My thoughts on aiF episodes

Firstly, some housekeeping. You will have noticed that the blog looks quite different. I have decided to discard the previous theme. Perhaps it was too colorful, even garish. In any case, I have gone with a darker variant this time. Nothing fancy, but it should be more appropriate for the content on the blog. Some minor layout changes have also been made. One of them is the inclusion of a new way to receive updates about the blog, through follow.it. Unfortunately, Google had decided to shut down FeedBurner, so I had to find an alternative. I have switched the 13 of my previous followers to this new platform, so tell me if everything went okay. I've also finally done something with the header. Actually, Rakso did the work from my ideas and layout as what he did in less than an hour I would do in less than a few days or so. Thanks to Rakso, as always. Finally, I have noticed that videos did not show up on mobile versions of the site for some time. I have figured out the problem (again a redundant change in programming!) and amended the latest posts.

Finally, the post. This blog has, almost by accident, been in an aiF-mode recently, so today, I will air my thoughts on the individual episodes from the studio. These comments actually originated a few days ago in an email I wrote to a friend who had not yet seen most of them and is/was preparing to do so. I had some of these discussions regarding aiF already, but why are they so interesting? Well, as I mentioned in my post on Parkety and Vrata, there is a definite amplitude in quality between individual episodes from aiF. While the 1989-90 episodes did not really reach the heights of previous episodes, they were still quite a concentrated and consistent bunch. When aiF came about, that consistency went out of the window and some episodes are noticeably lagging behind others.

What about this? Not so good? Eh, so I thought.

Presumably, Luboš Beneš paid a lot less attention to these episodes than those that came before. Before 1990, he was in a semi-comfortable position of a director at Krátký film's Barrandov studio. Then, along with the other directors, he was laid off and had to start his own studio. As he was really the lynchpin of aiF, he became manager, negotiator, employer and probably had much less time on his hands, meaning that his mantra of "don't mess with it too much, just make it fast", which Jan Klos called an unpleasant feature of Beneš, came into full force. He was running on autopilot at times. Given that the episodes also passed through fewer hands, the standards had to drop off and they did.

What follow are my brief thoughts (you could call them takes) on the aiF episodes. These are personal observations ― I have known these episodes for more than 15 years and it would be a tough exercise to step back and provide a more objective analysis. It would also be messing about too much, so I'll try to be fast and concise. On the whole, it is good to mention that I much prefer the indoor episodes of this series. They are just much funnier to me. Based on the stories provided so far, it would be fair to say that Pat and Mat don’t “do adventures” well, which is obviously what the crew were aiming for in some of the episodes (This becomes more apparent in the dull Jája a Pája 1995 series, which I feel is a steeper downgrade from the 1986-87 original than aiF's P+M series. It obliterates the winning formula of Krkovička being the central character and the comic foil to unsuspecting kids and instead makes the kids and their adventures the heroes without much success.) "The more the distance from their homes, the less funny Pat and Mat are" is what I wrote in the email. This may not always be the case, but definitely is at aiF. My thoughts, then (Parkety and Vrata excluded because I have already discussed them):

Sušenky - This has always been one of my favorites from the 14-piece bundle. I have always liked the funny and satisfying story, but I was actually surprised with how much I enjoyed this episode when I rewatched it a few months ago. What got me was the amusing interaction between Pat and Mat, with some subtle jokes such as Mat getting in a boxing pose when Pat shows up with the gloves or Pat turning into a human scale. I'm pretty sure some of these twinkles were added by František Váša as they would feel out of place in a Mensdorff-penned vehicle. Also, I have just realized that this is the first episode which deals with the production of food, a concept used all too much in the newest series.

 

Cyklisti - Conversely, Cyklisti has always been one of the episodes I dislike. I remember thinking it was "meh" some 16 or so years ago, even if I couldn't articulate it then. To me, it's a bit of a dud, so I was baffled that it received some sort of accolade at Annecy when it seems to me they just picked an episode off the shelf. To give it some consideration, I really get the comedic concept used here of the deconstruction of every part of the bikes until they are down to their wheels, but I dislike the execution. For one, the episode does not get moving until about its half and even then, it lacks intensity. At that halfway point, Pat does a somersault and lands in front of Mat. The jump is quite slow and limp and what we get is not a really funny result. Why didn’t he, for instance, land into Mat, knock him down, entangle both of them in the bikes? Include an ending I’ve always found annoying and you get an episode which will not grow on me.

 

Dlaždice - I think this is a solid episode, unlike the gazillion tiles Pat and Mat get to break (which is a good thing). It is a bit uneven, but there are some standout moments as seen in the final third, when they construct an elaborate machine to transport the tiles from one part of the backyard to another (what a pointless exercise!). They turn it on, but the tiles fly off and are destroyed. It’s a great moment and equally so, the antithesis in timing that follows of the slow, last remaining tile reaching its destination. However, I feel there are some reactions missing between those two moments which would make them even funnier. There are some amusing details as well, like Mat’s hat popping up, but nothing like the ending sequence, a pretty bizarre moment in the history of the series. It contains one of the rare (only?) intrusions of political commentary or commentary of the outside world of any kind. I guess it captured the zeitgeist in Czechia.

 

Okap - I don’t know what to exactly make of this one, except that it definitely isn’t one of the best episodes. It is rough in most places, even its appearance. For whatever reason, the scenes which came out of one camera used here were way too dark compared to the rest and really mismatch. There aren’t many funny moments. In fact, Pat and Mat get hurt quite a lot and the physical comedy misses its mark. So, even though I actually appreciate the ending (it’s one of the last where they completely mess things up!), I can’t but feel pity for the characters. This is an unexpectedly dark episode in many ways.

