Closely Watched Trains

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Wayne K Part of the illustrious Czechoslovakian New Wave of cinema that emerged in the mid 20th century, Closely Watched Trains is set during wartime, but its much more of a personal story, where the conflict only serves as the backdrop. We only see one gun being fired, right at the climax, and only 1 bomb goes off, again, at the climax. It follows a young man desperate for a rite of passage into true adulthood. Being European, the film can get away with more graphic content than the American films being made at the time, not only through what we see but what we hear the characters say. It’s a movie with an odd, offbeat feel to it, which will alienate many viewers, and it can be dull and monotonous at times, especially since the lead isn’t given much of a personality. But the comedy works well because of how unexpected the jokes are, and there’s a definite kindship and camaraderie between the main characters. Its not a film I’d watch again in a hurry, but I can confidently say that’s it style and its approach are unique, and if you’re interested in arthouse cinema, its one you should probably check out at sometime. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 06/12/24 Full Review Leaburn O Lovely whimsical tale of Czech stationmaster during the period of occupation. Won an Oscar for best foreign picture and it remains a good watch even to this day. Watched it on YouTube. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/31/24 Full Review Dave S A seminal film in the Czech New Wave, Jiri Menzel's Closely Watched Trains is a movie that effectively mixes the comic with the tragic, throwing in a dab of romance as well as some political and social commentary. Following in the tradition of his family, young Milos (Vaclav Neckar) enthusiastically embarks on his career as an employee of the train station, already looking forward to doing not much other than…closely watching trains. It is a touching and humorous coming-of-age film, filled with wry observations, a gentle humor, and a totally unexpected ending. Rich in themes and ideas, it is a multi-layered film that will mean different things to different audiences, much like other films made in Czechoslovakia at the time by greats like Milos Forman and Ivan Passer. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 03/09/23 Full Review Audience Member Czechoslovakia during the Nazi occupation seems like an unlikely setting for a comedy film (let alone a sex comedy), but Jiri Menzel's beautifully-shot adaptation of Bohumil Hrabal's novel makes for entertaining (if bittersweet) viewing. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/17/23 Full Review Audience Member A delightful movie with a depressing ending. At least poor Milo got laid before he died at Nazi hands. The message: Make Love, Not War. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/17/23 Full Review William L Closely Watched Trains is a surprisingly well-composed dark comedy, a monotone world of people attempting to balance hormones, some sense of self, and the expectations of others. Neckář's Miloš is a tragicomic and heavily allegorical character, wandering through his life as if in a daze, only half-understanding as he attempts to rectify the weight of expectations, the denigrations of both his fellow countrymen and outsiders, and just plain old horniness; it can easily be construed as a representation of the Czech national consciousness struggling against centuries of preconceptions for a perceived 'self-betterment' while subject to the same human influences as anyone else (including an inherent silliness present in even the most serious moments that none can escape). Through it all is the consistently reinforced theme of powerlessness and impotence, even Miloš' death is casually handed to him and meekly accepted without the satisfaction of a cause conributed to. The comedy balances out the morbidity of his existence with absurdity and even a few visual gags for an experience that is well-measured and well-written; it's films like these that make you wonder where the Czech film industry would be today if not for a certain Soviet invasion. I keep telling myself that I need to stop rating films as highly as I do, but there are a hell of a lot of good movies out there. (4/5) Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 05/04/21 Full Review Read all reviews

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