I Am the Wall of Death

Country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1978

Production year

1978

Premiere

8 June 1979

Runtime

88 min

Category

film

Genre

psychological

Typology

featuretheatrical distributionlong

Original title

Já jsem Stěna smrti

Czech title

Já jsem Stěna smrti

English title

I Am the Wall of Death

Working title

Kosmický motocykl

Summary

In actor Joseph Kemr’s 1970s filmography, an honourable place goes to the protagonist of this 1978 drama made by proven director Jaroslav Balík. The experienced Kemr played Piskáček, an ageing fairground stuntman who performs his travelling shows under the stage title “Alfieri and the Wall of Death”. Linking up with young biker Milan, Piskáček is able to fulfil his long dreamed of “Globe of Death” in which he is tremendously eager to show off his skills. However, his daughter Esmeralda and new partner Milan have a surprise in store for him... Other roles in this story of social outsiders went to Lubomír Paulovič (Milan) and Eva Sitteová, who also took parts in the Balík films Stín létajícího ptáčka (Shadow of a Flying Bird, 1977) and Zrcadlení (Reflections, 1977). Piskáček’s old friend Fery was rendered by Josef Somr.

Synopsis

A van and a motorbike crash on a crossroad. Fortunately nobody was injured and there is not any damage. The parties of the accident - and oldish stuntman and a rider on the wall of death Piskáček and a young motorbike driver Milan - only tell off each other. The motor biker for whom life means speed is not happy with his work in the factory. Out of curiosity he comes to see Piskáček's performance. There he meets his daughter Esmeralda-Alda and in the end he joins them as an assistant in this wandering business. Alda is not happy they have a new employee. She expected that her father due to his age will soon end up with this nomadiclife and that they both settle. Milan is on the contrary very happy, he feels free and he is also attracted by the pretty Alda. Alda's father often thinks of the rich and exiting past, of his gee Fery and also of the love of his life Žanda. One day Fery turns up in his caravan and he tempts him to a big circus where he works now. The stuntman refuses as his old dream came true: Milan made money in a co-operative farm and he let built for him a round building - " the Globe of Death". The first performance of the new show is very successful and Piskáček is happy. His daughter and Milan tell him though they leave for a honeymoon. The old stuntman stays with his "Globe" alone and he leaves in his old van for another stand.

Cast

Josef Kemr

Jarda Piskáček alias Alfieri

Eva Sitteová

Esmeralda zvaná Alda

Pavel Zedníček

majitel střelnice Ludvík

Slavo Záhradník

Slavo Forman

Josef Somr

Ferda Jeřábek

Anton Korenči

mistr v továrně

Jindřich Světnica

předseda JZD, Jeřábkův syn

Jitka Zelenohorská

stavbyvedoucí

Zdeněk Černý

Josífek

Miloš Šuster

příslušník VB

Ján Barto

muž u baru

Jiřina Zemanová

žena s taškou

Jaroslav Čada

motodubl

Miroslav Jíra

motodubl za Ľubomíra Pauloviče

Alois Kříž

motodubl

Henrietta Kohoutová

motodubl za Evu Sitteovou

Petr Sojka

motodubl

Jan Stejskal

motodubl

Hana Forejtová

dubl za Evu Sitteovou

Bedřich Chaloupka

dubl za Josefa Kemra

Václav Rychter

dubl za Josefa Kemra

Crew and creators

Second Unit Director

Milena Kropáčková

Assistant Director

Vítězslav Kulle

Screenstory

Štefan Sokol

Shooting Script

Jaroslav Balík

Director of Photography

Jiří Macák

Second Unit Photography

Eduard Kadeřábek

Camera Operator

Jan Hanzal

Production Designer

Jiří Hlupý

Assistent Production Designer

Pavel Pitner

Set Designer

Karel Kracík, Miloš Sršeň

Costume Designer

Milan Čorba

Film Editor

Eva Bobková

Assistant Film Editor

Štěpánka Stříbrná

Sound Designer

Jiří Kříž

Production Manager

Blažej Vráb

Unit Production Manager

Rudolf Mos, Jan Janda

Unit Production Manager

Hana Štefanová

Consultant

Augustin Nauš, Bedřich Chaloupka (jízda na Stěně)

Cooperation

Karel Šebík (fotograf)

Music

Music Composed by

Karel Mareš

Music Performed by

FISYO (Music Conducted by Jan Hrábek)

Production info

Original Title

Já jsem Stěna smrti

Czech Title

Já jsem Stěna smrti

English Title

I Am the Wall of Death

Working Title

Kosmický motocykl

Category

film

Typology

featuretheatrical distribution

Genre

psychological

Origin country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1978

Production Year

1978

Production specifications

literary Screenplay approved 30 January 1978
start of filming 21 February 1978
technical Screenplay approved 11 April 1978
end of filming 6 December 1978
projection approval 18 December 1978
withdrawal from distribution 31 December 1986

Premiere

premiere 8 June 1979 /unsuitable for youths/

Studio

Hostivař

Creative Group

Dramaturgická skupina Vladimíra Kaliny, Vladimír Kalina (vedoucí dramaturgické skupiny)

Technical info

Duration typology

feature film

Duration in minutes

88 min

Original length in metres

2 501 meters

Distribution carrier

16mm, 35mm

Aspect ratio

1:1,66

Colour

colour

Sound

sound

Sound system/format

mono

Versions

Czech

Dialogue languages

Czech, Slovak

Subtitles languages

without subtitles

Opening/End credits languages

Czech