Many films were made based on the novels of Ladislav Fuks (1923 – 1994), but the only one the writer was really happy with was The Cremator (Spalovač Mrtvol), directed by Juraj Herz. This is probably because it was made in 1968 according to a screenplay that Fuks helped to write. The main character, Prague Crematorium worker Karl Kopfrkingl, was played by Rudolf Hrušínský. Kopfrkingl’s wife was played by Vlasta Chramostová and the cameraman was Stanislav Milota. As with the film Joke (Žert), The Cremator was consigned to the vaults with the intervention of the totalitarian authorities and saw its renewed premiere at the beginning of 1990.
How does Ladislav Fuks remember the making of the film in his memoirs?
“In that tragic year of 1968 I returned to Prague from Yugoslavia and Vienna rather late, at the beginning of September, considering the Soviet occupation, but I still managed a few final scenes in the studio.
The film was famous. Herz and I did the screenplay together and it proved to be a good symbiosis. I saw the Cremator according to my book, when you read it everything fundamental is expressed there in words and sentences. As a film director, Herz saw through his lens, moving pictures that are projected on the screen. I want to stress that our cooperation proved itself at the highest level. It has been said that the screenplay that emerged was one of the best that a state film ever had. We worked on the screenplay in the Slávia café, at a table where we had perfect peace and quiet, and always in the morning when there weren’t many people there, and while we worked we sipped coffee and wine. We got together like that once a week from the end of 1967 to about the beginning of February 1968. Then one beautiful day came the sad ending. We knew that morning that we were meeting for the last time because our work was finished…”
Although the film was quickly consigned to the vaults, Fuks reveals in his memoirs that he actually saw the film once. “It happened once that, in some strange way, a FAMU professor, Jaromír Kučera, known as Miki, arranged to borrow the film and gave a private showing for invited guests on my birthday, 24th September 1983, in the garden of the Bareš family villa in Prague 6. On a funny poster there was a fox, which was me according to the Czech spelling of my name and the German word for fox. In its mouth the fox held a stolen goose, as in a well known German song. The poster also said “Garden Party with the Highlight of the Programme”, which was The Cremator… Among the audience was the Italian Cultural Attaché, the publicity officer of the American Embassy and many other well known personalities. There was probably no official permission for that showing of the film. If any of the officials of that time knew about it, then it was probably quietly tolerated.”
The Cremator (Spalovač Mrtvol)
Screenplay: Ladislav Fuks and Juraj Herz
Director: Juraj Herz
Made in: 1968
Camera: Stanislav Milota
Music: Zdeněk Liška
Cast:Rudolf Hrušínský (Kopfrkingl), Vlasta Chramostová (Lakmé), Jana Stehnová (Zina), Ilja Prachař (Walter Reinke), Eduard Kohout, Jiří Lír, Míla Myslíková and others.
Karel Kopfrkingl is the devoted employee of Prague Crematorium and exemplary father to his family. In the oppressive atmosphere of the German occupation he rids himself of everything dangerous around him, even among his own family, with appaling certainty.
Berta Štenclová