kid. I never knew this guy’s name though. His stuff was on PBS a lot. I missed it.. A sincere thanks for this review.
He probably inspired a lot of the vignettes from shows like Laugh-In, Sesame Street and The Electric Company. I got to thinking of the one from Sesame Street of the two little girls playing with doll house and some cats come along and take over the house.
Pretty sure he was also responsible for the most horrifying adaption of Alice in Wonderland ever made.
Everyone: "Return to Oz was a pretty trippy experience"
Švankmajer: "Hold my beers"
Well yes, that was quite disturbing childhood experience.
Now I want to see it.
Big kudos from a Czech fan for using our ridiculous "š" character! Actually my friend fundraised Insects and I did some animated bits for the marketing stuff :)
Š is still kinda easy, Ř on the other hand is basically impossible for non Czech speaking people.
You guys are heroes, too!
@Barber of Seville Idk it's tasty
My mom used to dance for this project called Laterna Magika back in the 80s here in Prague. It was a mix of modern ballet, videoprojection, interactive scenery, pupets and such. Jan Švankmajer used to do some animation for the projection part and apparently he was a swell dude. Saw some of his stuff on the show "Magical circus" and by God that man is a genius.
Okay. You convinced me that you're more than just The Nerd. Well done James.
I never would have thought Id see the day someone this big would ALSO know Jan Švankmajer
I live in Czech Republic. I appreciate that you are interested in our films :) this video quite surprised me.
Ejjj českooo
Im from czech republick and this really blew my mind
@Covid 1984 and the girls brooo
I would like to inform you that I'm studying Czech cinema after Daisies blew me away 4 years ago
It's nice to listen to James without him constantly being interrupted by his friends.
LOL someone had to say it
And riding the coattail of his success (Mike Matei not included in that comment. Hes always been there helping James)
@@InfectedElite I thought guythreep was throwing shade at Nostalgia Critic, shoe fit lol
ikr
"friends"
Stop motion is the scariest medium, change my mind.
True even i was really scared watching Caroline.
NOP IS reality TV
"K"
*two large gloved hands materialize out of thin air and mold a brain into a weird China doll thing in an unsettling stop motion sequence*
agreed stop motion is eerie
The original Evil Dead proved it was the scariest medium.
I can’t even begin to tell you how much I enjoy this style of video over the Rental Reviews series. I could listen to you talk about film for hours.
Greetings from Czech Republic! ;-)
1940condor: May i ask, what do they think ofJan Švankmajer in Czech Republic? Is he recognised as a national genius, or considered an avant garde outsider?
@@benprastitis3341 Unfortunately more like an Avant Garde outsider. Lot of people around me don't know him
@@adambartos8463 Thats a shame. But I'm sure, some time in the future, he will get the recognition he deserves.
ben prastitis definitely both. He's well known and regarded but not everyone has seen his movies.
@@benprastitis3341 I'm from there and I've never heard of him and neither did anyone I know
James doin' the mad flex and recommending one of the greatest surrealists of the filmmaking landscape. Faust and Alice are some of my favorite films of all time.
Wow, it feels weird to see a TH-camr like James talk about Svankmajer. Usually his work is confined to more...prestigious or avant-garde channels. Mostly underground stuff. But hey, I love me some Svankmajer!
Like which channels?
I live in Czech Republic, Švankmajer is a genius and I'm really glad you covered him. His movie "Food" is also really funny.
He also did some animations for an excellent TV series called The Visitors (Návštěvníci). I definitely recommend watching it!
Saw this on Belgian tv when i was like 11. Scared the living shat out of me
@@appleshampoo324 Denk het wel. Post nummer 4 dus dat is canvas
Thanks for dedicating an episode to the great Svankmajer, it's one of my favorite directors. That was very interesting to watch!
Damn, this is one of the very best vids Cinemassacre has ever put out.
ever? not even close... it was a great video though.
All his videos are VEERY good! :> this one is extra special for Czech people, that one of our legends , not so known in US, is mentioned :)
Interesting to see James talk about someone so avant-garde and surreal. Nice to see his wider knowledge and appreciation.
The "Dimensions of Dialogue" film had the faces made of everyday items take some influence from the work of the painter Giuseppe Arcimboldo.
love the shorts, and think they're the best way to start, but some of the features are pretty incredible. Conspirators of Pleasure might be my favorite.
Been watching you for 13 years now and i have to say, you are one of the most interesting person James. Thanks for sharing your passion.
That's so scary but so fascinating at the same time, is insane!
Greetings from Prague! We're very proud of Švankmajer, truly one of our best filmmakers.
