Threat
Country
CzechoslovakiaCopyright
1978Production year
1977—1978Premiere
17 November 1978Runtime
85 minDirector
Zdenek SirovýCategory
filmGenre
dramaTypology
featuretheatrical distributionlongOriginal title
HrozbaCzech title
HrozbaEnglish title
ThreatSummary
Major changes are taking place at a prominent metallurgical enterprise: the experienced but ailing head of operations Budil is being replaced and workers are struggling to install a new exhauster. While the offended Budil, who has sacrificed everything for his work, struggles to accept his young substitute, a catastrophe is brewing in the gasworks. It threatens to destroy an entire city… Due to his previous filmmaking activities and political views, director Zdeněk Sirový was made to repent in the 1970s. Together with screenwriter Jiří Křižan they were later allowed to make three adventure films based on the short stories of Jack London; Kaňon samé zlato (A Canyon Full of Gold, 1970), Poslední výstřel Davida Sandela (David Sandel’s Last Shot, 1971) and Claim na Hluchém potoku (The Claim at the Deaf Creek, 1971) as well as two films about industry; Hrozba (Threat, 1978) and Paragraf 224 (Paragraph 224, 1979). With the popular Vladimír Menšík in the lead role, the film bears some of the hallmarks of a typical Hollywood disaster movie.
Synopsis
In a gas shop of a large metallurgical plant a new modern exhauster will be put into operation. The operation manager, engineer Budil learns shortly before that from his boss that he will be transferred to a less demanding work due to his bad health condition. He shall be replaced by a fresh university graduate, engineer Ondřej Kašík. Budil is deeply offended, work means everything for him, and even his marriage is in crisis because of that. Kašík would like to get advise from his former colleague how to deal with people but Budil has only ironic remarks. Also other workers in the plant have their personal problems. Power engineering specialist Landa learns that his beloved small daughter was injured in a car accident, the assiduous dispatcher Pernica is solving over the phone complaints of his handicaped wife. Shortly after the new facility is put in operation there is a crisis. To the gas-holder comes also air which might create an explosive mixture. Letting out the gas-holder would cause an economic damage. Budil's opinion of the young colleague will change when Kašík identifies quickly the cause of the wrong operation. During the reparation the young serviceman Šimčík dies but the city is saved. Budil's relationship with his wife gets better and he decides to undertake a treatment with her support. Landa's small daughter has been operated successfully.
Photos
Cast
Vladimír Menšík
inženýr Pavel Budil
Ladislav Frej
hlavní energetik Ing. Viktor Landa
Vladimír Durdík
Voice by Viktor Preiss
inženýr Ondřej Kašík
Jaroslav Rozsíval
starý Kašík
Jiří Wohanka
dispečer Honza Pernica
Milena Dvorská
Daniela, Budilova žena
Eliška Sirová
Julinka, Landova dcera
Pavel Zedníček
údržbář František Šimčík
Dušan Blaškovič
inženýr Včelařík
Stanislav Remunda
hlavní ekonom Josef Hynek
Zdeněk Ornest
vedoucí inženýr Tomáš Křenek
Karel Hlušička
MUDr. Šrámek
Miroslav Zounar
inženýr Navrátil
Jana Šulcová
Věra, Pernicova žena
Hana Čížková
modelka Irena
Milan Sandhaus
řidič Kramoliš
Rostislav Kuba
vlasatý mladík
Jana Gýrová
Lenka, Landova bývalá žena
Alois Švehlík
Jarek Pitron, Lenčin nový manžel
Oldřich Velen
primář
Emma Černá
sekretářka Karlička Bechná
Alena Procházková
zdravotní sestra
Jiří Kodet
sochař Franta
Jindřich Sejk
velitel požárníků
Václav Roštlapil
řidič gazu
Jeroným Horák
řidič škodovky
Karel Bělohradský
řidič Volhy
Jaroslav Fukala
údržbář Kozák
Karel Engel
montér s knírkem
Jan Kuželka
tlustý montér
Milan Jonáš
obsluha u benzinové pumpy
Ladislav Županič
strojník
Lena Birková
členka operačního týmu
René Mucha
člen operačního týmu
Vladimír Navrátil
člen operačního týmu
Petr Skarke
člen operačního týmu
Miloslav Šindler
člen operačního týmu
Jiřina Zemanová
členka operačního týmu
Lenka Kořínková
laborantka
Marie Viková
manželka řidiče
Jitka Zelenohorská
sekretářka u Křenka
Miroslav Jíra
strážmistr VB
Bohuslav Čvančara
hradlař
Jiří Kalenský
dubl za Milana Sandhause
Jaroslav Tomsa
dubl za Pavla Zedníčka
Crew and creators
Director
Second Unit Director
Assistant Director
Jitka Hoferková
Continuity
Screenstory
Screenplay
Shooting Script
Dramaturg
Director of Photography
Second Unit Photography
Camera Operator
Production Designer
Assistent Production Designer
Set Designer
Jiří Žák, Vladimír Ježek, Jiří Pavlásek, Ladislav Winkelhöfer
Costume Designer
Costumes
Make-Up Artist
Film Editor
Assistant Film Editor
Sound Designer
Special Effects
Production Manager
Unit Production Manager
Milan Štěch, Jiří Rössler
Consultant
Ing. Josef Pop, Slavomír Jašek
Cooperation
Irena Sedláčková (klapka), Ivan Minář (fotograf), zaměstnanci NHKG Ostrava
Music
Music Composed by
Music Performed by
FISYO (Music Conducted by Štěpán Koníček)
Production info
Original Title
Hrozba
Czech Title
Hrozba
English Title
Threat
Category
film
Typology
featuretheatrical distribution
Genre
drama
Origin country
Czechoslovakia
Copyright
1978
Production Year
1977—1978
Production specifications
literary Screenplay approved 16 June 1977
start of filming 16 September 1977
technical Screenplay approved 10 October 1977
end of filming 24 March 1978
projection approval 28 March 1978
withdrawal from distribution 31 December 1986
Premiere
premiere 17 November 1978 /suitable for youths/
Production
Copyright Holders
Distribution
Creative Group
Dramaturgická skupina Vladimíra Kaliny, Vladimír Kalina (vedoucí dramaturgické skupiny)
Technical info
Duration typology
feature film
Duration in minutes
85 min
Original length in metres
2 418 meters
Distribution carrier
16mm, 35mm
Aspect ratio
1:1,66, 1:2,35
Colour
colour
Sound
sound
Sound system/format
mono
Versions
Czech
Dialogue languages
Czech
Subtitles languages
without subtitles
Opening/End credits languages
Czech
Awards
Vítěz
Festival: 17. festival českých a slovenských filmů Hradec Králové
1979
Hradec Králové / Czechoslovakia
Vladimír Menšík
