- In Great Britain the classic film Wild One with Marlon Brando could at last be shown after 15 years of censorship. It was banned for fear that the British youth would be inclined to imitate the young law-breakers that the film deals with.
- Among the winning films at the Oscar ceremony in April 1968 are In the Heat of the Night (directed by Norman Jewison) and Closely Watched Trains (Jiří Menzel).
- In France the politicism of cinematography reaches its peak. After the start of the General Strike in May 1968, left-wing film-makers form a kind of General Assembly which will radically democratise the film industry. On the 17th and 18th May the International Film Festival in Cannes is disrupted by militant cinema-goers and prominent film personalities, including the directors Godard, Lelouch and Tuffaut.
- A definite milestone in the development of world cinematography is Stanley Kubrick's sci-fi film 2001 A Space Odyssey. In this film full of new technical tricks Kubrick surpassed everything that had ever been created. He developed existing techniques to a state of perfection.
- The western Once Upon a Time in the West by Sergio Leone became a masterpiece of Italian-American film-making. The film's success was partly due to fine performances by the beautiful Claudia Cardinale and Henry Fonda, but also the brilliant camera-work of Tonino Delli Colli and music by Ennio Morricone now loved by many generations.
- Younger cinema-goers also had their film hit in 1968.
Director Olle Hellborn adapted the book Pippi Longstocking by
the famous Swedish author Astrid Lindgren. The book had
waited 20 years for its film adaptation, and even so the film
was criticised in Sweden due to the
individualistic rebelliousness
of the main character. Nothing, however, could deter the film's international success over the next ten years, and Pippilotta Delicatessa Windowshade Mackrelmint Efraim's Daughter Longstocking, as she claims is her full name, became a popular hero, along with her monkey, Mr. Nilsson, and her friends Tom and Annika. - On 31st August 1968 Robert Redford sets up an Ecological Farming and Relaxation Centre which he names Sundance, after the character he played in the film Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.
- In December 1968 the American film Night of the Living
Dead directed by George A. Romero comes to the cinema screen.
It marks the commercial breakthrough of
Splash and Splatter
films, or horror films for people with strong nerves.
The film world of 1968
Time goes by so quickly that nothing is more surprising than discovering when a film, which we have become very attached to and can watch endlessly even after many years, was actually made. If we set off on this trail of discovery we can find many interesting things. We will find out, for instance, that 1968 brought works of cinematographic creativity from around the world which are enchanting to this day.
Articles within the field
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29. 7. 2008
Brdečka´s Power of Destiny
The scriptwriter Jiří Brdečka is mainly thought of in connection with the story of Lemonade Joe, however, he rated his own animated films as much better quality. He finished a new one in the year 1968 – a light animated cartoon about the powerful influence of a prophecy on the future. It was called Power of Destiny.
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8. 5. 2008
The Parson’s End Full of Tragic Symbols
The filming of The Parson’s End by Josef Škvorecký and Evald Schorm started after a long delay in 1968 as it had been suspended by Antonín Novotný.
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Happy Times for Film-Makers
What actually happened in the film-making industry during the sixties? How come that period of Czech movies were talked about far beyond the borders? What kind of a happy coincidence played the part?
- Fuks Liked Herz’s Film
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About the making of the movie “Joke”
The Joke is without doubt the best movie made by Jaromil Jireš and a very open criticism of the Communist totalitarian ideology. It is also a timeless reflection of existentialism, the meaning of revenge and forgiveness. The movie was shot in the time before the arrival of “brother” troops and during their stay in our country – from the spring until the autumn 1968.
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