Best spankings in vanilla movies -- the Czech films of Jiri Menzel

There's something about central Europe that says "spanking" and the Czech director Jiri Menzel ("Closely watched trains", "I served the King of England") frequently has spanking scenes that are just delicious.

Its in the movies, and its in his life too

Having loved his films for a long time -- they're very "sweet" and romantic, in a distinctly old fashioned way -- I can say that the vibe of a spanko is so clear as to be unmistakable. They're also very well made, and literary. He was a friend of the writer Bohumil Hrabal, and made several films from his works.

Here's a clip. Its in Czech without subtitles unfortunately. I'm betting you won't mind . . .

Thanks for that Eiffel... Now if I thought cutting my blond tresses would earn me a spanking...well...no...I still wouldn't ha ha! Shame the full movie isn't available with English subtitles! That was such a delightful and romantic scene

You can find his films, online or on DVD. This particular film was called, in English "Cutting It Short". I saw it in the theater, but I think there's a DVD or download available somewhere.

Here's a festival commentary:


Cutting It Short (Postriziny)
Czechoslovakia 1980. Director: Jirí Menzel
Cast: Madga Vasáryová, Jirí Schmitzer, Jaromír Hanzlík, Rudolf Hrusínsky
"The best film to emerge from Czechoslovakia over more than a decade" (Variety), Jirí Menzel's lyrical Cutting It Short is a witty, winsome, nostalgic comedy that recalls his earlier Capricious Summer. Based on a popular novella by Bohumil Hrabal (Menzel's Closely Watched Trains and Larks on a String were also Hrabal adaptations), Cutting It Short is set in a small provincial town just prior to World War I, where shy, straight-laced Francin (Jirí Schmitzer) manages the local brewery -- and tries, less successfully, to manage the exuberance of his spirited, sensuous wife Marja (Madga Vasáryová), who mesmerizes everyone who comes within her orbit. The film's Jacques Tati-like antics revolve around the arrival of Francin's uncouth brother, and an inspection by the brewery's bureaucratic board of directors. "Menzel's best film since Capricious Summer... deserves to be ranked among the great film comedies. Beautifully constructed but balanced by some typically Hrabalian vulgarity, it pays explicit homage to the tradition of Chaplin, Lupino Lane, and the Keystone Cops" (Peter Hames). "A gorgeous performance from Vasáryová" (Tom Milne). "Funny and affectionate... Menzel brings the full measure of his gifts for warmth, humour, and satirical observation" (Bloomsbury). Colour, 35mm, in Czech with English subtitles. 93 mins.

Ahoj, Closely observed trains is a great book. Well worth a read, the film is wonderful. Love it when he stamps her backside. One of the great erotic moments of cinema. Capricious Summer is one of my all time favourite films. I have never watched Cutting it Shorter but have been on the look out for years. I just love Czech cinema. PS I have read the book, I Served The King of England. Hrabals best book I think, although they are not all translated into English. I had no idea I Served The King of England was available on DVD.

@blimp . . . yes, I served the King of England came out about two years ago. Its a beautiful film, it manages to capture the idea of nostalgia as perfectly as The Remains of the Day. It incorporates a wonderful variety of nubile girl-flesh, and lots of bottom admiration, but no more than the threat of a spanking.

Its also an extraordinary history lesson, and the very Kafka-like sense of what happens to small people when they're mixed up in the grand designs of nations is poignant.

Highly recommended, but as a I say no spanking.

I've always loved Menzel's films, too - I recently rewatched Larks on a String, made in 1969 but banned for 20 years by the crumbling Czech Communist government - but to say they 'frequently' feature spanking scenes is a bit of an overstatement, isn't it? Spanking threats, yes - there's one in Closely Observed Trains, too - but as far as I know Cutting It Short is the only one to feature an actual spanking. Do you know of any I've missed?

"Frequently" does promise too much. There are frequently threats, there are also frequently bottoms on display, but the actual spankings, are, as you correctly point out, infrequent.

Except . . .

There are a lot of Czech spanking films, and I believe that either Menzel himself or someone who works with him might have "had a hand" in them. There's a similarity of pacing, cinematography, historical interest, and the role of music is similar. The production values and general film making skill are way above most erotica, watching these films, I've often thought "wow, they actually had a script", and "someone involved in making these has worked on legit films"

I'd be curious what you think.

Eiffel, you say there are a "lot" of Czech spanking films and since you suggest that the great director Jiri Menzel may have had a hand in them you are presumably talking about mainstream films like "Postriziny" (aka "Cutting It Short"). Can you give us details of some of them, please.

I expect Eiffel is talking about Lupus films. I don't think their are that many spankings in Czech cinema and I have watched a fair few films over the years. These are ones I know of

Zebracka Opera
Prager Bettleroper
Honza Malem Kralem
Fesak Hubert
Postriziny
Chlapec do narucia

Here is a clip from the last one listed

http://www.uloz.to/live/5348923/zuzana-skopalova-chlapec-do-narucia-3-vob

PS It's not a spanking clip but its the best bum in Closely Observed Trains

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8lX_71Fc38&feature=related

@Michael, blimp is correct ("I expect Eiffel is talking about Lupus films.")

Some of the Lupus films -- though not all -- deal with precisely the same subjects as Menzel, and often with similar production values. There's a fondness for ragtime music, the avuncular headmaster, and a pretty deep awareness of the complexities of the nation's communist history.

I'd put a film like "Stalin" well beyond the ambition, not to say capacities, of most erotic film makers.

I don't say that Menzel is responsible for these, but perhaps someone who worked with him, or was inspired by him? I came across a comment by Adele Haze, the spanking model/actress, about the Lupus film "The Noise"


So, being parsimonious with speculation, I'll say no more than that Menzel makes mainstream movies with spanking (or bottom fetish) scenes, and Lupus makes spanking movies with mainstream themes, and that the Czech film community is a very small place.