Stars: Veronika Zilkova, Jan Hartl, Kristina Adamcova, Pavel Novy, Jaroslava Kretschmerova

Director: Jan Svankmajer

Summary: Based on a Czech folk tale, this is the story of Karel and Bozena a married couple who long to have a baby. Karel whilst digging up an tree stump decides to carves the roots into an image of a child and when his wife sees it her love brings the wooden form to life...

Jan Svankmajer's fourth feature is the story of a thirtysomething couple who, despite their infertility, yearn to have a baby. When Karel (Jan Hartl), the husband, digs up a stump that resembles a newborn, he varnishes it and presents it to his wife, Bozena (Veronika Zilkova), hoping to comfort her and fill the void in their lives. To his astonishment, Bozena immediately begins treating the stump like a real child, and the two dub the stump Otik. Karel's astonishment grows when Bozena manages to nurse Otik into a mewling, living baby, a newborn with a wooden body and a voracious appetite. It isn't long before Otik devours the family cat and the postman, forcing the couple into a quandary. However, Alzbetka, their precocious pre-adolescent neighbor, has discovered the couple's secret by reading a Czech folk tale that parallels the strange occurrences next door, giving the young girl an idea of her own for Otik.
As in Svankmajer's superb 1996 film CONSPIRATORS OF PLEASURE, the director uses his trademark stop-motion animation sparingly and focuses on his characters' desires, invariably making them seem perverse (food is always particularly grotesque in Svankmajer's universe). Brilliant, funny, and frightening, LITTLE OTIK is a wonderfully entertaining and disturbing film.

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Reviewed by: cooljimbop
Posted on July 21, 2005 9:07 AM

Having never seen another Czech film this left me stumped. It's very strange, and being based on a Czech fairytale I was just more bemused. I found myself laughing in sections because it was so strange. In darts around going from genuine humour to scenes of gore. Possibly good for media students as it looks into the human condition of loneliness a fair bit. Worth watching if you want to see something as bizarre as possible or if you like Czech films/culture. Otherwise I don't think it will appeal to many.

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Aspect Ratio:	4:3
Main Language:	Czech
Region:	Region 2
Subtitles:	English
Year:	2000
Release Date:	June 16, 2003
Runtime:	126 minutes
Certification:
Catalogue Number:	C C D 9596
Label:	Film Four Distributors
Keywords:	Subtitled, Little, Off, General, Drama, Schedule, Czech, Otik, Otesanek
Genre:	Drama