Rating summary

Movie		5.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.5

Adela Has Not Had Supper Yet Blu-ray Movie Review

Adela Has Not Had Supper Yet is a cult-comedy classic well worth discovery. Based on and adapted by the beloved detective stories by writer John R. Coryell, Adela Has Not Had Supper Yet blends together both fantastical and surrealistic elements to create a unique comedy with plenty of adventure. Produced by Jaromír Lukás (The Shop on Main Street, Clovek proti zkáze), Adela Has Not Had Supper Yet became a cult favorite with Czech audiences. Adela Has Not Had Supper Yet features a strong ensemble cast of Czech stars including Michal Dočolomanský, Rudolf Hrušínský, Miloš Kopecký, Ladislav Pešek, Naďa Konvalinková, and Květa Fialová.

Nick Carter (Michal Dočolomanský) is one of the most renowned and respected detectives in the entire world. Known to some as “America’s Greatest Detective” he embarks on a new investigation in Prague for a lost dog. The case becomes more complicated when Nick ends up going up against one of his old arch-nemeses, The Gardener and going up against a larger-than-life human sized carnivorous plant with a mind of its own and a thirst for blood. With over-the-top contraptions everywhere and bizarre fantasy and adventure, can Nick Carter save the day?

The experimental filmmaking style is reason enough to see Adela Has Not Had Supper Yet and audiences with a passion for international cinema will appreciate the cultural significance of Adela Has Not Had Supper Yet and the Czech filmmaking that made it a cult favorite. The vibrant artistic style is of great importance and adds so much to the cinematic voice of the filmmaking. There is magic in the artistic pleasures of Adela Has Not Had Supper Yet and its creative energy – a sense of wonder carries the film and makes it a must-see for cineastes.

Adela Has Not Had Supper Yet features exceptional production qualities throughout the fantastical odyssey. Adela Has Not Had Supper Yet has first-class production design by Vladimír Labský (Ferat Vampire, The Ninth Heart) and Milan Nejedlý (The Third Prince, The Secret of Steel City). The sets impress with design elements that are larger-than-life.  

The costumes by Ludmila Ondrácková (Zelená vlna, Neúplné zatmení) are a wonderful highlight of the production. Ondrácková crafted beautiful costumes for the cast of characters. The designs are superb, especially for the leading characters. The costume designs add personality and a sense of whimsy, too.

The animation by Jan Svankmajer (The Fall of the House of Usher, The Three Veterans) is one of the joys of the filmmaking. The animation in Adela Has Not Had Supper Yet highlights the carnivorous human-sized planet, a balloon soaring through the sky, a magical flying bicycle, and other animated effects that evoke the genius of the filmmakers behind Adela Has Not Had Supper Yet – filmmakers who no doubt helped to inspire future generations of artists including the likes of Michel Gondry (The Science of Sleep, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind).

The animation is a testament to the magic of cinema and the power filmmaking can hold over us. The animation goes hand in hand with the special effects by Jirí Berger (Long Live Ghosts!, Stalingrad). The animators brought the film a unique vision that is unlike anything else I have seen before. A uniquely memorable experience. The integration of the animation with the live-action footage feels surreal, fantastical, and powerful. The style of the animation feels ahead of its time and evokes dream state wonder.

The score composed by Lubos Fiser (The Mysterious Castle in the Carpathians, Valerie and Her Week of Wonders) is a beautiful and lush backdrop to the production. Adela Has Not Had Supper Yet has a great score and the music adds so much wonderment to the filmmaking. The music is whimsical and fun – the lightness and serenity of the music bringing out the magic in the cinema.

Edited by Miroslav Hájek (The Mysterious Castle in the Carpathians, Three Wishes for Cinderella), Adela Has Not Had Supper Yet is masterfully edited. The pace and rhythm of the filmmaking is spot-on. The filmmaking soars with some imaginative sequences – most especially in the second-half of the film. Exciting action builds and the conclusion is an edge-of-your- seat thrill ride. The editing so precise, showcasing these sequences at their best.

The cinematography by Jaroslav Kucera (Daisies, Pearls of the Deep) is lush and evocative. There is a warm and evocative cinematographic style. The cinematography showcases the beauty of the city landscape and the imagination of the filmmakers. Prague is at the heart and center of the filmmaking and audiences will respond well to the lush visuals of the cityscape. These visual flourishes add to the imagination of the dream-like sequences and the animation is perfectly highlighted through the lush cinematography of Kucera.

