Avant-garde to New Wave

Download or read book Avant-garde to New Wave written by Jonathan L. Owen and published by Berghahn Books. This book was released on 2011-02-28 with total page 256 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The cultural liberalization of communist Czechoslovakia in the 1960s produced many artistic accomplishments, not least the celebrated films of the Czech New Wave. This movement saw filmmakers use their new freedom to engage with traditions of the avant-garde, especially Surrealism. This book explores the avant-garde's influence over the New Wave and considers the political implications of that influence. The close analysis of selected films, ranging from the Oscar-winning Closely Observed Trains to the aesthetically challenging Daisies, is contextualized by an account of the Czech avant-garde and a discussion of the films' immediate cultural and political background.