The Monster from the Arcana Galaxy
Typology
featureCzech title
Monstrum z galaxie ArkanaRuntime
84Country
Czechoslovakia, Former Yugoslavia, 1945–1991Copyright
1981Production year
1981Premiere
02.07.1982Language version
CzechDirector
Dušan VukotićSummary
Screenwriter Miloš Macourek specialised in outlandish comedies, such as the Czechoslovak-Yugoslav coproduction Monstrum z galaxie Arkana (The Monster from the Arcana Galaxy, 1981), a madcap sci-fi adventure directed by Dušan Vukotić. The main character is Robert, a young beach hotel receptionist who shows less interest in his guests or his girlfriend Biba than in the story he is writing about a family of aliens – so involved in its creation is he that through sheer power of mind he manages to materialise his heroes into this world. Robert and Biba set off to the island where the aliens have landed and find that life in the quiet beach resort has been turned on its head. Soon competition arises between Biba and the visitors from the planet Tugador which has some unpleasant consequences for the young earthling couple... The main characters in this rather unbalanced motion picture are played by Žarko Potočnjak and Lucie Žulová. Perhaps the film’s most memorable feature is the extraterrestrial monster designed in the workshop of Czech artist Jan Švankmajer.
Synopsis
Robert, working as a receptionist in a seaside hotel, spends his free time writing a science-fiction novel about extraterrestrials Andra and her children Ulu and Targo from the Arcana galaxy. Robert's girlfriend Biba blames him for neglecting her. One day, Robert overhears Andra's voice. He thinks he is hallucinating and decides he should better see a shrink. The psychiatrist, however, opines that Robert has the power to materialize his thoughts. When Andra "calls" again, Robert decides to visit an island where the extraterrestrials have landed. He indeed meets the threesome and Targo's toy - the little monster Moomoo which grows bigger upon the child's order. Robert runs away in fear. During his second visit to the island, Robert is accompanied by his girlfriend Biba. There is an immediate antipathy between her and Andra, and Targo transforms Biba into a small cube. A guide talks to tourists and other people about some weird creatures, and several armed men thus set off for the island. But Targo destroys one ship after another with his laser beam. Andra and her children get transported to Robert's flat in a bluish ball. Here, she is found by Biba who returned to her original form and tries to turn Robert away from Andra. Targo covertly puts the little fiend Moomoo into Biba's bag before the three leave. Biba comes home and gets dressed for a neighbours' wedding. But Moomoo suddenly enlarges, starts killing the wedding guests one by one and turns the place into ruins. Andra rectifies the situation by returning time to a moment before the wedding. Biba comes to Robert's place but does not find him in. A bluish ball whizzes through the room and disappears. Robert's voice is suddenly heard from a dictaphone informing her that he is with Andra, Ulu, Targo and Moomoo on their way to the planet Tugador in the Arcana galaxy - and he finishes his novel in the ball.