Written by Jirí Brdecka (The Mysterious Castle in the Carpathians, The Prince and the Evening Star), Adela Has Not Had Supper Yet is a cinematic delight with a sensitivity to imagination that allows storytelling with more depth and creativity. Brdecka made a fine-tuned classic with this gem. An exploration of creativity juxtaposed against detective-work – with great characters front and center.

Directed by Oldrich Lipský (The Mysterious Castle in the Carpathians, Lemonade Joe), Adela Has Not Had Supper Yet is a Czech classic and one that should not be missed. Lipský has a reputation as an animator and has many animated shorts preceding his feature-films. As such Adela Has Not Had Supper Yet uses creative animated sequences and effects intertwined with live-action filmmaking to make one of the most distinct foreign films I have ever seen.

Adela Has Not Had Supper Yet will appeal to audiences with a passion for animation and the role animation can play in live-action filmmaking. Take for example Who Framed Roger Rabbit? and its unique approach to animated sequences painted on actual film cells with no actors during live-action scenes - sequences filmed with the intention of adding in animated characters to the actual film itself. Adela Has Not Had Supper Yet has a similar creative style that is aimed directly at fans of animation, with many sequences enhanced by the animation and the animation plays a special role as effects work to draw the audience in with more compelling visuals and a heightened visual experience that is unlike most foreign works or live-action films.

The unique blend of live-action and animation is a stand-out reason to see Adela Has Not Had Supper Yet and provides it a creative backdrop significantly better than most films. Imagine The Pink Panther film series with a surrealistic approach and animation directly added in the sequences of the detective storyline. The effort undertaken is to experiment and it must surely rank with the best live-action films for its blend of animation with live-action. Imaginative, cerebral, surrealistic, and inspiring animation. A must-see by Lipský.

Adela Has Not Had Supper Yet Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Released on Blu-ray by Deaf Crocodile, Adela Has Not Had Supper Yet is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high-definition in a theatrical aspect ratio of 1.66:1 widescreen. The widescreen aspect ratio looks beautiful on the release and showcases the evocative tapestry of the cinematography. The presentation has been restored from the original camera negative by Narodni filmovy archiv in Prague. Distribution of the restoration handled by Deaf Crocodile and Comeback Company.

Deaf Crocodile has done a great job preserving this fantastic and lush restoration. The imagery of the animation and live-action is beautiful to behold. The crisp visuals are detailed and the clarity is stunning. The animation beautifully reproduced. The scan looks robust throughout and is free from print damage and other imperfections. A crisp, pleasing, and engaging scan well-restored. The encoding by Deaf Crocodile providing a superb presentation of the restoration. 

Adela Has Not Had Supper Yet Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release is presented in Czech DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 (with English subtitles). The audio has been restored by the original master audio elements for the presentation. The source also handled by the same film archiv in Prague. The audio quality is exceptional. The soundstage is terrific and the music integrates beautifully into the presentation. The sound effects play a nice role in adventurous scenes. These exciting moments have crisp fidelity and detail with the lossless encoding. The English subtitles were well-done and are free from egregious spelling or grammatical errors.

Adela Has Not Had Supper Yet Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The release is provided in both a limited edition and standard edition. The limited edition (exclusive to the Deaf Crocodile web store) is a beautiful collectors release. The package received a deluxe chipboard art box with fantastic artwork. The collectors art box both looks and feels premium in hand and makes for a great set. The limited edition also includes a deluxe booklet. The standard edition features a nice clear case and more compelling art work. The standard edition slips inside of the deluxe edition nicely.

Audio Commentary by Irena Kovarova and Tereza Brdeckova

Jiri Brdecka Animated Shorts:

Badly Drawn Hen (1963) (HD, 13:40)

The Forester's Song (1966) (HD, 9:35)

The Miner's Rose (1974) (HD, 8:05)

What Did I Not Tell the Prince (1975) (HD, 9:33)

Adela Has Not Had Supper Yet Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Adela Has Not Had Supper Yet is a cinematic tour-de-force. The experimental filmmaking blends together live-action and animation seamlessly and the creative style is full of exuberant imagination. The filmmaking is bold and adventurous. The Blu-ray release features a stunning restoration and an assortment of engaging supplemental features. A must-own release. Highly recommended.