Little Otik (2001)

               Little Otik              

NETFLIX SYNOPSIS: In this bizarre fantasy from the Czech Republic, an ordinary couple, Karel and Bozena, are unable to conceive a child. When Karel digs up a tree root and whittles something vaguely resembling a human baby, Bozena’s strong maternal longings transform the stump into a living creature … with a monstrous appetite that can’t be met by baby’s formula!

REVIEW:  What a unique gem of a film.  I’ve only seen one Jan Svankmajer film before this one (his cool, chock-full of stop motion animation, dark, somewhat bizarre adaptation of Alice in Wonderland).  Having now seen two, I know that the next time I watch a Jan Svankmajer film (hopefully soon), I’ll be seeing something wonderfully creative, imaginative and unique – everything that describes Little Otik.

Otik is the name that a childless couple decides to give their “tree root” baby.  Yes, you heard me correctly.  After multiple fruitless efforts to conceive a child, with no hope in sight, the woman’s longing to have a child becomes increasingly intense.  Her husband, hoping to temporarily mollify her, takes her on what he hopes will be a relaxing week in the country.  While they’re there, he happens upon a tree trunk and begins hacking away at it.  What he comes away with is a piece of the tree that looks remarkably like a little baby boy. He brings it back to his wife to placate her.  Little does he know that she takes it way beyond what he ever imagined, dressing it, feeding it, powdering its bottom, diapering it, and in one very memorable scene, nursing it!  Before he knows it, all his co-workers are congratulating him on the pregnancy and his new son!

I was thinking, okay, this is going to be a movie about how this woman has gone a little nuts wanting a baby so bad that she thinks she is actually caring for a living thing.  But I forgot I was in Jan Svankmajer’s world.  Turns out that Little Otik does become a living thing (it’s not explained, but it doesn’t matter as it doesn’t detract from the film) and becomes increasingly hungry.  The couple is cooking like crazy for him, but it’s never enough.

The strange goings-ons in the apartment are noticed by a precocious little girl who lives in the same complex as the couple.  It was cool to see this little girl being portrayed as a bit of a smart-ass, as normally children are portrayed as children in movies, childlike wonder and innocence and all!  haha.  In fact, she pretty handily deals with an old man who is a pedophile and also lives in the same complex.  I still remember a great line where she, feeling sorry for Otik, takes him into her care.  Before one of his “meals” (Svankmajer wouldn’t be the same without being a little dark!), she says, don’t forget to wash your hands!  Or you’ll get hepatitis.  Haha – a little mother in the making.

Svankmajer’s brilliant stop-motion animation brings Little Otik to life, a similar technique that he used in bringing the puppet characters and other figures to life in his version of Alice in Wonderland.  Here though, Little Otik is the only character that isn’t brought to life by an actor.  The interactions between the human actors and Little Otik are very fluid and don’t miss a beat. In terms of temperament, this movie is very much a dark comedy though there are moments of straight-up hilarity (like when the woman fakes the entire pregnancy – 9 months!).

Last, I would mention that you definitely get a sense of Czech culture, including some of their folk and fairy tales.  In fact, the precocious little girl puts two and two together about Little Otik by reading a folk tale about a little tree root who becomes alive, but to sustain itself, needs to depend on an increasingly “unorthodox” diet!

Great special features on this disc also, including wonderful interviews with Svankmajer – who professes to be a surrealist artist.  And a perfectionist.  This film is a testament to that.  I highly recommend it if you want to see something you’ve probably never seen before and witness a master of stop-motion animation technique, coupled with a wonderful story.  Check out the preview – you’ll get a very good idea of the film.

4 stars
Audrey