This stylised docudrama is a fanciful tale presenting the rock band Pražský výběr (Prague Selection) in the spirit of the relaxed atmosphere that immediately followed the November 1989 Velvet Revolution. The film, combining reality, fiction and parodies of both, was directed by Karel Smyczek together with the popular band’s frontman Michael Kocáb. It hyperbolically recaps on the band’s fortunes and misfortunes since 1984. Kocáb not only delivers the part of himself, but also that of a narrator, the oaf Ropotámo, who was an integral part of the band’s stage performances. The band endures bans imposed by the communist regime, as well as an internal conflict between Kocáb and guitarist Michael Pavlíček. The film’s narrative culminates with a concert at the Prague Lucerna venue on the eve of the November revolution. The totalitarian regime has met its demise, but the united performances of the band have not… In addition to members of Pražský výběr, the film also features other showbiz celebrities, such as Lucie Bílá, Bára Basiková and Frank Zappa.
It is 1984. A rubber mask of an ugly old man – Ropotamus – lies on the street. It is later worn by the guide throughout the film. The musician Michael Kocáb is at home, throwing a drawn ball at a member of his music group, Prague Selection, Michal Pavlíček. Ropotamo picks up the phone and someone tells him that the group can perform again after having been banned. Its concert in the Lucerna music hall is interspersed with the journalist Lipčík's interviews with the participants. Those who decide about the bans are various officials holding various positions; they are represented as the Small, Medium and Big Tie in the film. During the bands' ban, its members had to find their living elsewhere in order to provide for their families. Kocáb composes stage music, the bass guitar player Vilém Čok plays in a bar, the guitar player Pavlíček performs with the group Stromboli. When the Prague Selection plays in the Karlín Musical Theatre, the organizers call the police with dogs to calm down the high-spirited fans. Work disputes between Kocáb and Pavlíček develop into a fight in a mud ring. Pavlíček phones to apologize for his absence from a rehearsal due to drunkenness. Kocáb is angry and leaves the group to work on the musical Ulysses. Pavlíček, sleeping on a bench, is woken up by a policeman. Čok and the percussionist David Koller go to a pub together. Prague Selection records the song Strainer in a TV studio, but the musicians and the director run into conflict. Pavlíček, drunk, destroys an India rubber-fig plant in a hotel. The percussionist quarrels with the manager. Kocáb opens the door and jumps to the water behind it. As soon as Pavlíček sobers up, he tries to recover the destroyed plant. He must see a doctor because his hearing has significantly worsened. In his idyllic fantasies, he sees himself standing by a weir with drawn swans and Ropotamo cruising around. The officials – the Ties – discuss the group's next potential ban. Kocáb, Pavlíček and Čok hide in dustbins before the gushing water cannon. The group refuses the offered tour in the Ostrava region – they have no substitute for the percussionist who has fled the country in the meantime. The performance, which they are forced to make, is not successful and ends up in yet another quarrel. The desperate Čok punches a hole in a pane of glass with his hand and is severely wounded. He is taken to Prague from a regional hospital which refuses to carry out any surgery. Kocáb is with him and, on the way, hallucinates about meeting the Big Tie who appoints him as the president of music. At a place of execution, he can choose the gallows, electric chair, or guillotine. Ropotamo appears next to the guillotine which was Kocáb's choice. The film director and the group are in the cutting room, discussing shots from the Lucerna concert, held on November 16, 1989 – on the eve of the outbreak of the Velvet Revolution. After the revolution, Kocáb becomes a parliamentary deputy and the others have other commitments, too. But they still want to perform with Prague Selection from time to time. At the next Lucerna concert, Kocáb sings in the Ropotamus mask, but the odd man is in the audience as well. The closing titles are followed by shots of Kocáb meeting the American musician Frank Zappa in Prague.
