The Lost Orienteer

Country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1986

Production year

1985

Premiere

1 August 1986

Runtime

78 min

Category

film

Genre

comedy

Typology

featuretheatrical distributionlong

Original title

Bloudění orientačního běžce

Czech title

Bloudění orientačního běžce

English title

The Lost Orienteer

Summary

Radek, a 14-year old outsider nicknamed Bidlo, is the main character of this comedy for young people directed by Július Matula on the occasion of the 1985 Spartakiad (one of the celebratory mass gymnastic events organised at the instigation of the communist regime). Very much a clumsy beanpole, and so not chosen to be one of the Spartakiad performers, Radek decides to try to impress a classmate he fancies by taking up orienteering. But while doing so, he meets a more sympathetic girl, thanks to whom he comes to understand the world. In this light picture, made upon state orders, the non-actor Filip Toušek impressed audiences by taking on his role with a congenial commitment. Matula later returned to the sports theme with his film Stupně poražených (The Loser’s Rostrum, 1988) which focuses on professional pentathlon.

Synopsis

The fourteen-year old Radek Chaloupka is thin and more than lanky. He is physically weak and clumsy. Although studying with distinction, he tries to avoid physical training – he does not even get on the Spartakiad short-list. For the Spartakiad's sake, the boys participate in an orienteering run, but Radek does not finish the race due to his weakness. The boy feels he should do something about himself, because now everybody laughs at him and at his nickname Beanpole. He takes pot luck with the firemen, but there he fails too and is not nominated to the firemen's championship. The failure prompts him to change his life. He gets dumbbells and begins to exercise and jog, being helped by a wooer of his sister Kamila. And also by Vlasta whom he meets when he tries to run up a high hill, his latest goal. Vlasta invites him to attend an orienteering club. In the first race, Radek runs with Petr. They get lost together, but Radek eventually finds the right direction. On the way, they find Vlasta with her ankle hurt. Petr runs on, but Radek takes Vlasta on his back to the first aid station. Although he does not win anything in the race, he receives the fair-play award. Radek and Vlasta accompany the gymnasts to the Spartakiad. At that point, Radek is certain that he has fallen in love with the girl. At the moment when the TV broadcasts the Spartakiad live from Prague, Radek first conquers the top of the hill. His wandering is over.

Note

The music for the film was originally composed by Dežo Ursiny, but it reportedly was too gloomy and melancholic. The new music accompaniment was thus cimmissioned from Jaroslav Uhlíř.

Cast

Filip Toušek

Radek Chaloupka zvaný Bidlo

Juraj Matula

Petr Macháček

Vladimíra Nejepsová

Svatka Kahovcová

Olga Draxlerová

Jiřina

Filip Menzel

Mirek Hanousek

Martin Pánek

Jirka

Daniel Pick

Venca

Igor Matula

Pavel

Jan Toušek

Chaloupka

Ivana Chýlková

prodavačka Kamila, Radkova sestra

Daniel Rous

Vašek, Kamilin přítel

Dana Nováková

tělocvikářka Dana

Alexej Pyško

trenér Mrázek zvaný Anténa

Jana Březinová

třídní učitelka

Miroslav Masopust

pojišťovák Hanousek, Mirkův otec

Zuzana Schmidová

průvodčí vlaku

Karel Tejkal

trenér běžců

Dušan Vacek

Hubáček

Renáta Hudrlíková

Alena

Lenka Hybšová

Michala

Adolf Böhm

učitel dílen

Miroslav Sovják

páter, hráč kuželek

Karel Smrž

stařík

Jiří Havel

pořadatel

Bohumil Koška

pořadatel

Jan Okrouhlík

pořadatel/spolucestující

Karel Vávra

ředitel školy

Oldřich Nový (2)

požárník Kalus

Jaroslav Kynkal

požárník

Jakub Ali

Bečvář

Petr Mojha

Flídr

Jiří Procházka (4)

Čech

Ondřej Valenta

Dušek

Pavel Veselý (2)

Tichý

Ladislav Vodenka

Kliman

Jaroslav Votava

Dvořák

Richard Žižka

Macháček

Ladislav Chroust

spolucestující

Crew and creators

Second Unit Director

Josef Loučím

Assistant Director

Jiří Hruška

Screenstory

Miroslav Sovják

Shooting Script

Julius Matula, Jiří Sovják

Director of Photography

Juraj Šajmovič

Second Unit Photography

Ladislav Chroust

Camera Operator

Oldřich Kovář

Production Designer

Ludvík Široký

Assistent Production Designer

Jaroslav Řeřicha

Set Designer

Milan Bábik, Jiří Matějka, Eva Slívová, Milan Tahotný

Costume Designer

Jan Kropáček

Film Editor

Jan Chaloupek

Sound Designer

Adolf Böhm

Production Manager

Jan Syrový

Unit Production Manager

Jana Hauserová, Helena Landovská, Lev Veltrubský

Consultant

Karel Tejkal

Cooperation

Ivana Vlčková (klapka), Jaroslav Trousil (fotograf)

Music

Music Composed by

Jaroslav Uhlíř

Music Performed by

FISYO (Music Conducted by Mario Klemens), skupina Prototyp

Songs

Svět je tajuplné rozcestí

Song Composer Jaroslav Uhlíř
Writer of Lyrics Pavel Kopta
Singer Dalibor Janda

Pábitelé

Song Composer Ladislav Štaidl
Writer of Lyrics Boris Janíček
Singer Karel Gott

Červenám

Song Composer Pavel Vaculík
Writer of Lyrics Jan Krůta
Singer Iveta BartošováPetr Sepéši

Poupata

Song Composer František Janeček
Writer of Lyrics Jaroslav Machek
Singer Michal David

Kuře na grilu

Song Composer Ivo Pavlík
Writer of Lyrics Jan Krůta
Singer Heidi Janků

V rychtárovej studni

Song Composer lidová píseň
Singer ženský hlas

Učitelka tanca

Song Composer Pavol Hammel

Production info

Original Title

Bloudění orientačního běžce

Czech Title

Bloudění orientačního běžce

English Title

The Lost Orienteer

Category

film

Typology

featuretheatrical distribution

Genre

comedy

Origin country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1986

Production Year

1985

Production specifications

literary Screenplay approved 12 April 1985
start of filming 22 April 1985
technical Screenplay approved 20 May 1985
end of filming 16 December 1985
projection approval 2 January 1986
withdrawal from distribution 31 December 1991

Premiere

premiere 1 August 1986 /suitable for youths/

Creative Group

4. dramaturgicko-výrobní skupina, Marcela Pittermannová (vedoucí 4. dramaturgicko-výrobní skupiny)

Technical info

Duration typology

feature film

Duration in minutes

78 min

Original length in metres

2 284 meters

Distribution carrier

16mm, 35mm

Aspect ratio

1:1,37

Colour

colour

Sound

sound

Sound system/format

mono

Versions

Czech

Dialogue languages

Czech

Subtitles languages

without subtitles

Opening/End credits languages

Czech

Awards

Vítěz

Festival: 25. festival českých a slovenských filmů Bratislava

1987
Bratislava / Czechoslovakia

Vítěz

Exhibition: 18. národní přehlídka filmů pro děti Ostrov nad Ohří

1986
Ostrov nad Ohří / Czechoslovakia
Filip Toušek

Vítěz

Exhibition: 18. národní přehlídka filmů pro děti Ostrov nad Ohří

1986
Ostrov nad Ohří / Czechoslovakia
Alena Knotková

Vítěz

Festival: 26. festival filmů pro děti Gottwaldov

1986
Zlín / Czechoslovakia