Nine Levels of Hell

Milan Muchna, 1987

Film at Filmový přehled

Summary

This Czech-Cambodian romantic drama from 1987 belongs among those eighties co-productions that stemmed from cultural activities agreed with “friendly regimes” of the time. Its main character is Czech doctor Tomáš, who is searching for his lost wife Khema in 1979 Cambodia. After arriving in the exotic but troubled country in 1969, he had fallen in love with a beautiful dancer despite the will of her parents. However, the happy couple are separated amid a series of coup d'états, leaving Tomáš facing the wreckage of his previous life. The genocide waged against the Cambodian population by the Khmer Rouge government has destroyed everything he has come to know... This unexpectedly dramatic picture from director Milan Muchna (his previous filmography revelled in humour (Hop – a je tu lidoop – Monkey’s Playtime, 1978; Únos Moravanky – The Moravanka Band’s Been Kidnapped, 1983; Divoké pivo – Wild Beer, 1995...)). Milan Kňažko plays the main role, while in the retrospective scenes he is ably supported by Cambodian star Oum Sovanny.
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Film data

About a film

Production year 1987
Countries Czechoslovakia, Cambodia
Categories film
Genres adventure, drama, political
Form feature
Duration 127 min
Director Milan Muchna
Cast Oum Sovanny, Milan Kňažko, Heng Chanrith
Director of photography Petr Hojda
Screenplay Milan Muchna
Editor Dalibor Lipský
Production designer Miloš Červinka, Kong Kanthara
Music Michael Kocáb, Michal Pavlíček, Bin Hongphat
Sound designer Adolf Böhm