The Mysterious Castle in the Carpathians: Standard Edition – Deaf Crocodile (Blu-ray)
Theatrical Release Date: Czechoslovakia, 1981
Director: Oldrich Lipský
Writers: Jirí Brdecka, Oldrich Lipský
Cast: Michal Docolomanský, Evelyna Steimarová, Vlastimil Brodský, Milos Kopecký, Rudolf Hrusínský, Augustín Kubán, Jan Hartl, Jaroslava Kretschmerová, Oldrich Velen, Míla Myslíková
Release Date: March 11th, 2025
Approximate Running Time: 98 Minutes 27 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.37:1 Aspect Ratio / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Czech
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $29.95
"Based on an 1892 Jules Verne novel The Carpathian Castle (which partially inspired Bram Stoker to write Dracula), the film follows Count Teleke of Tölökö (Michal Dočolomanský) on the trail of the count's lost lover, opera singer Salsa Verde (Evelyna Steimarová) - only to discover she's been abducted by fiendish Baron Gorc of Gorceny (Miloš Kopecký), whose castle home is filled with the bizarre inventions of mad scientist Orfanik (Rudolf Hrušínský). Littered with puns, sight gags and non-sequiturs - "Later, in Werewolfston", an invented dialect, a detached golden ear for eavesdropping, a staff topped by an enormous TV eyeball." - synopsis provided by the distributor
Video: 5/5
Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "New Restoration from the original 35mm picture and sound elements by Národní filmový archiv and Craig Rogers for Deaf Crocodile."
The Mysterious Castle in the Carpathians comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.
Disc Size: 46.2 GB
Feature: 21.2 GB
The source looks excellent; this is another solid encode from Fidelity in Motion. Flesh tones look healthy, colors look correct, image clarity, black levels, and compression are solid, and the image retains an organic look.
Audio: 4.5/5
This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in Czech with removable English subtitles. The audio sounds excellent; dialogue always comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced, and ambient sounds are well-represented.
Extras:
Extras for this release include two animated short films directed by Jiří Brdečka: Prince Copperslick aka Prince Měděnec’s Thirteenth Chamber (9 minutes 39 seconds, 1.33:1 aspect ratio, Dolby Digital mono Czech with removable English subtitles), and Love and the Dirigible (8 minutes 45 seconds, 1.33:1 aspect ratio, Dolby Digital mono Czech with removable English subtitles), an interview with Czech film critic and screenwriter Tereza Brdečková on her father, Jiří Brdečka, writer of The Mysterious Castle in the Carpathians, moderated by Dennis Bartok of Deaf Crocodile (37 minutes 38 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an audio commentary with Tereza Brdečková and Czech film expert Irena Kovarova of Comeback Company, a documentary on the life and career of filmmaker, animator, screenwriter and illustrator Jiří Brdečka, covering his childhood, his work as a screenwriter with Jiří Trnka, Karel Zeman titled Universum Brdečková (88 minutes 19 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Czech with removable English subtitles), and an 18-page booklet with an essay titled The Mysterious Castle in the Carpathians written by Jonathan Owen.
Summary:
Oldrich Lipský directed The Mysterious Castle in the Carpathians. He’s also known for Lemonade Joe, Happy End, and Adela Has Not Had Supper Yet.
A count looking for his lost lover discovers that she has been abducted by a baron and held captive in his castle.
Though based on a Jules Verne novel, The Carpathian Castle, the result is more in line with the absurdist humor of Monty Python. The Mysterious Castle in the Carpathians is part of a loose trilogy of films directed by Oldrich Lipský and co-written by Jirí Brdecka. The other two films are Lemonade Joe and Adela Has Not Had Supper Yet. Another link between these three films is that they are all parodies, and Milos Kopecký portrays the villain in each film.
The narrative revolves around a count named Teleke of Tölökö; he is also an opera singer whose voice breaks objects. The count’s beloved is an opera singer, Salsa Verde, whom he thought was dead. The baron who lives in the castle has a menacing manservant and a professor who works for him and makes gadgets. That said, The Mysterious Castle in the Carpathians is a film that is filled with outrageous characters.
The performances are outstanding; it is not difficult to get caught up in the cast's enthusiasm. Besides Milos Kopecký in the role of the Baron, The Mysterious Castle in the Carpathians reunites Michal Docolomanský, who previously worked with Oldrich Lipský on Adela Has Not Had Supper Yet. Another performance of note is Evelyna Steimarová, who portrays opera singer Salsa Verde. Her character's presence looms large throughout despite the lack of dialog.
Though there are many areas where cinema in different countries overlaps, it is always fascinating to see how other countries approach genre cinema. When it comes to humor and fantasy, Czech cinema has its own elements that are unique. That said, The Mysterious Castle in the Carpathians, like Oldrich Lipský's other films, is rooted in farce and magical realism.
From a production standpoint, there is no area where The Mysterious Castle in the Carpathians does not excel. Things move briskly, and the absurd premise is superbly executed. The Mysterious Castle in the Carpathians is a beautifully photographed film; there are many striking moments, and the score does an excellent job reinforcing the mood. When it comes to the humor, somehow each moment tops the next, culminating with a slapstick finale. Ultimately, The Mysterious Castle in the Carpathians is a highly entertaining mix of fantasy and absurd humor.
The Mysterious Castle in the Carpathians gets an excellent release from Deaf Crocodile that comes with a solid audio/video presentation, two bonus short films, and insightful extras; highly recommended.
Written by Michael Den Boer