Adela Has Not Had Supper Yet

Adela Has Not Had Supper Yet (Adela Jeske Nevecerela) (1978)

Runtime: 102 minutes

Directed by: Oldrich Lipsky

Starring: Michal Docolomansky, Rudolf Hrusinsky, Milos Kopecky, Vaclav Lohnisky, Ladislav Pesak

From: Filmove Studio Barrandov

This movie was as peculiar as I’d always heard. In this case, that means “many years.” As stated on many occasions by now, I expect either drab & serious or something bizarre from movies behind the Iron Curtain; this satiric comedy was the latter.

Nick Carter (no, not the Backstreet Boy! Rather, the American detective character that was popular in dime store novels) is asked to Prague-which at least looked lovely on film but I’m sure the city is still lovely in 2026-to investigate a curious case that involves-among other things-a mad botanist and the titular Adela… a carnivorous plant; take that, Audrey II! He is assisted by a Czech who is a portly man w/ a mustache.

Along the way, there’s still photographs used to animate certain moments, animation-including stop-motion from the legendary Jan Svankmajer-and the unexpected advertisement of Czech food & drink throughout, especially pilsner beer. There’s also disguises that would make Ethan Hunt proud and attractive women, but I’d rather not reveal too much. The soundtrack that served as background typically sounded like that of a silent film; makes sense, considering the early 20th century setting. An idiosyncratic and unique movie, this was.

This also made the movie feel fresh and distinctive. I’m glad that Czech movies are easier to track down than before via streaming platforms like Night Flight/Eternal Family/Midnight Plus (the trio share quite a few movies) or the Criterion Channel, and Deaf Crocodile, a label that deserves more love for the wide berth of foreign films they release on physical media.