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S E A R C H D V D B e a v e r |
(aka "Prípad Barnabás Kos" or "The Case of Barnabas Kos")
Directed by Peter Solan
Czechoslovakia 1965
"Barnabáš Kos, a meek and modest triangle-player in a state orchestra finds
himself unfathomably promoted to musical director. Now drunk with power, the
once timid Kos turns into a poised, commanding peacock and seeks to transform
the orchestra to suit his own agenda and inflated vision... *** The Barnabáš Kos Case (1965), originally titled Prípad Barnabáš Kos, is a Czechoslovak satirical comedy directed by Peter Solan that skewers bureaucracy and the corrupting nature of power under socialism. Set in Bratislava, it follows Barnabáš Kos (Josef Kemr), a meek triangle player in a symphony orchestra who spends more time on civic duties - committees, volunteering—than rehearsing, often arriving late because his minor role barely matters. To his shock, he’s abruptly promoted to orchestra director, a job neither he nor his superiors think he’s fit for, due to a bureaucratic fluke or cynical party maneuvering.
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Posters
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Theatrical Release: March 19th, 1965
Reviews More Reviews DVD Reviews
Review:
Second Run - Region FREE - Blu-rayBox Cover |
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Bonus Captures: |
Distribution | Second Run - Region FREE - Blu-ray | |
Runtime | 1:31:52.041 | |
Video |
1.66 :1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-rayDisc Size: 35,171,214,550 bytesFeature: 26,940,026,880 bytes Video Bitrate: 34.83 MbpsCodec: MPEG-4 AVC Video |
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NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes. |
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Bitrate Blu-ray: |
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Audio |
LPCM Audio Slovak 1536 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1536 kbps / 16-bits |
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Subtitles | English, None | |
Features |
Release Information: Studio: Second Run
1.66 :1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-rayDisc Size: 35,171,214,550 bytesFeature: 26,940,026,880 bytes Video Bitrate: 34.83 MbpsCodec: MPEG-4 AVC Video
Edition Details: • The Invincibility of Absurdity: an introduction to the film by Rastislav Steranka, Director of National Cinematographic Centre, Slovak Film Institute (4:13) • Nemecká (1974): Peter Solan's powerful documentary short, with original music by Zdeněk Liška. (8:43) • Promotion (Postup, 1968): a short animated film by Viktor Kubal. (5:43) • Portrait: Jarmila Kostova: a short film on the famous Slovak actor. (8:14) • Booklet with new writing on the film by author Jonathan Owen and filmmaker Peter Strickland.
Transparent Blu-ray Case Chapters 12 |
Comments: |
NOTE:
The below
Blu-ray
captures were taken directly from the
Blu-ray
disc.
NOTE: We have added 64 more large
resolution Blu-ray captures
(in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE
On their
Blu-ray,
Second Run use a linear PCM mono track (16-bit) in the
original Slovak language. The Barnabas Kos Case's soundscape -
crafted by, relatively obscure, composer Ľudovít Hašan and sound
designer Ondrej Polomský - amplify its biting humor and critique of
bureaucratic absurdity. Hašan’s original score is minimalist and
mischievous, perfectly tuned to the film’s satirical tone. It’s not a
lush orchestral sweep - sparse, playful, and slightly off-kilter, a
sonic wink at Kos’s delusions. The music’s built around strings and
woodwinds, with a jazzy edge typical of 1960s Eastern European cinema.
There is audible ambient noise: Bratislava’s pulse - tram rattles,
distant horns, wind through concrete blocks - seeps in, grounding the
indoor farce. Office scenes hum with typewriter clacks and paper
rustles, a bureaucratic drone. It all sounds quite flawless via the
uncompressed transfer. Second Run offer optional English subtitles on
their Region FREE
Blu-ray.
The Second Run
Blu-ray
Peter Solan's The Barnabas Kos Case
is a middle finger to socialist inefficiency. Kos’s promotion reeks of
quotas or nepotism - merit’s irrelevant. It’s
Kafka meets
The Office - a
system so warped it hoists a nobody to power, then shrugs when he flops.
The steelworks scene - Kos slapping triangles—mocks industrial
fetishism, all effort for nothing. His evolutionary arc is textbook:
modesty to megalomania. It’s probably less about socialism than human
nature - give anyone unchecked sway, and they’ll turn tyrant, however
petty. Lead actor Josef Kemr is a revelation - mousy at first, all
hunched shoulders and nervous smiles, then puffed-up, eyes glinting with
delusions. He’s not a villain - just a schmuck who believes his own
press. His triangle obsession’s both pathetic and hilarious, a manchild
with a baton. The look’s Czech New Wave lite - less avant-garde than
Forman’s
Loves of a Blonde (1965,) more grounded than Chytilová’s
Daisies (1966,) but sharing their dry wit. The Barnabas Kos Case
was such a joy on Second Run's Blu-ray
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Menus / Extras
Second Run - Region FREE - Blu-ray
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CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION
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Box Cover |
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Bonus Captures: |
Distribution | Second Run - Region FREE - Blu-ray |
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S E A R C H D V D B e a v e r |