The Stolen Airship
El dirigible robado
1967 · Italy · 88 min
- Director
- Karel Zeman
- Music
- Jan Novák
- Cinematography
- Karel Zeman
- Production company
- Filmové studio Gottwaldov
- Based on
- Two Years' Vacation
Cast
What it is about
A group of young people finds themselves caught up in the theft of an airship, in a family-oriented adventure that draws on the imagery of Jules Verne. The story loosely takes as its starting point two of the author's novels: Two Years' Vacation and The Mysterious Island.
How it was made
Directed and photographed by Karel Zeman, the film alternates live-action scenes, shot mostly in black and white, with hand-drawn, stop-motion and cutout animation. Many live-action and animated elements are composited within the same scene. Its visual style draws on Art Nouveau. The production was handled by Filmové studio Gottwaldov, and the score is by Jan Novák.
Reception and legacy
The sources consulted do not detail its critical reception or the awards it received, so any assessment should be taken with caution. Today it is mainly valued for its unusual blend of techniques, which makes it of interest to viewers exploring hybrid animation and Czech science fiction of the 1960s.
Stills
Trailer
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More films by Karel Zeman
Invention for Destruction
The Fabulous Baron Munchausen
Journey to the Beginning of Time
On the Comet
A Jester's TaleOriginal Cinematopedia text based on Wikipedia (en) and Wikidata.