Iluminace 2020, 32(1):61-75 | DOI: 10.58193/ilu.1655

Elektafilm presents Vlasta Burian. Financing of Feature Films with Multiple Language Versions in Czechoslovakia in the First Half of the 1930s

Michal Večeřa

Masarykova univerzita

First half of 1930s was a period of radical changes connected with the introduction of sound technology. Due to these changes producers had to deal with various problems originating from growing production costs; Czech filmmakers had to deal with the lack of the financial sources and undeveloped market, local production was not usually profitable despite its popularity. When trying to overcome all complications entrepreneurs had to find their way to develop a sustainable production strategy - it usually included presales, specialised distribution practices and designing films with a chance for success in foreign distribution.
In presented text I will focus on the series of four multiple-language version films with comedian Vlasta Burian and made by the most important Czech production company of mentioned period Elektafilm. When watching these movies more closely we can see clear intention to adapt individual version for target market and public. All of four titles were made in coproduction with well-known foreign partners and in all of them starred Vlasta Burian who could speak Czech and German. Only for French language versions co-producers demanded to hire local, French actors. Analysed movies can be also seen as an example of how movies in contemporary Czechoslovakia were financed in mentioned period and how producers tried to overcome all limits of producing films in early 1930s. Even though there were different because of multiple versions, the importance of presales can be seen as an universal rule for all movies made during analysed period.

Keywords: Elektafilm, Vlasta Burian, pre-sales, block-boking, coproductions, multiple-language versions

Published: March 1, 2020  Show citation