Alarm in the Clouds

Country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1978

Production year

1977—1978

Premiere

9 November 1979

Runtime

77 min

Category

film

Genre

comedy, fairytale

Typology

featuretheatrical distributionlong

Original title

Poplach v oblacích

Czech title

Poplach v oblacích

English title

Alarm in the Clouds

Working title

Pan Tau

Summary

Od zítřka nečaruji (English title: I Won't Conjure After Today, 1978) and Poplach v oblacích (1979) are two feature films which were created by stitching together several episodes of the popular 1977 children’s television series Pan Tau (Mr Tau). Telling the story of a silent man with a magical bowler hat, this modern comedy story, written by Ota Hofman and directed by Jindřich Polák, links together the Pan Tau episodes Poplach v oblacích (Alarm in the Clouds, 1978, TV), Lov na slona (Elephant Hunt, 1977, TV) and Noc v safari (Night on Safari, 1978, TV). In the film, Mr Tau causes a stir at the airport after taking a walk along the wing of a plane. Security inspector Málek does everything he can to catch Mr Tau, who eventually ends up losing his hat. By coincidence, this ends up in the hands of zoo staffer Kalous, whose life, as a result, takes a major turn. Thanks to the help of some children, Mr Tau manages to put everything back the way it should be. The much respected actor Otto Šimánek appears as Mr Tau in this beloved family favourite. Málek is played by Vlastimil Brodský.

Synopsis

In defiance of all the laws of physics Mr Tau is walking on the wing of an aircraft flying close to Prague. Young Alenka is enthusiastic, but the other passengers are horrified. The security inspector Málek believes the report from the crew to be a code alerting him to a hijack, and orders an emergency landing. In the confusion at the airport the fairytale Mr Tau disappears into one of the halls. The little elephant Bimbo, who is waiting in a cage to be taken to a safari park, grabs his magic bowler hat. Tau has to join the transport to the safari, while meanwhile the safari employee Kalous puts the bowler on his head. By coincidence the elephant and Tau leave the vehicle in the middle of the journey and continue on foot together. The shocked villagers prepare to set out to catch the exotic animal. At the safari park Kalous is told he must pay for a replacement elephant. The children organize a collection for the popular Kalous and count the money in the attic of his little house. Kalous' daughter Ivanka plays with the hat and accidentally magically summons Mr Tau and the elephant, who demolishes the ceiling with his weight. It is not until morning that the children find the bowler in the ruins of the house and Mr Tau can put Kalous's house and life back in order. Tests at the airport have excluded the possibility of anybody walking on an aircraft wing in flight. But in front of the dumbfounded experts an aeroplane suddenly lands at the airport with not just Tau, but three children who have come on the trip with him, sitting on the wing.

Note

By assembling seven episodes of the third series of the medium length films presented on TV only, two feature films were created, I Won´t Conjure as from Tomorrow! and Panic in the Skies, which were shown in cinemas. The titles of the films: 1. Alert in the Sky, 2. Elephant Hunt, 3. Night at Safari, 4. Mr Tau and Woman-Magician, 5. Mr Tau at Pioneer Camp, 6. Mr Tau – And Which Is the Right One?, 7. I Won´t Conjure as from Tomorrow!

Film online

Cast

Vlastimil Brodský

III. inspektor bezpečnosti provozu

Petr Nárožný

tatínek Alenky

Alena Jirešová

Alenka

Josef Dvořák

Kalous, zřízenec Safari

Michael Hofbauer

Otík, Málkův starší syn

Eliška Sirová

Eva, Málkova dcera

Jan Sedláček

Pepíček, Málkův mladší syn

František Husák

pilot JZD Lojza

Miroslav Vydlák

Honzík, Lojzův syn

Martina Červená

Kačenka, Honzíkova kamarádka

Josef Bláha

I. inspektor bezpečnosti provozu

Vít Olmer

ředitel Safari

Jiří Lábus

dispečer

Lenka Termerová

Kalousova žena

Stanislava Coufalová

Ivanka, dcera Kalousových

Viktor Maurer

cestující v letadle

Milan Riehs

cestující v letadle

Karel Meister ml.

cestující s fotoaparátem

Karel Bělohradský

Voice by Vladimír Pospíšil
řidič letištního auta

Zdeněk Martínek

Voice by Lubor Tokoš
děda Krasík, zemědělec s vidlemi

Jiří Kodet

kapitán letadla

Petr Pospíchal

člen posádky

Petr Skarke

člen posádky

Ladislav Županič

člen posádky

Zdeněk Srstka

Voice by Jan Pohan
řidič nákladního auta

Karel Hovorka

Voice by Lubor Tokoš
myslivec

Ludmila Molínová

Lojzova žena

Josef Střecha

cestující

Václav Vydra

zaměstanec Safari

Jiří Šolc

hlasatel v televizi

Marta Kaňovská

blondýna v letadle

slon Shanti

slůně Bimbo

Dubbing

Jan Pohan

hlas z obecního rozhlasu

Crew and creators

Second Unit Director

Zdena Lukášová

Continuity

Ivana Nevolová

Director of Photography

Josef Vaniš

Production Designer

Jiří Hlupý

Costume Designer

Theodor Pištěk ml.

Make-Up Artist

Vladimír Petřina

Film Editor

Zdeněk Stehlík

Sound Designer

Milan R. Novotný

Production Manager

Jan Šuster, Karel Škop

Unit Production Manager

Rudolf Mos, Jaroslav Bouček

Cooperation

Josef Vítek (fotograf)

Music

Music Performed by

FISYO (Music Conducted by František Belfín)

Production info

Original Title

Poplach v oblacích

Czech Title

Poplach v oblacích

English Title

Alarm in the Clouds

Working Title

Pan Tau

Category

film

Typology

featuretheatrical distribution

Genre

comedy, fairytale

Origin country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1978

Production Year

1977—1978

Production specifications

literary Screenplay approved 23 December 1976
technical Screenplay approved 25 April 1977
start of filming 10 May 1977
end of filming 27 November 1978
projection approval 8 December 1978
withdrawal from distribution 31 December 1989

Premiere

premiere 9 November 1979 /suitable for youths/

Studio

Barrandov

Creative Group

Dramaturgická skupina Oty Hofmana, Ota Hofman (vedoucí dramaturgické skupiny)

Technical info

Duration typology

feature film

Duration in minutes

77 min

Original length in metres

2 054 meters

Distribution carrier

16mm, 35mm

Aspect ratio

1:1,66

Colour

colour

Sound

sound

Sound system/format

mono

Versions

Czech

Dialogue languages

Czech

Subtitles languages

without subtitles

Opening/End credits languages

Czech