Yo, James. It's kind of eerie how similar our experiences and tastes are. I remember seeing many of Jan Švankmajer's films on PBS as a kid and being terrified and / or blown away by them. Over the years I've tried to tell people about his movies, usually only getting blank stares and shrugs in return. This guy is definitely a certifiable visionary. Thanks for doing what you do best, I.E. inform people about great movies and filmmakers that are going unappreciated.
Svankmajer is one of my favourite filmmakers, the man is a genius!!
My top 5: 1. Jabberwocky
2. The Garden
3. A Game with Stones
4. Darkness, Light, Darkness
5. Castle of Ontario.
6: alice
Love how James exposes what would and could be lost works of so many creative artists. So many just turn on the TV or stream netflix, hulu, etc because its easy to do. They'll never get the chance to see some amazing old films/shows that aren't on those platforms unless they do their research and are able to find them somewhere. James is putting together a nice library of videos on here that are exposing many "lost" films to a new generation and keeping their spirits alive
I just finished watching Svankmajer’s “Alice in Wonderland” film, and I can say he’s definitely one of my favorite artists/filmmakers too.
I had no idea this guy existed. Now I realise he needs so much more attention. He should be part of Criterion tbh
„Now stare at the cat” - so Švankmajer basically predicted TH-cam
Actually that was a feature of Czechoslovak TV at the time. Not so many commercials (all companies were state-owned after all), so breaks during sport events or televised theatrical plays were often filled with frolicking kittens and stuff.
Thank you for spreading Švankmajer awareness! He's a brilliant artist, his take on Faust is one of my all time favorite films.
When you said Jan Švankmajer influenced Adam Jones, I knew I was in for a treat.
james sitting in front of of a camera talking about his niche interests are some of the best youtube videos to watch
6:50
I see that Švankmajer knew about the works of the italian Giuseppe Arcimboldo, notorious for making portraits of the nobles by drawing different objects in compositions based on their faces.
They are well known in the Czech republic.
After all he painted Rudolf II. the Habsburg king and HR Emperor who ruled from Prague. Yes, Czechs are very familiar with his work.
thanks James, this man is one of my biggest artistic inspirations
YES! I love these review where it's only you James. Please keep them coming! Never stop!
I saw one of the shorts in art class back in high school. Holy shit. Absolute nightmare fuel. I think I blocked it out but this brought back all those repressed feelings of fear
I love Svankmajer. I really recommend "Little Otik". It's a highly mindfucky movie with some absurd scenes and plot. If I remember correctly, some scenes from this were used in "the Grifter" creepypasta years ago.
Oh man, The Grifter. That takes me back. I remember being frustrated that there wasn't more to it.
Thank you. Švankmjer was and still is one of my favourites.
Shvankmajer, Jiri Trnka....
Czechs stop motion artists were wonderful.
I feel like people who enjoy those two would also like Karel Zeman's films.
Jiří trnka
Thank you SO MUCH for this! I work in an underground cinema and Svankmajer is definitely one of our most beloved director. A genius!
I discovered Jan entirely by accident in the late 00's. Totally bizarre in a wonderful way. Great for a night where you aren't tired and have some beers handy and completely zone out to. Too bad there isn't an all-inclusive set of any kind.
I am SO GLAD you covered this! Jan Svankmajer has been in my heart since I saw Little Otik many years ago, and all of his works are simply astonishing! Thank you!
"manly games" is basically FIFA with a "FINISH HIM" move set edition.
This man is a surreal animated stop motion genius! I’m so glad you’re giving Jan Švankmajer such much needed attention.
Thank you James, this is one of my favorite animator as well.
Did you also know that he directed a large movies?
Here is three of my favorite ones:
Little Otik (Czech: Otesánek)
Lunacy (Czech: Sileni)
Conspirators of Pleasure (Czech: Spiklenci slasti)
I definitely recommend to the the Otesánek, although I don't know if there any versions that was dubbed on english, it's still worth to watch.
I seriously appreciate how you bring talented people, movies, and interesting games to the surface from the depths. People like you give things/peoples legacy's longevity. Keep it up, we enjoy it a great deal!
These look amazing! Looking forward to seeing all of these weird and wonderful movies.
Thank you for making this video, I have been telling people about him for years and he deserves more recognition! Any aspiring filmmaker, animator, or just anyone who appreciates surrealist art needs to know about Svankmajer
This is the kind of videos i want in my recommendations
Damn. Loving these bits about underground European film artists you do recently
I can see Jan Švankmajer getting an Honorary Academy Award in the not so distant future for his works.
There's something so satisfying about reviews like these. I enjoy individual reviews of topics on anything by James. I hope he reads this and knows that I and many others respect this quality content.
This was a huge inspiration for me, I’m gonna start doing stop motions again
Never heard of this legendary man, til now. Thanks AVGN.
