Posted 3 months ago
Valerie
I marvelled at the album artwork before I heard the music, listened to the wondrous music before I watched the film and now finally I’ve watched Valerie and Her Week Of Wonders.
Made in 1970 by Czech director Jaromil Jire the film was based on a novel with the same name written in 1935 by Vitezslav Nezval.
Aesthetically beautiful and alarming in equal measures, it’s a wonderfully weird blend of erotic horror-fantasy that tells of a young woman’s coming of age amongst rampant priests and preying vampires. Fairytales and horror stories are twisted into a surreal tale where fear, love, sex and religion fight with bare fists (and breasts for that matter!)
The soundtrack is partially scored by the brilliant Lubos Fisher. The equally brilliant and ever-mining for gold label Finders Keepers released it in 2006. Heavily referenced by bands including the great Broadcast, it is utterly beautiful and spellbinding.
