Rating summary

Movie		5.0
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		5.0

The Fabulous Baron Munchausen Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov February 22, 2020

Karel Zeman's "The Fabulous Baron Munchausen" (1962) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion. The supplemental features on the disc include an original trailer for the film; the documentary film "Film Adventurer Karel Zeman"; archival featurettes; and more. In Czech, with optional English subtitles for the main feature. Region-A "locked".

In the days before the perestroika the strategy was to promote as many Soviet films as possible, so plenty of the great films that emerged after the birth of the Czech New Wave in the ‘60s actually gained mainstream popularity many years later. In fact, it was usually after a film had become very successful abroad that the communist government would make the effort to distribute it across the country. The majority of the ‘smaller’ films that are now considered ‘classics’ typically played in the biggest cities, like Prague and Brno, so during the ‘60s, ‘70s, and even well into the ‘80s it was primarily the people that lived there that had seen them.

There was another very interesting phenomenon that occurred inside the former Soviet Bloc sometime during the early ‘80s as well. As more American and Western European films sneaked through the Iron Curtain -- the former Czechoslovakia, Hungary, and to a lesser extent Poland had the most liberal film markets at the time -- the classic Czechoslovakian and Eastern European films were forced to compete not only with the imports, but with an entire range of locally produced films that had began imitating their Hollywood-funded counterparts. As a result, the overwhelming majority of younger people that lived in the Soviet Bloc were completely unfamiliar with the Czechoslovakian classics, but had seen plenty of local cult films. For example, Juraz Herz’s Ferat Vampire (which was just recently released on Blu-ray in Germany) was a massive hit amongst younger people. Vit Olmer’s Bony a klid, which came a little later, was another huge favorite that had an incredible reputation inside and outside of Czechoslovakia. And Karel Smyczek’s Proc? about the notoriously bad fans of football club Sparta Prague became so popular, and of course for all the wrong reasons, that it actually inspired an entirely new generation of troublemakers.

Karel Zeman’s The Fabulous Baron Munchausen was one of the few classic Czechoslovakian films that came out of the ‘60s and did not lose its universal appeal as the socio-cultural climate inside the Soviet Bloc evolved. In fact, exactly the opposite happened -- the more time passed by, the stronger its reputation became. Of course, the incredibly warm reception that the film received in the West helped tremendously, but the truth is that the brilliance of its visuals was so impressive that it actually elevated it above the politics and trends that usually defined the rest of the locally produced films. In other words, The Fabulous Baron Munchhausen remained immune to the political and cultural shifts that gradually sent many older films into oblivion. (Another very unique film from the ‘60s that remained very popular even after the Soviet Bloc collapsed and the Hollywood studios started sending a lot more of their films was Oldrich Lipský’s hilarious western Lemonade Joe).

The film’s narrative is essentially a large mosaic of tiny stories in which the iconic Baron Munchausen visits various exotic places -- from the Moon to the palace of a powerful sultan to the bottom of the Ocean -- and has some wild adventures. However, it is not the nature of these adventures that makes the film so remarkably attractive, but the manner in which they are visualized. Indeed, Zeman’s stunning production designs, the special effects/drawings, and Jiri Tarantik’s lensing basically trick the eyes and mind to accept that Gottfried August Burger’s fantastical world is actually an authentic place. The effortless transitions between what was possible for the film crew and actors to stage and everything else that today only powerful computers can reconstruct truly have to be seen to be believed.

This unparalleled artistry was the reason why the film stood the test of time and became inspirational. Terry Gilliam, a huge fan of Zeman’s work, has repeatedly credited the film for having a huge impact on his style and maturation as a director. Tim Burton, Christophe Gans, and Guy Maddin have also publicly expressed fondness for and admiration of the film.

*This recent Blu-ray release is sourced from a 4K restoration that was completed by the Karel Zeman Museum and the Czech National Film Archive.

The Fabulous Baron Munchausen Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.37:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, The Fabulous Baron Munchausen arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion.

