Czech Inflections in the American Films of Miloš Forman

Session Submission Type: Panel

Brief Description

The filmography of Czech-American director Miloš Forman encompasses many styles and spaces, from his early portrayals of ordinary life in Czechoslovakia to his later high-production, Hollywoodian period pieces. To discover common threads of such a variegated and extensive international career, this panel assesses instances of its Czech and American interplay. Tanya Silverman discusses what Forman identified as his “last Czech film”: his first American film, "Taking Off" (1971), which resulted in a commercial flop. She highlights Forman’s experiences as a transnational auteur researching American society and youth subculture. Karen von Kunes centers on Forman’s subsequent work, "One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest" (1975), which went on to define his successful transitioning to the US commercial industry. She presents the film’s portrayal of the mental institution according to differing Czech and American perspectives, working to clarify the director’s position. Marge Stafford focuses on "Amadeus" (1984), the product of Forman’s return to Prague as a Hollywood director making a movie about the life of Mozart and his rival Salieri. She argues that the characterization of these composers represents the concurrent state of stylistic negotiations between Forman’s Czech and American directing approaches. Jan Čulík also analyzes "Amadeus," along with "Taking Off," in terms of how Forman’s American films reflect the defining attributes of his Czech ones such as "Loves of a Blonde" (1966) and "Firemen’s Ball" (1967). By considering the Czech inflections of Forman’s American work, the papers offer nuanced angles for understanding his films as manifestations of intercultural exchanges.

Sub Unit

• Cinema, Television, Electronic Media

Chair

• Daniel Webster Pratt, McGill U (Canada)

Papers

• Taking to America: Miloš Forman's 'Taking Off' and Transnational Auteurism - Tanya Silverman, U of Michigan

• Where is the Axiom: Psychiatry Impact on 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest' or Miloš Forman's Impact on Psychiatry? - Karen von Kunes, U of Toronto (Canada)

• Sent from God or Saint of Mediocrity?: 'Amadeus' (1984) as a Biopic of Miloš Forman’s Career - Margaret Elizabeth Stafford, Ohio State U

Discussant

• Craig Cravens, Indiana U Bloomington