The Mysterious Castle in the Carpathians (Blu-ray, 1981)

THE MYSTERIOUS CASTLE IN THE CARPATHIANS (TAJEMSTVÍ HRADU V KARPATECH), 1981, Czechoslovakia, 97 min. A unique and almost indescribable mix of Gothic fiction, steampunk gadgetry (designed by Czech animation wizard Jan Švankmajer), slapstick comedy and romantic opera, director Oldřich Lipský's wonderfully bonkers delight has elements of THE FEARLESS VAMPIRE KILLERS, Terry Gilliam, Mel Brooks and The Benny Hill Show. Based on an 1892 Jules Verne novel The Carpathian Castle (which partially inspired Bram Stoker to write Dracula), the film follows Count Teleke of Tölökö (Michal Dočolomanský) on the trail of the count's lost lover, opera singer Salsa Verde (Evelyna Steimarová) - only to discover she's been abducted by fiendish Baron Gorc of Gorceny (Miloš Kopecký), whose castle home is filled with the bizarre inventions of mad scientist Orfanik (Rudolf Hrušínský). Littered with puns, sight gags and non-sequiturs - Later, in Werewolfston, an invented dialect, a detached golden ear for eavesdropping, a staff topped by an enormous TV eyeball - MYSTERIOUS CASTLE was the third fantastical film from the team of director Lipský and writer Jiří Brdečka after their much-loved musical western spoof LEMONADE JOE (1966) and their detective/horror satire ADELA HAS NOT HAD SUPPER YET (1977), both major Czech cult hits. (Note that actor Miloš Kopecký and Jiří Brdečka worked on the supernatural anthology PRAGUE NIGHTS, also released by the Národní filmový archív, Deaf Crocodile and Comeback Company.) In Czech with English subtitles.

Blu-ray Details

• Label: Deaf Crocodile
• Film year: 1981
• Director: Oldřich Lipský
• Format: one-disc Blu-ray
• Language: Czech with English subtitles
• Blu-ray release date: March 11, 2025
• Catalog number: DC-018CD
• UPC: 850066568040

Special Features

• Restoration by Craig Rogers for Deaf Crocodile
• Interview with Tereza Brdečková about writer Jiří Brdečka
• Essay by Jonathan Owen
• Commentary by Tereza Brdečková and Irena Kovarova
• Animated shorts: Love and the Dirigible and Prince Copperslick
• Universum Brdečka — feature-length documentary