The Dog-heads
Country
CzechoslovakiaCopyright
1954Production year
1953—1954Premiere
25 March 1955Runtime
94 minDirector
Martin FričCategory
filmGenre
drama, historicalTypology
featuretheatrical distributionlongOriginal title
PsohlavciCzech title
PsohlavciEnglish title
The Dog-headsSynopsis
The Šumava Mountains borders had always been guarded by the Chods who, in return, gained their freedom. They were answerable directly to the king. After the battle of the White Mountain, however, they are sold to the imperial councillor Lamingen, known as Lomikar, who refuses to recognize their rights and sends them into compulsory labour. The Chods rebel, relying on the parchment documents which had guaranteed their freedom in the past. After the battle for the hundred-year-old linden tree Lomikar seizes the parchments and burns them. Two of the most important documents, however, had previously been hidden by the mother of Jan Sladký, known as Kozina. A Chod delegation travels to Vienna with them to seek justice. When they are unsuccessful they turn to the Prague court of appeal. Their words are not heard even in Prague, and Kozina, Čtverák and Hrubý are even imprisoned. The others are forced to sign an oath of allegiance to Lomikar. Matěj Příbek organizes a rebellion in the Chod region, however, the Chods are defeated after the magistrate Syka betrays them. Their village is burned down and the Chods imprisoned in Prague are condemned to death. The execution is carried out on the 27th of November 1695. Before he dies Kozina challenges Lomikar to face the judgement of God – to the year and to the day. Exactly a year later Lomikar attends a feast and mocks Kozina's curse; during a toast, however, he collapses and dies.
Note
Wolf Maxmilian Lamingen of Albenreuth (+2. 11. 1696) – in the historical novel by Alois Jirásek The Dog Heads (nickname for the Chod people settled in the Bohemian southwestern frontier; they had a dog-head in coat of arms) presented as Laminger, popularly known as Lomikar – was a Bavarian nobleman who came from a family to which Chod villages were granted in the years 1621 and 1630. On the basis of a decree the Chod people, until this time free men, were declared serfs in 1668.
Photos
Cast
Vladimír Ráž
Jan Sladký zvaný Kozina
Jana Dítětová
Hančí, Kozinova žena
František Kovářík
rychtář Kryštof Hrubý z Draženova
Jarmila Kurandová
Kozinova matka, Kryštofova sestra
Zdeněk Štěpánek
Kozinův děd
Ladislav Pešek
dudák Jiskra Řehůřek
Jiřina Steimarová
Dorla, Jiskrova žena
Jaroslav Průcha
Matěj Příbek
František Smolík
starý Příbek, Matějův otec
Jana Štěpánková
Manka, Matějova dcera
Bohumil Švarc
Pavel Šerlovský, Mančin ženich
Jiří Dohnal
rychtář Adam Ecl, zvaný Čtverák
Radovan Lukavský
rychtář Syka
Jaroslav Vojta
Pajdár z Pocínovic
Miloš Nedbal
Wolf Maxmilian Lamingen z Albenreuthu zvaný Lomikar
Marie Brožová
Lomikarova žena
Marta Fričová
Barbora, Lomikarova dcera
Věra Váchová
Marie, Lomikarova dcera
Miloš Kopecký
správce Koš
Oldřich Lukeš
trachtýř Just
Bedřich Vrbský
hrabě Šternberk
Jan Werich
rychtář z Pocínovic
Otto Čermák
rychtář z Postřekova
Josef Gruss
hrabě z Vrtby
Ladislav Boháč
prokurátor JUDr. Strauss
Bohumil Machník
purkrabí
Felix le Breux
plukovník Stambach
Bohuš Hradil
Chod
Jarmil Škrdlant
Chod
Miloš Vavruška
Chod
Josef Beyvl
přísedící Paroubek
Jan S. Kolár
soudce
Miroslav Svoboda
úředník s listinou
Vladimír Leraus
soudce
Karel Pavlík
Psůtka z Postřekova
Lubomír Lipský
úředník čtoucí rozsudek
Bedřich Bozděch
Josef Němec z Medákova
František Holar
Lomikarův voják
Josef Hlinomaz
dráb
Vlastimil Brodský
sekretář u soudu
Štěpán Bulejko
důstojník
Miroslav Ježek
dítě
Vladimír Klemens
kurýr
Josef Bartůněk
císařský úředník
Otto Tutter
šlechtic
Ladislav Gzela
setník
František Suk
správce
Alexej Solmar
prokurátor
Erik Zámiš
soudní úředník
Stanislav Langer
říšský dvorní rada Wolf Vilém Lamingen z Albenreuthu, Lamingenův otec
Jaroslav Orlický
host
Mirko Čech
domažlický konšel
Antonín Dvořák (2)
přísedící
Jana Zahradníčková
tříletá Hanálka
T. Jaroš
Commentary
Crew and creators
Director
Assistant Director
Based on
Alois Jirásek (Psohlavci – román)
Screenplay
Shooting Script
Director of Photography
Camera Operator
Production Designer
Assistent Production Designer
Set Designer
Costume Designer
Costumes
Make-Up Artist
Film Editor
Sound Designer
Production Manager
Unit Production Manager
Consultant
PhDr. Jaroslav Kramařík, mjr. Jan Pulkrábek (vojenství), J. M. Gottlieb
Music
Music Composed by
E. F. Burian, Vlastimil Pinkas (instrumentace)
Music Performed by
FISYO (Music Conducted by Milivoj Uzelac)
Choreographer
Oldřich Stodola, Zora Šemberová
Songs
Hajej, dítě, kolíbám tě
Singer Jana Dítětová
Ktož jsú boží bojovníci
Production info
Original Title
Psohlavci
Czech Title
Psohlavci
English Title
The Dog-heads
Category
film
Typology
featuretheatrical distribution
Genre
drama, historical
Origin country
Czechoslovakia
Copyright
1954
Production Year
1953—1954
Production specifications
start of filming 1 October 1953
the first film copy approved 30 December 1954
projection approval 03/1955
withdrawal from distribution 1 November 1993
Premiere
premiere 25 March 1955 /suitable for youths/ (kina Alfa /7 týdnů/, Aero /1 týden/, Oko /1 týden od 1. 4./, Revoluce /1 týden od 8. 4./, Kyjev /1 týden od 15. 4./, Bystrica /1 týden od 22. 4./, Arbes /1 týden od 29. 4./ a Mír /1 týden od 6. 5./, Praha)
Production
Copyright Holders
Distribution
Technical info
Duration typology
feature film
Duration in minutes
94 min
Original length in metres
2 674 meters
Distribution carrier
16mm, 35mm
Aspect ratio
1:1,37
Colour
colour
Sound
sound
Sound system/format
mono
Versions
Czech
Dialogue languages
Czech
Subtitles languages
without subtitles
Opening/End credits languages
Czech
