Why?
Country
CzechoslovakiaCopyright
1987Production year
1986—1987Premiere
1 October 1987Runtime
86 minDirector
Karel SmyczekCategory
filmGenre
dramaTypology
featuretheatrical distributionlongOriginal title
Proč?Czech title
Proč?English title
Why?Summary
In the early 1980s, director Karel Smyczek, working with screenwriters Radek John and Ivo Pelant, made some remarkably successful motion pictures centred on adolescent heroes. Thanks to the critical tone and realistic sociological scope pursued by these films, they very much outdid the contemporary, optimistic tales being put out about teenagers at the time. Following the films Jen si tak trochu písknout (Just to Whistle a Bit, 1980), Jako zajíci (Like Rabbits, 1981) a Sněženky a machři (Snowdrops and Daredevils, 1982), Smyczek in 1987 shot the drama Proč? (Why?). Based on a screenplay written by the journalist and columnist John, the film is inspired by true events. The story follows a group of young Sparta Prague football fans who, en route to an away match in Bánská Bystřice, demolish a railcar, threaten other passengers and even try to throw a protesting Slovak conductress out of the window. The role of alcohol, and mutual goading with opposition fans, go so far that even railway station workers are afraid of standing up to the hooligans. Finally, in Bánská Bystrica, the police intervene... At the time of its release, the realistically portrayed film sparked lively debate. Even today Proč? amounts to an unadorned, convincing testimony presenting afflictions of the 1980s generation – young people without motivation or faith in the future, youngsters indeed who had been dispossessed of their aspirations by the socialist state. For the hooligans in the film, the venting of aggression has becomes a way to attract attention. The morally devastated protagonists end up on trial, but they and their parents refuse to take their share of responsibility for what has happened... Director Smyczek, together with cameraman Jaroslav Brabec, made the film in a documentary style, shooting in the cramped atmosphere of a real railway wagon. Several actors who would later achieve fame and success played adolescent fans (Jiří Langmajer, Martin Dejdar and Jan Potměšil). The directors Igor Chaun and Petr Vachler also feature in the film, in side roles. Emília Zimková performed the part of the conductress, while Smyczek himself stepped forward to play the part of the reporter who, at the conclusion of Proč?, asks random passersby for their views on the affair.
Synopsis
At a regional court, the trial is beginning of some young people who had demolished several passenger carriages on the way to Banská Bystrica where the football club Sparta was playing for the title. Most of the rowdies come from broken families and they all support their football players fanatically. Among others, those on the train were Josef urovský, Milan Sýkora, the married Vlasta Chlupáč, the father of a little kid, stepbrothers Jiří and Michal Stupkas, the teenage girl Marie mídová and Petr Chalupa. Jiří was joined by his girlfriend Anča at the Prague Main Railway Station. The flag bearers are drunk and aggresive already and commit various disorders. A Slovak female guard on the train is terrified by these passengers. The high-spirited fans begin attacking other passengers and start demolishing the carriage at night. urovský, helped by others, tries to throw the guard from the train window. They terrorize a student and his girlfriend, almost violating her. The railway personnel at the train's stops are unable to do anything or help the guard in any way. In the morning, all the rowdies are exhaustedly drunk. They are caught by the police and the Armed Railway Guards in Banská Bystrica. Only Pavel - one of the most active rowdies - manages to escape. The parents of the accused rioters respond differently to the misdeeds of their children. The defendants boast in a pub. The court delivers its verdicts: imprisonments from six to eighteen months. Only Michal gets off with a conditional sentence due to his low age. A journalist on the street interviews pedestrians, asking them for their opinion on the case. One of the interviews is interrupted by a march of flag bearers some whom have their faces covered by scarfs. The anonymous crowd hurtles down the street, chanting: What's up! What's up!
Film online
Photos
Cast
Jiří Langmajer
Jiří Stupka
Martin Sobotka
Michal, Jiřího bratr
Pavel Zvarič
Petr Chalupa
Pavlína Mourková
Marie Šmídová
Jan Potměšil
Milan Sýkora
Daniel Větrovský
Vlastimil Chlupáč zvaný Vlasta
Daniel Landa
grázl Pavel
Markéta Zmožková
servírka Anča Bečvářová
Martin Dejdar
Josef Šurovský zvaný Šury
Emília Zimková
průvodčí
Karel Pospíšil
vyšetřovatel
Adolf Kohuth
Stupka, Michalův otec
Eva Lecchiová
Stupková, Michalova matka
Emma Černá
Šmídová, Mariina matka
Vladislava Macháčková
Monika Pastejříková
Gabriela Wilhelmová
Moničina matka
Zdeněk Pecháček
student Láďa
Kateřina Fejlková
studentka Hanka
David Schneider
Jan Suchánek zvaný Suchoš
Jan Vlasák
Milanův otec
Zdeněk Dušek
hospodský Standa, Ančin otec
Alena Štréblová
Vlastova žena
Ladislav Jakim
obhájce
Radek John
novinář s magnetofonem
Karel Smyczek
reportér
Jan Kraus
opilý fanoušek
Ladislav Brothánek
mistr v továrně
Milan Vágner
Mirek, přítel Mariiny matky
Marie Durnová
prokurátorka
Antonín Jedlička
majitel poškrábaného vozu
Josef Carda
fanoušek Patka
Roman Holý
fanoušek
Tomáš Karger
fanoušek Trubka
Marek Tomažič
fanoušek Cyril
Christian Thuri
fanoušek Kucmocht
Leoš Suchařípa
psycholog
Eva Řepíková
matka na chodbě soudu
Miriam Kantorková
matka Šuryho
Igor Smržík
příslušník OOŽ
Petr Voříšek
kytarista
Michal Suchánek
opilý fanoušek s trubkou
Markéta Kočvarová
právnička
Michal Kaizr
fanoušek zvaný Bysta
Daniel Malaniuk
fanoušek
Miloš Bílý
chodec
Miroslav Grác
chodec
Gaston Šubert
chodec
P. Martinec
chodec
P. Hejný
chodec
Kateřina Besserová
chodkyně
Jaroslava Keslová
chodkyně
Stanislav Hájek
důchodce
Radoslav Bartoník
chodec s aktovkou
Bohumil Koška
starší průvodčí
Václav Matějka
funkcionář Sparty
Miloslav Mejzlík
funkcionář Sparty
Zdeněk Mlčoch
příslušník Ozbrojené ochrany železnic
Vladimír Kudla
příslušník OOŽ
Igor Chaun
řidič v modré bundě-muž v anketě
Petr Vachler
fanoušek Douda zvaný Dako
Josef Kubíček
Duklák
Miloslav Štibich
cestující Karel
Vlasta Mecnarowská
Karlova manželka
Oldřich Navrátil
muž v hospodě
Miloš Kohout
bývalý fotbalový trenér Milana Sýkory
Karel Sekera
soudce
Petr Němec
fanoušek Palička
Bořík Procházka
zahradník, Mariin mistr
Vladimír Pospíšil
popelář
Jiří Samek
soudce
Viktor Nejedlý
starší cestující, fanoušek Slávie
Boris Halmi
výpravčí
Valentina Thielová
starší žena v okně
Martina Samková
dlouhovlasá dívka
Rudolf Stärz
cestující
Josef Šebek
příslušník OOŽ
Jiří Ulrich ml.