on sám, člen skupiny Pražský výběr, hráč na klávesové nástroje a zpěvák Michael Kocáb
on sám, člen skupiny Pražský výběr, kytarista a zpěvák Michal Pavlíček
on sám, člen skupiny Pražský výběr, baskytarista a zpěvák Vilém Čok
hráč na bicí Klaudius Kryšpín
manažer Béďa Pokrovský
Střední kravata
Velká kravata
Malá kravata
sekretářka
Čokovka
strážmistr VB
MUDr. Kalvoda
reportér
ona sama, zpěvačka Bára Basiková
on sám, americký zpěvák Frank Zappa
on sám, hudební kritik Jan Foll
fanoušek skupiny Pražský výběr
vrátná
vrátná
on sám, herec Oldřich Kaiser
on sám, zpěvák Michal Prokop
babka na Žižkově
lékař
ona sama, Marsha, Kocábova manželka
ona sama, Natálie, Kocábova dcera
ona sama, Jessica, Kocábova dcera
dívka v kroji
dívka v kroji
dívka v kroji
on sám, herec Jiří Lábus
on sám, hudebník Vladimír Merta
on sám, hudebník Zdeněk Merta
zraněný muž v hospodě
agresivní muž v hospodě
pořadatel
číšník
Muzikantská Liduška
Renata Čihulková, Jarmila Čajová
Michael Kocáb, Michal Pavlíček, Karel Smyczek, Miloslav Zapletal
Michal Pavlíček, Michael Kocáb, Karel Smyczek, Miloslav Zapletal
Jan Malíř, Pavel Bárta, Kristian Hynek, Martin Šec, Jiří Pechar
Ivan Břešťák, Jaroslav Česal, Petr Průša, Marek Šíma
Václav Vondráček, Jitka Zvirocká (zvukové efekty)
Jiří Berger (pyrotechnik), Václav Kuba (pyrotechnik)
Hana Štefanová, Slavomíra Jílková, Ladislava Kašáková
Alice Šafránková (klapka), Jaromír Komárek (fotograf), Šimon Caban, František Čásenský, Hana Hrabětová, Ivo Špalj
Carl Maria von Weber (Čarostřelec /Der Freischütz/ – opera)
Baletní jednotka Křeč
Song Composer Michael KocábMichal Pavlíček
Writer of Lyrics František Ringo Čech
Singer Pražský výběr
Song Composer Michael KocábMichal Pavlíček
Writer of Lyrics František Ringo Čech
Singer Pražský výběr
Song Composer Michael KocábMichal Pavlíček
Writer of Lyrics František Ringo Čech
Singer Pražský výběr
Song Composer Michael KocábMichal Pavlíček
Writer of Lyrics František Ringo Čech
Singer Pražský výběr
Song Composer Michael Kocáb
Writer of Lyrics Michael Kocáb
Singer Pražský výběr
Song Composer Michael Kocáb
Writer of Lyrics Michael Kocáb
Song Composer Michal Pavlíček
Writer of Lyrics Christian Morgenstern
Singer Bára Basiková
Song Composer Michal Pavlíček
Writer of Lyrics Christian Morgenstern
Singer Bára Basiková
Song Composer Michal PavlíčekMichael Kocáb
Writer of Lyrics Vilém ČokMichael KocábMichal Pavlíček
Singer Pražský výběr
Song Composer Michael KocábMichal PavlíčekVilém Čok
Writer of Lyrics Vilém ČokMichael KocábMichal Pavlíček
Singer Pražský výběr
Song Composer Michael KocábMichal Pavlíček
Writer of Lyrics Vilém Čok
Singer Pražský výběr
Song Composer Michal Pavlíček
Writer of Lyrics Vilém ČokMichael KocábMichal PavlíčekKlaudius KryšpínVladimír Pokorný
Singer Pražský výběr
Song Composer Michal PavlíčekMichael Kocáb
Writer of Lyrics J. Novotný
Singer Pražský výběr
Song Composer Michael Kocáb
Writer of Lyrics Michal Horáček
Singer Pražský výběr
Song Composer Frank Zappa
Singer Frank Zappa
Song Composer Michael Kocáb
Song Composer Michael KocábMichal Pavlíček
Writer of Lyrics Michael KocábMichal Pavlíček
Singer Pražský výběr
Song Composer Michal PavlíčekMichael Kocáb
Song Composer Jindřich Brabec
Writer of Lyrics Jiří Aplt
Singer ženský hlas
Pražákům, těm je hej
Pražákům, těm je hej
Prague Selection
Příběh jedné kapely
film
featuretheatrical distribution
music
Czechoslovakia
1990
1990
premiere 1 April 1991 /suitable for youths/
2. tvůrčí skupina, Josef Císař (vedoucí 2. tvůrčí skupiny)
feature film
93 min
35mm
1:1,66
colour
sound
mono
Czech
Czech
without subtitles
Czech
Event: Prémie Českého literárního fondu v oblasti filmové tvorby za rok 1989
1990
Praha / Czechoslovakia
Zdenek Patočka