The Fabulous Baron Munchausen (1962)

So much average

Let's be realistic.

It's not great by any means, but it's a pretty good movie that didn't leave me filled with regret for investing time in it.

It is encouraging that the film ends so strongly.Otherwise, it wouldn't have been a particularly memorable film

The Czech master of animation Karel Zeman brings to life the amazing adventures of one of the greatest characters of literature, the inimitable Baron Munchhausen. However this is not a mere retelling of his adventures. Zeman's version is also a celebration of imagination, love, dashing heroics and the dreams.An astronaut arrives on the moon and to his bewilderment he's met by Barbicane, Nicholl and Michel Ardan from Jules Verne's From The Earth to the Moon (it's good to know they arrived safely to the moon), and by Cyrano de Bergerac. They could easily have been accompanied by Astolfo, Lucian and other famous Moon travelers. It's clear this is meant to be taken symbolically: the moon has been the inspiration of countless poets, inventors and writers, it's our most cherished symbol of imagination. What better place to start such a fantastic story? On the moon is also Baron Munchhausen. He mistakes the astronaut for a 'moonling' and decides to take him to Earth to teach him Earthly customs. But they arrive on a mysterious, 19th-century-like world, which seems a mix of Gustave Dore and Piranesi. There they fight Turks, live inside gigantic whales, and defeat invading armies and. All the while the astronaut and a princess fall in love. The ending to this heroic love story is cheerful, bright and inspiring.Amusing as the characters' antics may be, the great pull of this movie is really the amazing visuals. Zeman uses a fascinating cross of live action and animated sets with unique hues of colors that give the world a menacing and enigmatic feel. The use of shadows and silhouettes are amazing too, as are the puppets.Unfortunately unknown by the masses, this movie also has the reputation of having inspired Terry Gilliam's own Baron Munchhausen. One can only hope more directors took inspiration from this movie. Modern cinema, with its monotonous colors and unimaginative stories, could only benefit.

Very affective fantasy world with great colors. This movie wouldn't be anything without Karel Zeman. He brings the story to life with his interesting animation mixed with the filmed material. I can't say that the movie is all good or the best of Zeman, but you really can rest your eyes on the screen. Gilliam's version of the story is possibly a little better, but as these are so different, you can't really compare.Zeman's Sinbad the Sailor short films are much more important to me than this one. Their story is more interesting and the animation even more fun. Anyways..this movie is about a mysterious Baron who have been through all the exciting adventures and he tells about them.

"Baron Munchausen" ("Baron Prasil" in Czech) is one of the most charming and poetic movies among those thousands which I saw ...It is that very rare kind of movie I love to see for dozen and dozen of times, in virtually any mood and time ...Old illustrations by Gustave Dore brought to life by an unforgettable visual imagination of Karel Zeman ...Everything dressed in a soft melancholy of an enchanting music by great Zdenek Liska, so simple and sophisticated at the same time...Though Zeman is mostly painting his magic world by his unique visual creativity, those able to understand the Czech dialogues get another lovely dimension, inhabited by fine jokes and never-tiring games with words...And of course, Milos Kopecky as the Baron is the very symbol and soul of Munchausen ...An essential classic movie for every true film fan (not recommended for nervous consumers and victims of Hollywood moneymakers, however).How much those modern versions of Munchausen (and whatever are their modifications and names) miss the point of this magic Zeman's version: its fundamental visual craftsmanship, soft melancholy of a fable, an inspired music, and everything in a perfect union ...How poor and tedious is 99.99% of that Hollywood stuff in comparison with this Zeman's masterpiece ...No, they cannot do such a movie any more with all those naturalistic computer tricks, but a total lack of Karel Zeman's insight and visual poetry...

Unfortunately, I was only able to see the Czech version one time. But it made a lasting impression on me and I've been looking for it ever since but just can't seem to get my hands on it. It's elusive, but well worth searching out. I thought I had it once at a rental store, only to find out it was the 1943 Nazi version and it just didn't capture the surrealism that the 1961 Czech version did. When Terry Gilliam's version came out in 1988, it disappointed in comparison as well.So, if you liked the 1988 remake, you owe it to yourself to see the Czech version - if you can get your hands on it!