rozhodčí
V. Hošek
rozhodčí
P. Pelíšek
rozhodčí
Václav Hrůza
pořadatel
Jiří Smutný
pořadatel
Zdeněk Tomeš
muž v anketě
J. Kočí
muž v anketě
Pavel Vangeli
muž v anketě
Dubbing
Jiří Zahajský
hlas Šmída, Mariina otce v telefonu
Crew and creators
Director
Second Unit Director
Assistant Director
Continuity
Screenstory
Screenplay
Shooting Script
Dramaturg
Director of Photography
Second Unit Photography
Camera Operator
Production Designer
Assistent Production Designer
Set Designer
Jaroslav Česal, Petr Průša, Marek Šíma
Costume Designer
Costumes
Make-Up Artist
Film Editor
Assistant Film Editor
Sound Designer
Stunts
Arnošt Böhm, Pavel Cajzl, Jan Dufek, Petr Floss, David Hroník, Jiří Kraus, Jiří Kalenský, Jiří Káňa, Petr Komínek, Dimo Lipitkovský, Ladislav Lahoda, Ivan Mareš, P. Suchý, T. Souler, Jaroslav Tomsa
Production Manager
Unit Production Manager
Vlasta Synkulová, Juraj Zach
Unit Production Manager
Petr Moravec
Consultant
JUDr. Dušan Veselý , JUDr. Antonín Těšík, Adolf Henn
Cooperation
Dana Sahánková (klapka), Josef Řezáč (fotograf)
Music
Music Composed by
Music Performed by
Skupina Michala Pavlíčka (Music Conducted by Michal Pavlíček), Michal Pavlíček, FISYO (Music Conducted by Štěpán Koníček)
Songs
Čí je Praha? Naše! /parafráze My Spartu nedáme/
Song Composer Karel Hašler
Writer of Lyrics Karel Hašler
Singer Daniel VětrovskýPavel ZvaričDaniel Landa
Production info
Original Title
Proč?
Czech Title
Proč?
English Title
Why?
Category
film
Typology
featuretheatrical distribution
Genre
drama
Origin country
Czechoslovakia
Copyright
1987
Production Year
1986—1987
Production specifications
literary Screenplay approved 18 August 1986
start of filming 15 September 1986
technical Screenplay approved 3 October 1986
end of filming 30 April 1987
the first film copy approved 4 May 1987
projection approval 29 May 1987
withdrawal from distribution 31 July 1993
Premiere
premiere 1 October 1987 /unsuitable for youths/
Production
Copyright Holders
Distribution
Creative Group
5. dramaturgicko-výrobní skupina, Miloslav Vydra (vedoucí 5. dramaturgicko-výrobní skupiny)
Technical info
Duration typology
feature film
Duration in minutes
86 min
Original length in metres
2 460 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
Awards
Vítěz
Festival: 4. festival českých a slovenských filmů FINÁLE Plzeň
1990
Plzeň / Czechoslovakia
Vítěz
Festival: 43. mezinárodní festival sportovních filmů Turín
1988
Turín / Italy
Vítěz
Event: Prémie Českého literárního fondu
1988
Praha / Czechoslovakia
Radek John
Vítěz
Event: Ceny Svazu československých dramatických umělců
1988
Praha / Czechoslovakia
Jaroslav Brabec
Vítěz
Festival: 21. filmový festival mladých Trutnov
1988
Trutnov / Czechoslovakia
Radek John
Vítěz
Event: 17. ročník čtenářské ankety týdeníku Květy ve spolupráci s Československou televizí a Ústřední půjčovnou filmů
1988
Praha / Czechoslovakia
Jiří Langmajer
Vítěz
Festival: 26. festival českých a slovenských filmů Brno
1988
Brno / Czechoslovakia
Vítěz
Event: Prémie Českého literárního fondu
1988
Praha / Czechoslovakia
Pavla Frýdlová
Vítěz
Festival: 26. festival českých a slovenských filmů Brno
1988
Brno / Czechoslovakia
