Marketa Lazarová

Marketa Lazarová
Promotional release poster
Directed byFrantišek Vláčil
Screenplay byFrantišek Pavlíček, František Vláčil
Based onMarketa Lazarová
1931 novel
by Vladislav Vančura
Produced byJosef Ouzký
StarringMagda Vášáryová
Josef Kemr
František Velecký
Naďa Hejná
Jaroslav Moučka
Narrated byZdeněk Štěpánek
CinematographyBeda Batka
Edited byMiroslav Hájek
Music byZdeněk Liška
Production
company
Distributed byÚstřední půjčovna filmů
Release dates
  • 6 October 1967 (1967-10-06) (Czechoslovakia)
  • 30 August 1974 (1974-08-30) (United States)
Running time
165 minutes
CountryCzechoslovakia
LanguagesCzech
German
Budget12,733,000 Kčs
Box office5,200,000 Kčs

Marketa Lazarová is a 1967 Czechoslovak New Wave epic period drama film directed by František Vláčil. It is an adaptation of the novel Marketa Lazarová (1931) by Vladislav Vančura. Set in the middle of 13th century when Christianity was taking over native Paganism in Central Europe, the film tells the story of a daughter of a feudal lord who is kidnapped by neighbouring robber knights shortly before she is to join a convent.

Marketa Lazarová was voted the all-time best Czech movie in a 1998 poll of Czech film critics and publicists. Although not quite as known as other Czechoslovakian movies, it is highly regarded as one of the best historical movies ever made. The movie features surrealistic images throughout its run to increase the disorienting atmosphere.

Theodor Pištěk designed the costumes for the film.