Muz z Prvního Století |
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Czechoslovakia • 1962 • 96m •
  • Directed by: Oldrich Lipský. • Starring: Milos Kopecký, Radovan Lukavský, Anita Kajlichova, Vít Olmer, Otomar Krejca, Lubomír Lipský, Vladimír Hlavatý, Josef Hlinomaz, Zdenek Rehor, Anna Pitasová. • Music by: Zdenek Liska.  Working in a spaceship one day, wallpaper man Josef accidentally launches himself into space where he meets an alien. In 2447 they travel to Earth, where Josef learns that everything is now fully automatic. Finally he finds a way back to 1962. In order not to endanger the future of Earth he is warned not to introduce too soon the methods of automatization which he has observed in 2447.
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Review:
According to the DVD box, the proper translation of the title is "Man from the First Century," and that title makes more sense than the translation provided here. The Czech title is "Muz z prvniho stoleti."
Just before the launch of a modern (1960s) rocket ship, a humble upholsterer is making some last minute repairs to the cockpit seats when he accidentally initiates an early launch, and manages to send himself into outer space. By the time his ship returns to earth, he has had his encounter with the theory of relativity, and while he has not noticeably aged, life on earth is now 500 years into the future.
While the film is very funny, the real star is the wonderfully inventive production design. There is an absolute plethora of amusing sets and props of futuristic design. This is a very complete "society" that our anti-hero drops into, clearly meant to be a version of the socialist utopia that was bound to occur after several hundred years of communism. The "man from the first century" is completely incapable of grasping his own good fortune, however, and insists on trying to impress.
While comic actor Milos Kopecky seems a bit like a Czech Peter Sellers, the film's script is not as good as either its actors or its inventive production design. Pacing seems a bit lumpy, but it is still such a remarkable and unique production, that it's well worth a look.
Review by Hughmn from the Internet Movie Database.
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