The release is sourced from the same 4K restoration that British label Second Run used to produce this release in 2017. Needless to say, here the film once again looks absolutely gorgeous. Indeed, despite the blending of different material a lot of the visuals actually convey rather remarkable depth, plus -- and this I thought was one of the strongest qualities of the restoration when I first viewed it -- the fluidity is second to none. As the screencaptures we have posted demonstrate, color grading job is also hugely impressive, especially in areas where painted material and live footage begin merge. Image stability is outstanding. Lastly, the entire film is spotless. (Note: This is a Region-A "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-A or Region-Free player in order to access its content).

The Fabulous Baron Munchausen Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: Czech LPCM 1.0. Optional English subtitles are provided for the main feature.

The audio has been fully remastered and it is actually very easy to tell. Zdenek Liska's orchestral score effortlessly enhances the desired atmosphere and the narration/exchanges are very easy to follow. There are no traces of age-related imperfections or other purely digital anomalies.

The Fabulous Baron Munchausen Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Trailer - remastered trailer for The Fabulous Baron Munchausen. In Czech, with imposed English subtitles. (2 min, 1080p).

• Film Adventurer Karel Zeman (2015) - this documentary focuses on the life and career of Karen Zeman. It features clips from interviews with Ludmila Zeman (the director's daughter), production manager Karel Hutecka, Terry Gilliam, Tim Burton, and Koji Yamamura, amongst others. In English and Czech, with optional English subtitles where necessary. (102 min, 1080p).
  
  1. Beginnings
  2. Journey to the Beginning of Time
  3. Invention of Destruction
  4. The Fabulous Baron Munchsausen
  5. New Wave
  6. Drastic Changes

• Trailer - trailer for Film Adventurer Karel Zeman. With printed English subtitles where necessary. (3 min, 1080p).

• Museum Documentaries (2016) -
  
  1. Why Zeman Made the Film - in this archival featurette, Karel Zeman discusses his artistic vision for The Fabulous Baron Munchausen. Also included is a clip from an archival interview with Ludmila Zemanova. In Czech, with imposed English subtitles. (4 min, 1080p).
  
  2. The Cast - in this archival featurette, Lugmila Zemanova and actor Milos Kopecký discuss Karel Zeman's directing methods and the shooting of The Fabulous Baron Munchausen. In Czech, with imposed English subtitles. (3 min, 1080p).
  
  3. Special Effects Techniques - a closer look at a few of the key sequences from The Fabulous Baron Munchausen, plus archival footage showing Karel Zeman at work. Music only. (2 min, 1080p).
  
  4. Karel Zeman, the Legend Continues - in this archival featurette, Ludmila Zemanova and Karel Hutecka address the visual brilliance and asting appeal of The Fabulous Baron Munchausen. In Czech, with imposed English subtitles. (4 min, 1080p).
  
  5. Karel Zeman and the World - included in this this featurette are clips from interviews with Tim Burton, Terry Gilliam, and Paul Wells, amongst others. The interviews were also used in the Film Adventure Karel Zeman documentary. In English. (5 min, 1080p).
  
  6. Restoration Demonstration - a closer look at the 4K restoration of the film, with comments from the experts and visual before-and-after demonstrations. In Czech, with optional English subtitles. (3 min, 1080p).

• Museum Karel Zeman - this short video piece offers a quick tour of wonderful venue in Prague. Music only. (2 min, 1080p).

• Leaflet - an illustrated leaflet featuring an essay by film critic Michael Atkinson, along with limited-edition deluxe Blu-ray packaging featuring pop-up art. (See packaging photos after the screencaptures).

The Fabulous Baron Munchausen Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Terry Gilliam is right. The Fabulous Baron Munchausen could have been a silent film and it would been just as striking as it is because it utilizes a very special cinematic language that anyone can understand and appreciate. In fact, this is exactly the reason why over the years its appeal never diminished and it remains one of the most beloved classic Czech films. Criterion's upcoming release is sourced from a very nice 4K restoration that was completed by the Karel Zeman Museum and the Czech National Film Archive, and is included in the label's Three Fantastic Journeys by Karel Zeman three-disc box set. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.