Czechoslovakia, 1955
Length / Journey to the Beginning of Time:
Blu-Ray (24fps): 86 minutes
DVD (25fps): 83 minutes
Length / Special features (Blu-ray): 39 mins
Length / Special features (DVD): 37 mins
Sound / Blu-Ray:
2.0 Mono LPCM (48khz/16-bit)
Sound / DVD: 2.0 Mono
Colour
Original aspect ratio: 1.37:1
Language: Czech
Subtitles: English
Blu-Ray: BD50 / 1080 / 24fps / Region ABC
DVD: PAL / DVD9 / 25fps / Region 0
Blu-Ray RRP: £19.99
DVD RRP: £12.99
Release Date: 07 October 2019
Second Run DVD 127 / SRBD 025
DVD |
Blu-Ray |
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Presented from a glorious new 4K restoration, Second Run are delighted to follow their hugely popular releases of The Fabulous Baron Munchausen and Invention for Destruction by the visionary Czech animator and filmmaker Karel Zeman, with his groundbreaking work of fantasy: Journey to the Beginning of Time.
A joyous adventure that celebrates science and nature, Journey to the Beginning of Time sends four schoolboys on an epic and perilous voyage through prehistory encountering mammoths, monsters and dinosaurs along the way. Using a variety of innovative techniques (cel animation, stop-motion, puppetry and animatronics) Zeman evokes worlds of wonder and discovery to produce his most beguiling and magical work.
Described as the ‘Czech Méliès’, Zeman has been a profound influence on generations of film artists from Jan Švankmajer to Tim Burton, the Quay Brothers to Terry Gilliam and Wes Anderson. His innovations in the use of live-action and animation mark him as one of the great masters of 20th Century fantasy cinema, alongside his more celebrated Western counterparts Willis O’Brien, George Pal and Ray Harryhausen.
Presented from a stunning new 4K restoration, our region-free Blu-ray and DVD editions also features a new filmed introduction by filmmaker and animator John Stevenson, a reconstruction of the feature-length English dubbed US release version of the fim with alternate opening and closing scenes, a 'Making of' documentary and a booklet featuring new writing by film historian Michael Brooke... and more!
• Journey to the Beginning of Time (Cesta do pravěku) presented from a brand new 4K restoration of the film from original materials.
• The alternative English-dubbed version: a feature-length reconstruction of the US release cut with alternate credits, opening and end sequences.
• A new appreciation by filmmaker and animator John Stevenson, director of Kung Fu Panda.
• The Making of 'Journey to the Beginning of Time'.
• Restoring the World of Fantasy featurette.
• Image gallery.
• Trailers.
• 20-page booklet featuring a new essay by film historian Michael Brooke.
• New and improved English subtitle translation.
• Region free Blu-ray (A/B/C) and DVD (Region '0') editions.
• UK premiere on Blu-ray and DVD.
Directed and designed by Karel Zeman
Screenplay - Karel Zeman, J.A. Novotný
Cinematography - Václav Pazderník, Antonín Horák
Editor - Zdeněk Stehlík
Sound - František Strangmüller
Sound designer - Zdeněk Liška
Music - E. F. Burian
Production design / Set Construction -
Karel Zeman, Zdeněk Rozkopal, Ivo Mrázek, Zdeněk Ostrčil,
Karel Cerný, Marie Mazůrková
Animation / Visual Effects -
Karel Zeman, Arnošt Kupčík, František Krčmář, Jindřich Liška
Cast
Vladimír Bejval - Jirka
Petr Herrmann – Toník
Josef Lukáš - Petr
Zdeněk Husták - Jenda
Karel Zeman's acclaimed works Invention for Destruction,
The Fabulous Baron Munchausen and A Jester's Tale
are
also availble on Second Run
"Why do I make movies? I'm looking for terra incognita, a land on which no filmmaker has yet set foot, a planet where no director has planted his flag of conquest, a world that exists only in fairy tales" Karel Zeman
"Zeman is a name that deserves to be as well-known as Georges Méliès, Willis O’Brien, George Pal and Ray Harryhausen as one of cinemas master magicians." John Stevenson
"An adventure story full of discovery and wonder... And for the viewer, an opportunity to succumb to the unique enchantment of Zeman’s purity of spirit, his boundless imagination and artistic vision" Karlovy Vary International Film Festival
"There are few films that have had such an impact on multiple generations of Czech children" Radio Cz
"Zeman's films are unique glimpses into forgotten worlds of myth, invention and exploration. One almost needs a telescope to view them" Peter Strickland
"He did what I'm still trying to do, which is to try and combine live action with animation" Terry Gilliam
"Karel Zeman and Ray Harryhausen were the two big inspirations for me… what Zeman did was amazing"
Tim Burton
