Sci-fi thriller "Volchya Camp". Children's cinema of the 80s

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Sci-fi thriller "Volchya Camp". Children's cinema of the 80s
Sci-fi thriller "Volchya Camp". Children's cinema of the 80s

Video: Sci-fi thriller "Volchya Camp". Children's cinema of the 80s

Video: Sci-fi thriller
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In the mid-1980s, Czech director Vera Chytilova turned to the sci-fi thriller genre for the only time in her creative career. The director, who previously shot comedies and social dramas, also acted as a co-author of the script, on which she worked in creative tandem with playwright Daniela Fisherova. Animator Jiri Barta worked on the special effects for the movie "Volchya Hostel" (1985). The creative experiment was a success, two years later the film was nominated for the Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival.

Most reviewers tend to position the tape genre as a psychological thriller. Fantastic motifs, which appear in the story closer to the middle, were introduced by the creators to make it easier to understand the plot, to soften the blatant scenario absurdities. Many critics recommended that you think carefully before recommending the picture "Volchya Hostel" for viewing by a young audience.

camp site wolf poster
camp site wolf poster

Story. Tie

The narration of the film "Volchya Hostel" begins with the audience getting to know the main characters. These are eleven high school students who arrived at the camp site in the mountains to improve their skiing skills. Upon arrival, their coach, who calls himself the Pope, announces that the children will participate in an important experiment. In addition to him, there are two assistants from the adults at the camp site - Dingo and Babeta.

Soon the children notice oddities in the behavior of the instructors, Babet and Dingo periodically wallow in the snow like crazy. And the Pope announces that there should be ten of them, offering to get rid of one of the participants. After the systematic pitting of the children against each other, quarrels arise in the children's team more and more often.

camp site wolf film
camp site wolf film

Intrigue

At some point in the plot of the film "Volchya Hostel" adults admit that they are aliens, their strategic goal is to capture the planet Earth. But the tactical goal is to correct the composition of the group of teenagers. Only ten should remain alive. One teenager should be sentenced to death and deprived of life. Taking this message as another quest, the children are further convinced that everything said is the bitter truth.

As a result, high school students are saved by mutual assistance, only by joining forces, they will be able to avoid a terrible fate.

Many reviewers did not appreciate such an unexpected turn in the behavior of the characters. A sharp transition from bestial rage and hatredto the consolidation of efforts and mutual self-sacrifice seemed false to the majority.

camp site wolf 1985
camp site wolf 1985

Criticism

Vera Khitilova, director of the tape "Volchya Hostel", is known for her original views on the future and present of mankind, the problems of intergenerational and gender relationships. One of the most covered topics in her filmography is destruction. The destruction of society, the collective, the individual and everything incomprehensible. This theme was most clearly expressed by the director in the early work of "Daisy", in the thriller she touched on it only partially.

The main advantage of the fantastic project is the powerful vitality of the film. "The camp site "Volchya"" (1986) is a very impulsive, incredibly peppy tape. Cinematographer Jaromir Shofr often uses a hand-held camera, uses shooting at an angle, numerous overlays.

In the 80s, film experts considered the thriller an ideal genre project, because the dramatic idea corresponded to the abilities of the director and acting work. The picture was often called philosophical, and all the main ideas were retold not in dry pseudo-scientific language, but in the language of genuine human drama.

camp site wolf movie 1986
camp site wolf movie 1986

Children's movie

At certain moments of the "Volch'ya Hostel" the director deliberately exaggerates, adds aggressiveness to her teenage characters, at times almost completely deprives them of their due self-respect. Because of such directorial decisions, the actions of the characters look unnatural. Sometimes startsit seems that young performers are simply overacting, which is not true. The root of the problem is in the script and genre framework.

Practically all attempts by Vera Khitilova to be extremely serious are doomed to failure. Long plans with ice and snow do not escalate the atmosphere of despondency and hopelessness. And the gloomy meditative musical accompaniment of Michael Kochab sometimes sounds quite cheerful. Like it or not, the director shot a children's movie. Perhaps it was scary for high school students of the 80s and 90s, but they can’t get through to an adult audience and modern teenagers. The movie "Volchya Hostel" can be recommended for viewing by nostalgic moviegoers.

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