Photos
Cast
Žarko Potočnjak
spisovatel a recepční Robert
Lucie Žulová
Biba, Robertova dívka
Ksenija Prohaska
robotka Andra
Jasminka Alić
mimozemšťanka Ulu
Rene Bitorajac
mimozemšťan Targo
Ljubiša Samardžić
fotograf Toni
Ivana Andrlová
Gabi, mladší sestra Biby
Cvijeta Mesić
Cecílie, starší sestra Biby
Markéta Fišerová
zdravotní sestra Stela
Karel Augusta
Pepa Štefančić, Stelin otec
Hermina Pipinić
Stelina matka
Helena Růžičková
teta Švarcová
Petr Drozda
monstrum Mumu
Václav Štekl
profesor psychiatrie
Magdaléna Holendrová
manželka profesora
Edo Peročević
redaktor
Dana Hlaváčová
Olga, manželka redaktora
Věra Kalendová
Papová, matka Toniho
Václav Štercl
knihkupec
Zvonko Lepetić
hlídač
Zdena Burdová
Adéla
Jitka Zelenohorská
Lela
Bohuslav Kupšovský
harmonikář
Věra Šperová
Robertův otec (muž s ňadry)
Ivo Gregurević
Robertův kamarád
Zdena Rulcová
svatebčanka
Hana Charvátová
svatebčanka
Zdenka Hersak
Ivan Anthon
loutkoherec
Josef Podsedník
loutkoherec
Jana Prachařová
loutkoherečka
Jaroslav Vidlař
loutkoherec
Helena Veselá
loutkoherečka
Jaroslava Zelenková
loutkoherečka
Karel Engel
svatebčan
Hana Forejtová
svatebčanka
Dubbing
Jiří Štěpnička
hlas Roberta
Jarmila Švehlová
hlas Biby
Simona Stašová
hlas Andry
Kateřina Žalská
hlas Ulu
P. Novotný
hlas Targa
Alois Švehlík
hlas Toniho
Anna Wetlinská
hlas Cecílie
Svatava Hubeňáková
hlas Steliny matky
Eva Klepáčová
hlas Papové
Pavel Zedníček
hlas kamaráda
Crew and creators
Director
Second Unit Director
Marta Křesinová, Slavko Andres
Assistant Director
Helena Matušková, Marija Djordjević
Screenstory
Screenplay
Shooting Script
Script Editor
Camera
Second Unit Photography
Stanislav Kautský
Camera Operator
Production Designer
Art Director
Set Designer
Karel Kočí, Vladimír Mácha, Pavel Svoboda, Vladimír Slepička
Costume Designer
Costumes
Make-Up Artist
Film Editor
Sound Designer
Special Effects
Milan Nejedlý, Jiří Rumler, Boris Masník, Vladimír Novotný, Dušan Vukotić
Stunts
Karel Engel, Hana Forejtová, Růžena Jedličková, Miroslav Jíra, Jaroslav Klenot, Miroslav Lahoda, Pavel Myslík, Jindřich Sejk, Jaroslav Tomsa, Stanislav Tůma
Production
Sulejman Kapić
Production Manager
Rudolf Wolf, Ante Deronja
Unit Production Manager
Ludmila Venclíková, Lev Veltrubský, Emir Čejvan, Antonín Suchánek
Unit Production Manager
Jiří Moravčík
Consultant
Jakub Berdych, Jiří Kryštof, Petr Rychetský (pyroefekty)
Cooperation
Nataša Culíková, Eliška Willigová, Jan Kuděla, Anna Mejtská, Václav Hlávka
Dialogues of Czech version
Direction of Czech version
Music
Music Composed by
Tomislav Simović
Music Performed by
Orchestr záhřebské televize
Production info
Original Title
Monstrum z galaxie Arkana
English Title
The Monster from the Arcana Galaxy
Working Title
Dům mezi hvězdami
Parallel Title
Gosti iz galaksije
Copyright
1981
Production Year
1981
Premiere
02.07.1982
Production
Filmové studio Barrandov, Zagrebfilm, Jadran Film Zagreb
Copyright Holders
Distribution
Creative Group
Technical info
Versions
Czech
Awards
Vítěz
Festival: 4. mezinárodní festival fantastických filmů FANTASPORTO Porto
1984
Porto / Portugal
Vítěz
Festival: 3. mezinárodní festival fantastických filmů Madrid
1982
Madrid / Spain
Vítěz
Festival: 3. mezinárodní festival fantastických filmů Madrid
1982
Madrid / Spain
Vítěz
Festival: 3. mezinárodní festival fantastických filmů Madrid
1982
Madrid / Spain
Vítěz
Festival: 3. mezinárodní festival fantastických filmů Madrid
1982
Madrid / Spain
Vítěz
Festival: 19. mezinárodní festival vědeckofantastických filmů Terst
1981
Terst / Italy