After watching MADE IN USA, I realized French New Wave is not for me. However, Czech New Wave is apparently right up my alley, which brings us to the folk horror classic VALERIE AND HER WEEK OF WONDERS, which is next up in my staycation wherein I try to whittle down the watch pile.
The film revolves around 13 year-old Valerie, who lives in a village in Czechoslovakia and who just got her menarche. She lives with her grandmother who doesn’t seem to like her very much, and is being wooed by Eaglet, a vaguely Amish-looking boy who looks a lot older than he should and likes to steal her earrings in the middle of the night. Running the town is the Constable, a horrific looking man who doesn’t just look like a monster–he is one. A vampire, to be precise. The Constable wants Valerie’s earrings back as they were once his before they were given to Valerie’s mother and then herself. They also are magical, which makes them all the more desirable. What ensues is a dream-like, sometimes nightmarish but always beautiful and disjointed tale of how Valerie tries to save herself and the town from a scourge of vampires.
To say more would be to ruin the surreal surprises that the film has in store. There are jilted lovers, dances in the forest, floggings, shape changing, blood drinking and more. The movie packs a lot into its 76 minute run time and uses every single second of it well. And somehow it avoids the tonal whiplash you would expect to get as it bounces from scene to scene.
It’s weird, wonderful and honestly everything I was hoping the movie would be when I bought it. I had heard good things and having Czech relatives, I thought it would be fun to check out something from the homeland. I’ve had an interest in folk horror lately too so figured this would give me a fix for that as well.
For an actually 13 year-old actress, Jaroslava Schallerová is wonderful as Valerie, captivating the viewer as we root her on as she tries to survive the nightmare that has come to her village. The rest of the cast is good, though Helena Anýžová shines as the grandmother and as several other roles to boot.
I can’t say I’m familiar with director Jaromil Jireš’ work but he weaves a haunting and beautifully horrific tale that never becomes a slog or overstays its welcome.
Definitely a solid entry into the folk horror subgenre, and one worth checking out if that’s your bag or you like gothic coming of age films. I feel like it would play well with something like VIY in terms of Eastern European horror, or perhaps HAUSU just for the similar dream-like and nightmarish vibe it offers, though VALERIE doesn’t come close to the batshit insanity of that one.
All in all it’s a wild and interesting film that is hauntingly beautiful. Check it out.
