WFC Czech Republic: Transport z ráje

We spend so much time with the Nazi madmen that they turn into more interesting characters than the suffering and/or bemused Jews, which is perhaps not the effect the director was after.

The actors are, in general, not very compelling, but the director is probably not going for naturalism, anyway? The mixture of interesting stylisation (with far-off cameras with long lenses, faces often hidden) and sudden close-ups and action makes me rather unsure of whether the people who made this quite knew what they were doing.

Or were really clever.

Transport from Paradise. Zbynek Brynych. 1963. Czech Republic.

Wharf Rat

  • 1 part white rum
  • 1 part grenadine
  • 1 part absinthe
  • 1 part apricot brandy
  • 3 parts orange juice

Mix with crushed ice and top it up with absinthe.

This post is part of the World of Films and Cocktails series. Explore the map.

WFC Serbia: Otac na službenom putu

OK, the cocktail isn’t Serbian (but I googled for half an hour and didn’t find any recipes), and the film is Yugoslavian and is set in Sarajevo, but…

Kinda quirky film. It won a Cannes award and is apparently well-regarded, but I was just bored silly. I didn’t find the performances very convincing, and the cinematography is meh, the transitions are clichéd (a death and then a wedding, etc), and the coming-of-age framework for telling this kind of story is just so… done.

But there are fun bits. Like the suicide scene.

I can totally see people adoring this film. If I squint a bit.

When Father Was Away on Business. Emir Kusturica. 1985. Serbia.

Soft Serbian

  • 2 parts vodka
  • 1 part white rum
  • 1 part Pernod
  • 12 parts orange juice
  • 12 parts tonic water

Shake everything except the tonic water with ice. Strain into an ice-filled highball glass and top off with tonic water. Stir slightly.

Garnish with a slice of orange.

This post is part of the World of Films and Cocktails series. Explore the map.