Another Czech stop motion guy was Jiří Trnka, I recommend The Hand 😃
Wow! Never saw this video coming from you. I've been a huge fan of Jan Svankmajer and the Brothers Quay for years. Excellent seeing that you're a fan as well. Thank you for drawing attention to their amazing works!
This reminds me of Peter Gabriel's sledgehammer and Phil collins land of confusion. Those music videos from the 80s used to freak me out, but I couldn't stop watching them.
Díky za šíření povědomí o Českém kinematografickém umění! Srdečně, tvůj Český fanoušek!
Thank you for spreading the awareness about Czech cinema art! Sincerely, your Czech fan!
I watched his take on “Alice in wonderland” and man is it weird, but it is also comforting in a way. I suggest watching it by yourself with no other technology distraction you.
Stop motion always caught my attention, and adding another great artist to my collection and one that I haven't even seen. Thanks nerd! Looking upward for more material like this in the future.
aw man i totally forgot about this dude, I read about him from an animation book and i'm glad I learned about him
The Svankmajer is my genius!...Since the 90’s...absolutely love his work
I see now where Jack Stauber gets his inspiration from. For anyone who is into this, I highly recommend his pop-opera "Shop". It's otherworldly and so so good
i honestly get more of a Lee Hardcastle vibe, but i can sense some Jack Stauber in these films!
Great to see you talking about these! I help with a weekly movie night, and I've been sticking in some of his work the past few weeks to share with people. It always goes over really well!
I've only seen one of his films & that was Alice but I loved it, it's my favourite movie version of Alice In Wonderland. It's so wonderfully bizarre.
@Jessica Sinclair I'll check it out. 👍
Man, I fell into the Jan rabbit hole a few years ago. Absolutely amazing work!
Another Czechoslovakian is A je to better known as Pat a mat 🇨🇿
klasika
Can't say no to Pat and Mat. That show is up there with Pingu and the Mole. My child hood right there.
Pat & Mat! One of my all time favorites from my childhood. Still makes me laugh.
"Pat i Mat" as it was known in Poland. Classic.
Pat n mat are only voiced in dutch .. and called BUURMAN en BUURMAN .. as far as I know at least they are silent in all other country's
I'm so happy you're sharing Jan Svankmajer with your fans. I haven't seen Manly Games and now I MUST watch it. A few of my favorites: The Flat, Picnic with Weissman, Food, and Flora.
Jan Švankmajer's Faust is one of my favorite movies.
Faust and Lunacy are amazing.
I remember when James was reviewing books he mentioned how Kirk Hammet was a huge fan of monster movies, and it was something awesome when you are a fan of someone and you find out that that person is also a fan something you are a fan of. Jan Svankmajer is a brillaint filmmaker and an artist and its is really cool to see James loves his stuff as well.
Before you even said it I thought, "Wow this almost reminds me of a Tool video."
Same here dude
Love the James reviews. Glad to see them again!
Stay tuned next week when James reviews The Holy Mountain.
Amazing, absolutely amazing. Thank you for sharing this guys work with us man! How has he not got more attention?!
His Alice In Wonderland movie is very cool and dark
So terrifying but beautiful.
Thanks to a great video store, I was able to discover these back in the mid 90's. Love stop motion so much and glad to see Jan getting some much needed recognition.
I immediately thought of Peter Gabriel's 'Sledgehammer' music video.
Haha same
I remember seeing some of these as a kid. People wonder why I have such a fascination with stop motion, especially clay. This is a big reason why. Thanks for the nostalgia trip and new material. I never knew his name. Now I won't forget.
This reminds me of Raoul Servais' "Harpya" (1979) which I've mistaken for Švankmajer's work for a long time. Also a must watch if you are fascinated by Švankmajer's works.
Omfg that collection of his work you have on display there, I've had that for a while!!! I'm so happy you've made a video about him, hopefully more and more people will check out and appreciate his work.
Criterion Collection? How about Cinemassacre Collection? Find the owners, get the rights, Kickstart it, and I'd buy it.
Good luck with navigating the hellscape known as distribution rights.
Thanks for this James, I really appreciate that you introduced his work. He should be recognized more, and you didn't even go into his full-length movies, which are equally bizarre. Greetings from Prague!
I wonder if James has ever seen Lee Hardcastle's stuff? Lee's work very strongly reminds me of this.
The hamster hell video is the most effective work by him to me.
nahh
This warms my heart to see you talking aboot Jan Svankmajer!
I WANNA BE YOUR SLEDGEHAMMER
Wait... Did Gabriel use Svankmajer?? Peter Gabriel is my tiptop musical hero.
Honorable mention to ZZ Top's "TV Dinners" as well.
@@peazeralus I had a check after the video, and no it was Aardman that did Sledgehammer according to Wikipedia.
Thank you for showcasing this artist! I am superised they didn't teach us about this guy when I studied classical animation for 2 years. What a master!