 

Kabriolet - I can call this episode Cyklisti v 2.0, so another flounder. It is high on my list of least-loved aiF episodes for a simple reason: I struggle to find anything funny in it. It’s another “adventure”, so there are a few outlandish (pun intended) ideas such as the flying convertible, flying Pat, but I struggle to appreciate them without some kind of resolution. And there is none because the drama also feels somewhat cheap. As I’ve mentioned, the dramatic scenes are timed much better in Dveře. Here, they don’t do anything for me. This episodes gets a special mark down as we are really watching its 2.0 version. The negative of the completed original version was destroyed and the episode had to be refilmed from scratch (I can now confirm that). Now I wish I could see the original version!

 

Nehoda - We’re off to the 1994 season. It seems things pick up a bit here, although this is an unusual episode. It is probably funnier when you see it for the first time as it’s essentially a one-trick pony. The tire goes off at the beginning and this is repeated to good effect at the end (think of the same principle in Tapety; the setup is also the punchline). The rest of the episode becomes a blur in repeated viewing, but the ride is not unenjoyable. In fact, all in all, this can be deemed a successful episode. It’s also relatable - I don’t know how to change a tire. There was also a very popular Croatian dubbing which circulated the net 15 years ago, so it gets some extra credit. (P.S. The other ep I remember those dubbers doing was Korčule, which was handy for them due to the strong characterization there.)

 

Kulečník - This is a well-balanced, polished episode on all fronts. It was never one of my favorites (for no particular reason), but I always appreciated it. I think that’s a fair assessment of my thoughts and I can fully understand why the studio would choose it as a flagship episode to be shown on festivals. It is strong on slapstick, but also on the optimistic characters (aided by František Váša getting even more comfortable) and has a good progression as their billiards experience slowly deconstructs. A bonus here is that many members of the audience (myself included)  don’t really know the rules of this version of billiards (where are the holes?!), so we are as clueless as these two.

 

Živý plot - Contrary to the previous episode, I kinda love this one, even though I recognize it’s far from great. One of the things which “buys” me are Petr Skoumal’s great pieces. The motifs are subtle, but catchy and pleasurable. It should be mentioned that in 1994 Skoumal completely abstained from using his Pat and Mat theme, which is the only time he did so in his career on the series. The episode is a bit of a guilty pleasure, then - it’s not really bad, but not really good either. It starts promisingly, but fizzles out by the end, where the actions just become too dumb. A bonus is that it takes place in Mat’s backyard, which is somewhat of an unused space. Perhaps the best description of this one is: it has a nice atmosphere.

 

Trezor and Modeláři - I’ve always felt these two episodes were very similar and I’ve always liked them both. Story wise, definitely my favorites from 1994, even if they are (or perhaps because they are?) a bit off-kilter. For instance, both feature use of heavy explosives. Although there are some funny bits from Trezor (like the two putting the safe into the wall the wrong side or, for more eagle-eyed viewers, Pat pulling out a hammer and sickle from the cupboard) I like Modeláři more. The match statuettes the two make are really beautiful (a rare chance in the aiF series to show off their skills), so the disaster that befalls them in the end is even more powerful. There is still time to return to the almost-forgotten meat plot point, though. The ending in Trezor is a bit weaker and I’ve always had a problem with Mona Lisa being referenced here -- just too much of a distraction when a normal painting would have sufficed (if the joke was not that Pat and Mat have the original Mona Lisa - which would just be dumb). On the whole, however, I have no problems recalling funny or amusing moments from these episodes when I want to. One thing does annoy me in them - the puppets with an overly sized grin. Pat walks into his freshly destroyed house and appears to be smiling. A detail, but a telling one about quality control.

 

Blatník - Again a contender without a chance in the best episode competition, but still with some worthwhile moments. The thing I like most in this episode is the varied use of props, especially in the final stage when the recycled fenders are constructed, easily the episode’s best part. I would not be surprised if that was, in fact, the origin of this script, as the opening two thirds are an obvious rehash of Garáž (Do I see a pattern of recycling here? Also take note of the huge, unjustified reliance on the car in this series.). However, the ending is also disappointing in terms of direction. The actual reveal of the completed car is way too short! Imagine if instead of the brief closing shot, we had some nice, quick close-ups of the various areas of the car, so we can really appreciate the absurdity of its new design. It would have been much more dynamic and funnier. Instead, we are “treated” to shots of Pat or Mat banging their hammer and drill. This is only funny at an earlier point in the episode, where they destroy the car. Here, where they are building something new, it’s just filler. A strange bonus is what appears to be Mat breaking the fourth wall (looking at the camera) around 3:03, only noticed after watching for the umpteenth time.

 

Windsurfing - I’m going strong on this one. My two cents: It sucks. A dreadful way to end Lubomír Beneš’s tenure, it is perhaps the worst episode produced up to that point. The opening has a few strong points (Pat violently kicked out of car, Pat trapped in mud), but the episode completely goes off the rails at that point. The middle section is an utter waste in which nothing funny happens. You can easily fall asleep here - was there any effort put into this?! Even the title is a bit of a spoiler of the already deus ex machina ending (Surfing would have been at least a tad funnier). I’m not even mad that this one is bad - or am I? It should have been much, much better.

 

Those are my thoughts. As always, I would like to hear what the audience says.

P.S. If you would like to see the puppets and some props from aiF springing back into action after all these years, check out this Instagram profile.