Brontosaurus

Country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1979

Production year

1979

Premiere

22 August 1980

Runtime

71 min

Category

film

Genre

children

Typology

featuretheatrical distributionlong

Original title

Brontosaurus

Czech title

Brontosaurus

English title

Brontosaurus

Summary

The Brontosaurus Movement started out as a Czechoslovak nature conservation group promoted by the 1970s socialist state. Founded in 1974, it not only introduced the forced engagement of youth in the wider nature conservation effort, it also inspired established author of children’s books, Věra Plívová-Šimková, to make a film. In her narrative about ridding a forest of illegal dumps, it is the world of the protagonist – a country boy named Tomáš Šereda – that assumes the most important role. Tomáš so loves nature that he encourages his schoolmates to take part in a rather original rebellion against the adults who remain indifferent to the polluting of the natural environment. The director of this made-to-order film relied on lively dialogue, the natural environment as well as the natural performances of child actors. Apart from her son, Tomáš Šimek, she also cast a popular child actress, Dana Vávrová, as the main character’s friend, a girl who goes by the name of Víla Amálka (after the animated character “Fairy Amálka”). Josef Somr, Daniela Kolářová and Zdeněk Svěrák are among those who played adult roles.

Synopsis

Tomáš Šereda is fond of nature, he often goes to the woods and at home he rears budgerigars and cockatiels. With displeasure he watches the adults as they pollute the woods and after the event with a lame roe, the leg of which was injured by ingrown potsherd, he proclaims fight against the vandals. With a friend Žíža they carry out the rubbish of the woods, they nail the warning tablets and when it does not work they secretly return the rubbish to its owners. However, one day Tomáš pays dear for it. To the owner of a car, that also brought the rubbish in the woods, the boys tie up the lumber to his car. Unfortunately, it turns out that the driver is an inspector of schools and this lands Tomáš in trouble and imposition is imminent. But children and several teachers start to understand what for Tomáš ultimately matters. Tomáš's enemy Franta lets out all Tomáš's exotic birds of the aviary. Therefore Tomáš moves to the woods and attempts to catch the birds. At school one more imposition for absense is imminent. But the children start joining Tomáš, help him catch his darlings and clean up the woods too. Eventually, on Friday, the pioneer leader comes to the woods with the whole sixth class. They are tidying during all the weekend and in the evening, at the fire, they decide that as the protectors of nature they will bear as their symbol brontosaurus. On Monday they do not return to school and therefore their parents have to come for them to the woods. But they have to take away in a platform car the collected rubbish instead of their children. It is only then that the parents comprehend the sense of the rebellion of their offsprings.

Cast

Tomáš Šimek

Tomáš Šereda

Dana Vávrová

Dana Metelková zvaná Víla Amálka

Michael Hofbauer

Franta Metelka, Danin bratr

Lukáš Bech

Žíža, Tomášův malý kamarád

Petra Fischerová

Voice by Magda Reifová
dvojče Katka, Tomášova sestra

Šárka Fischerová

Voice by Magda Reifová
dvojče Zuzka, Tomášova sestra

Jaroslav Kolísek

Pepík Konda

Jakub Němec

Plašmuška

Pavla Maršálková

ředitelka školy

Josef Somr

školní inspektor

Daniela Kolářová

učitelka biologie zvaná Bižolečára

Vladimír Ptáček

předseda JZD, Pepíkův otec

Jiří Zahajský

lesník Buchar

Zdeněk Svěrák

zástupce ředitelky Vladimír zvaný Bobr

Karel Dellapina

předseda MNV Konečný

Elena Strupková

matka Metelková

Václav Helšus

otec Metelka

Pavel Soukup

tělocvikář Bertík

Veronika Jeníková

pionýrská vedoucí Jiřina Maříková

David Saudek

kluk Sklíčko

Stanislav Davídek

kluk Vazoun

Kateřina Čížková

holka z party

Magda Doležalová

holka z party

Petra Dvořáková

holka z party

Marcela Hornofová

holka z party

Renáta Hudrlíková

holka z party

Irena Janovcová

holka z party

Iva Kopecká

holka z party

Andrea Kratochvílová

holka z party

Vlasta Štiková

holka z party

Zora Vesecká

holka z party

Gabriela Volfová

holka z party

Marcel Balík

kluk z party

Miroslav Čermák

kluk z party

Martin Dvořák

kluk z party

Lukáš Hraběta

kluk z party

Michal Hrdlička

kluk z party

Tomáš Hokeš

kluk z party

Martin Rek

kluk z party

Oto Servand

kluk z party

Michal Sůsa

kluk z party

Prokop Výravský

kluk z party

Říha

hajný

Matura

hajný

Crew and creators

Second Unit Director

Dobroslav Zborník

Assistant Director

Jan Křížek

Director of Photography

Ivan Šlapeta

Second Unit Photography

Václav Helliman

Camera Operator

Jiří Maxa

Production Designer

Jiří Matolín

Assistent Production Designer

Jozef Hrabušický

Art Director

Vladimír Jiránek

Set Designer

Miroslav Fára, Martin Růžička, Jiří Žůček

Costume Designer

Theodor Pištěk ml.

Film Editor

Eva Bobková

Sound Designer

Jiří Kříž

Production Manager

Vladimír Vojta

Unit Production Manager

Ivo Pitrák, Hana Jarošová

Unit Production Manager

Jan Kočí

Cooperation

Alena Červená (fotografka), Jan Sládek

Music

Music Composed by

Petr Hapka

Music Performed by

FISYO (Music Conducted by František Belfín)

Songs

Brontosaurus

Song Composer Petr Hapka
Writer of Lyrics Zdeněk Rytíř
Singer Lenka Filipová

Production info

Original Title

Brontosaurus

Czech Title

Brontosaurus

English Title

Brontosaurus

Category

film

Typology

featuretheatrical distribution

Genre

children

Origin country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1979

Production Year

1979

Production specifications

literary Screenplay approved 3 January 1979
start of filming 5 February 1979
technical Screenplay approved 21 February 1979
end of filming 25 October 1979
projection approval 9 November 1979
withdrawal from distribution 31 May 1993

Premiere

premiere 22 August 1980 /suitable for youths/

Creative Group

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

Technical info

Duration typology

feature film

Duration in minutes

71 min

Original length in metres

2 064 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

Awards

Vítěz

Festival: 10. mezinárodní festival dětských filmů Los Angeles

1981
Los Angeles / United States of America

Vítěz

Festival: 20. festival filmů pro děti Gottwaldov

1980
Zlín / Czechoslovakia

Vítěz

Exhibition: 12. národní přehlídka filmů pro děti Ostrov nad Ohří

1980
Ostrov nad Ohří / Czechoslovakia
Dana Vávrová

Vítěz

Festival: 10. mezinárodní festival zemědělských a ekologických filmů Santarém

1980
Santarém / Portugal

Vítěz

Festival: 2. festival československé filmové veselohry Nové Město nad Metují

1980
Nové Město nad Metují / Czechoslovakia
Petr Hapka

Vítěz

Festival: 20. festival filmů pro děti Gottwaldov

1980
Zlín / Czechoslovakia