Zmluva s diablom

A cannonade of catchphrases and an incredibly playful girly adventure that works better within the confines of the genre than most contemporary teenage stuff from all corners of the world. I did not even want to believe that something like this was created in Czechoslovakia at a time when the tanks of friendly countries were slowly coming toward us. It’s too bad about the ending when the individual stories fizzle out without exception. However, I have no complaints about any of the other components. 4 ½. (18.04.2010)

I watched this film as part of a television series, and because it currently has a decent 73% on FilmBooster, I had the impression that I would discover a hidden treasure. However, as the minutes passed, doubts and a feeling that the film had deservedly collected dust in the archives crept in. Forman's Black Peter is timeless and you don't get the impression that it has aged. In addition, the combination of drama and comedy works excellently in it. The same cannot be said for A Pact with the Devil. The film has aged and the dramatic and comedic elements clash in an unfortunate way. The film is strangely inconsistent as if it was directed not by two, but three directors, and was written by several screenwriters who could not agree on anything. It belongs to the kinds of films where the individual details work well, but as a whole, it only causes doubts at best. A good gag is followed by an awkward joke, alongside which the following serious situation feels inappropriate. The failed party scene resembles Before Tonight Is Over and is one of the more successful parts, but again, we encounter that inconsistency that kills the atmosphere. In such cases, the potential of the top actors is partially wasted, with the exception of Menšík, who stands out. Overall impression: 45%. (12.02.2020)

Wenn man ein Filmwörterbuch unseres wunderbaren nationalen Kinos entstehen sollte, müsste man hinter das Wort "schrecklich" ein einfaches, aber umso aussagekräftigeres Gleichheitszeichen zu diesem Bullshit setzen. Das wohl Typischste an diesem ganzen 60er-Jahre-Mist ist das weitere Schicksal Zachars in den Händen von Carlo Ponti und die rückblickende Bewertung seiner Arbeit in den Krisenjahren als Pornoregisseur. Während er in der Tschechoslowakei nur ein Häuflein Teenager-Mädels in der Pubertät als Regisseur betreut hat, konnte er für den Vertrieb im Westen bereits auf gepfefferteren Sachen verweisen. Schließlich ist das Thema der ans Gehirn klopfenden Jungfräulichkeit auf die eine oder andere Weise zu sehr ein Thema für unsere Möchtegern-Kunstfilme dieses ungewöhnlich hochmütigen Jahrzehnts, bis hin zur Peinlichkeit. Während A Pact with the Devil ein interessanter Film ist, was das Verhältnis von tschechischen und slowakischen Komponenten angeht, ist die Menge an "Neuentdeckungen", die aus dem anspruchsvollen Castingprozess hervorgegangen sind, zum Haareraufen. Turbová, Kocúriková, Rašlová und die ungewöhnlich unmögliche Karbanová sind einfach zu viel. (11.12.2020)

A very successful tragicomedy from the second half of the sixties, which may be a bit of a tribute to the time of its creation, but I had a great time with it even today. Jaromír Hanzlík's performance was comparable to that of Vladimír Pucholt in Krejčík's film Wedding Under Supervision and I laughed a lot. Of the five virgins, Ivana Karbanová was the best. Her good-natured banter with the also excellent Vláďa Menšík was unmistakable. Marian Labuda's subtly captivating performance is also certainly worth mentioning. The plot could have been a bit more elaborate, but that didn't spoil the overall impression. (80%) (16.03.2021)