Nine Levels of Hell
Country
Czechoslovakia, CambodiaCopyright
1987Production year
1987Premiere
1 July 1988Runtime
127 minDirector
Milan MuchnaCategory
filmGenre
dramaTypology
featurelongOriginal title
Devět kruhů peklaCzech title
Devět kruhů peklaEnglish title
Nine Levels of HellParallel Title
Norouk Pramboun ChaonSummary
This Czech-Cambodian romantic drama from 1987 belongs among those eighties co-productions that stemmed from cultural activities agreed with “friendly regimes” of the time. Its main character is Czech doctor Tomáš, who is searching for his lost wife Khema in 1979 Cambodia. After arriving in the exotic but troubled country in 1969, he had fallen in love with a beautiful dancer despite the will of her parents. However, the happy couple are separated amid a series of coup d'états, leaving Tomáš facing the wreckage of his previous life. The genocide waged against the Cambodian population by the Khmer Rouge government has destroyed everything he has come to know... This unexpectedly dramatic picture from director Milan Muchna (his previous filmography revelled in humour (Hop – a je tu lidoop – Monkey’s Playtime, 1978; Únos Moravanky – The Moravanka Band’s Been Kidnapped, 1983; Divoké pivo – Wild Beer, 1995...)). Milan Kňažko plays the main role, while in the retrospective scenes he is ably supported by Cambodian star Oum Sovanny.
Synopsis
The Czech physician Tomáš searches for his beautiful young wife Khema in the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh. He was separated from her by the dramatic events, which shattered the country four years ago. Tomáš is shocked at the sight of the ruin of the once flourishing town. - He arrived at the local hospital in 1969 to join other Czech doctors. After a while, he befriends a young dancer and falls in love with her. Khema's parents disagree with the marriage with a man originating from a different culture. Khema's brother, who studied in Paris and turned into a leftist radical there, even threatens to Tomáš. But the wedding eventually occurs and the two young people are happy together. The political conditions in Cambodia, however, change and the government is overthrown. The country faces yet another upheaval in 1975 and gets terrorized by the young Pol Pot army's soldiers. Khema is pregnant and Tomáš is worried about her. He goes to the hospital to help evacuate the patients. Back home, he does not find his wife, the house has been robbed and the parents murdered. Tomáš the foreigner is deported from the country. Now, he returns to the country where only a minority of people survived the torture and drudgery. Tomáš follows the tracks of his wife who gave birth to a daughter during the deportation. She even met her dying brother who was eventually crushed by the bloody revolution. Tomáš's hopes are not fulfilled completely because Khema died. He, however, succeeds in finding his daughter and takes her to his home country.
Note
The expert consultant Ruy Neakong Ruy is one of only fourteen survivors from the twenty thousand prisoners of the Tuol Slen camp which operated in Phnom Penh between 1975 and 1979. The Museum of Genocide was established there on the 7th of January 1980. The expert consultant Chheng Phon – the director of the Cambodian National Conservatoire and later the Cambodian minister of culture – earned credit for educating the young representatives in the national cultural traditions (theatre, music) because only a few students and ten teachers survived.
Photos
Cast
Oum Sovanny
Khema Sun
Milan Kňažko
lékař Tomáš David, Khemin manžel
Heng Chanrith
MUDr. Rath Thong
Ban Thavy
tanečnice Thyda, později učitelka
Nov Channary
Chivan, Khemin bratr
Khuon Chhum
Pon, Khemin druhý manžel
Jiří Samek
primář docent Samek
Jiří Schmitzer
MUDr. Dalibor Hrádek
Jan Schmid
anesteziolog MUDr. Kubeš
Milan Lasica
gynekolog MUDr. Kalivoda
Bronislav Poloczek
montér Emil
Saom Dorin
kapitán Kim
Chan Thy
Khemina matka
Oum Phân
Khemin otec
Květa Fialová
Klára, Tomášova matka
Duong Ratsovanna
Rany, Khemina sestra
Chuom Vannsin
Chanthan
Ouch Samol
velitel vesnice
Mê Moen
Somna
Lor Sangharith
fotograf
Ban Yan
Phana
Thach Mary
Dara
Bun Sophary
Klárka, dcera Khemy
Chan Sotheary
Soriya
posluchači konzervatoře Phnompenh
Chy Sochip
fotograf
Dubbing
Taťjana Medvecká
hlas Khemy
Petr Čepek
hlas Tomáše
Václav Kopta
hlas MUDr. Ratha Thonga
Eliška Sirová
hlas Thydy
Pavel Kříž
hlas Chivana
Bedřich Šetena
hlas docenta Samka
Jiří Zahajský
hlas kapitána Kima
Jana Vychodilová
hlas Kheminy matky
Mirko Musil
hlas Khemina otce
Miriam Chytilová
hlas Rany
Dana Syslová
hlas Phany
Lucie Nosková
hlas Dary
Crew and creators
Director
Second Unit Director
Milan Klacek, Ieu Pannasidh
Assistant Director
Chy Sochip, Chuom Vannsin, Hana Suchá, Stanislav Rovný
Screenstory
Screenplay
Shooting Script
Script Editor
Camera
Second Unit Photography
Camera Operator
Milan Lekič, Sem Sary, Tralong Borin
Production Designer
Miloš Červinka, Kong Kanthara
Set Designer
Ivo Černý, Bohumil Kadlec, Uon Nék, Jan Klíma, Jiří Matějka, Karel Karas, Son Sovanvich‰t
Costume Designer
Costumes
Marie Charvátová, Věra Mírová, Iva Bártová, Ke Vanchan, Sok Samat
Make-Up Artist
Jiří Farkaš, Milan Novák, Jitka Procházková, Kim Sokun
Film Editor
Sound Designer
Production Manager
Jan Syrový, Ly Dany
Unit Production Manager
Jana Hauserová, Helena Landovská
Unit Production Manager
Václav Šeda, Nang Phanajia
Consultant
Chheng Phon, Karel Čepička, Pavel Auersperg, Jiří Skřivan, Karel Citterbart, MUDr. Dalibor Hrádek, MUDr. Hanuš Reisinger, Marcela Sainerová, Mao Ayouth, Non Chan, Ruy Neakong
Cooperation
Ruth Kubalíková, Jan Kuděla, Ivana Vlčková, Tep Somaly, Erika Vojáčková, Chloe Younly, Proum Sarmouny, Keo Narét, Long Sávat, Seng Ratha, Khek Chen, Kheiu Sary, Khan Dy, Kvan Thän, Ke Vichet, Tit Thearith, Bun Narei, Aleš Voleman
Music
Music Composed by
Selected Music
Ludwig van Beethoven (Pro Elišku /Für Elise/ – klavírní skladba a moll), Johann Sebastian Bach (Toccata a fuga d moll)
Music Performed by
Songs
Dobrú noc, má milá, dobrú noc
Singer
Oum Sovanny [dab] (Dobrú noc, má milá, dobrú noc), Taťjana Medvecká (Dobrú noc, má milá, dobrú noc)
Production info
Original Title
Devět kruhů pekla
English Title
Nine Levels of Hell
Parallel Title
Norouk Pramboun Chaon
Category
film
Typology
feature
Genre
drama
Origin country
Czechoslovakia, Cambodia
Copyright
1987
Production Year
1987
Premiere
1 July 1988
Production
Filmové studio Barrandov, Ministerstvo kultury Kambodžské lidové republiky – Filmové oddělení
Copyright Holders
Distribution
Creative Group
Technical info
Lenght
long
Runtime
127 min
Versions
Czech