THE FABULOUS BARON MUNCHAUSEN

RELEASED 26 JUNE 1962 | U | BLU-RAY/DVD Director Karel Zeman Cast Milos Kopecký, Rudolf Jelínek, Jana Brejchová Fans of Terry Gilliam will adore this Czech adaptation of the tall tales of Baron Munchausen. When astronaut Tonik (Rudolf Jelínek) lands on the moon, he’s greeted by the titular time traveller (Miloš Kopecký), who whisks him to 18th century Turkey. Once there, Tonik vows to rescue the beautiful Princess Bianca (Jana Brejchová) from a cruel sultan.

Filmed using live-action acting, stop-motion animation, antique engravings and illustrated backdrops, it laid the groundwork for modern fantasy. The narrative is often nonsensical, but it’s a feast for the eyes, from a ship carried across the cosmos by flying horses to a man who falls through an ocean of mermaids.

This is a film that celebrates artifice, a dream bubble reality cannot puncture. Every element looks like it’s been moulded by hand, and its blending of eras and genres (clunky space suits are contrasted with the lush embroidery and powdered wigs of 18th century court fashion) is impossible to resist. Dreamlike and jubilant, it’s a film of pure, unfettered imagination.

Extras On Blu-ray only: Film Adventurer Karel Zeman,a feature-length doc on the director. With both formats: 35 minutes of short featurettes; a new appreciation by a historian; booklet.