The Cremator

1969

1h 40m

Comedy

Drama

List

88%

Tomatometer

8 Reviews

91%

Popcornmeter

500+ Ratings

In Prague, Kopfrkingl (Rudolf Hrusínský) enjoys his work at the crematorium perhaps a bit too much, having gained a perverse idea of reincarnation from his haphazard studies of Tibet. After World War II breaks out, there is a sudden need to be as Aryan as possible, and Kopfrkingl's old friend Reinke (Ilja Prachar) points out that Kopfrkingl has some German heritage. But his wife is Jewish, which makes his children Jewish, which makes the now-Nazi Kopfrkingl's blood boil.

Margaret Hinxman

Daily Telegraph (UK)

A valuable moral, but it is hard to care about the destiny of characters who are depicted as freaks from the beginning. Stunning Peter Lorre-ish performance from Rudolf Hrusinsky, however.

Jun 8, 2020

Full Review

Jonathan Romney

Film Comment Magazine

The Cremator is essential viewing if you're a lover of morbid black comedy, the kind of cinema that lies on the delicate border between horror and social satire.

Aug 9, 2019

Full Review

Anthony Lane

New Yorker

Herz practiced a surrealism that is bare of whimsy and armed with aggression; one image splinters into the next, and, in the opening scene, full of caged beasts, you feel the prowling presence of Kafka.

Jul 29, 2019

Full Review

Nicholas Bell

IONCINEMA.com

While retrospect allows one to appreciate The Cremator's comically monstrous undertones, it's dismaying sense of dread has only become more potent over time.

Rated: 4.5/5

Jul 30, 2020

Full Review

Martin Unsworth

Starburst

Not only is it an immensely entertaining movie, it's a work of art that should be on the list of anyone looking to understand filmmaking and cinematography.

Rated: 9/10

Dec 14, 2017

Full Review

Pablo Villaça

Cinema em Cena

Assustador estudo sobre a moralidade humana, este clássico tcheco conta com uma montagem fascinante e com uma atuação impecavelmente sombria de Hrusinský.

Rated: 5/5

Jun 21, 2006

Full Review

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Jens B

a formal masterpiece very chilling how relevant this topic is almost 100 years later the cat knew what was going to happen I'll watch this again multiple times in the near future

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/04/23

Full Review

Simon T

Increasingly creepy Czech drama, subtly referencing the Jewish Holocaust and how easily appalling crimes can be whitewashed through hifalutin language and behaviour. The editing is notable: scenes dovetail, voices are never raised. The actor who plays the cremator is excellent - slimy, porcine, insidious, a greasy Peter Lorre clone.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

08/16/23

Full Review

Tom K

A slow build for the first 70 minutes but then takes off for a surprising ending.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

04/03/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Wow. The Cremator is the movie that I'm proud of. I am from Slovakia and this movie may easily represent our whole cinematography. The directing and editing are absolutely mind-blowing. I was pausing the movie at certain moments to be sure it was a clean cut. And it was and I was extremely surprised. The main actor, Rudolf Hrušínský, is absolutely incredible. His performance is just outstanding. Adore this movie.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/23/23

Full Review

david l

Although it's stupendously shot, superbly acted and overall competently made, The Cremator is still an overly strange movie that has way too many monologues and its tone is totally off. It never decides what it wants to be, especially failing as a comedy.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Great black and white super weird and creepy but if you like that kind of thing.as I did. Then add this to your Sunday at 420 list of awesomness...

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/13/23

Full Review

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Juraj Herz

Director

Rudolf Hrusínský

Kopfrkingl

Vlasta Chramosotova

Lakmé

Jana Stehnova

Zina

Milos Vognic

Mili

Ilja Prachar

Walter Reinke

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Synopsis

In Prague, Kopfrkingl (Rudolf Hrusínský) enjoys his work at the crematorium perhaps a bit too much, having gained a perverse idea of reincarnation from his haphazard studies of Tibet. After World War II breaks out, there is a sudden need to be as Aryan as possible, and Kopfrkingl's old friend Reinke (Ilja Prachar) points out that Kopfrkingl has some German heritage. But his wife is Jewish, which makes his children Jewish, which makes the now-Nazi Kopfrkingl's blood boil.

Director: Juraj Herz
Screenwriter: Juraj Herz, Ladislav Fuks
Production Co: New World
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Original Language: Czech
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 9, 2020
Runtime: 1h 40m

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