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Jan Švankmajer at 85 years of age is one of the most prominent artists of European cinema. His work has inspired and guided generations of directors, and his work represents a sharp and merciless exploration of human nature which is entirely unique. When Švankmajer decided to stop filming after Insect (2018), his producer suggested that the creative processes which ferment within their film company Athanor should be preserved on film. Over three years, the directors followed the life of Jan Švankmajer, elucidating his artistic principles, as well as his collaboration with old friend and producer Jaromír Kallista. The film is also haunted by the memory of Eva Švankmajerová, his wife and creative partner, muse and inseparable other half. Alchemical Furnace is shot on various film formats in combination with found footage. Playful and poetic, candid and with a touch of Czech humour, it is an ode to creation and to companionship. (International Film Festival Rotterdam)
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Alchemical Furnace confirmed for me a few days after screening The Man with Hare Ears that Šulík's portrayal of the aging, selfish artist hit the nail on the head. Old Švankmajer shares more than one character aspect with Krobot's character. In contrast, Alchemical Furnace is a celebratory documentary, backed not only by years of evidence of the artist's abilities or his advanced age, but also by an often disarming honesty, often defending the author's stubborn self-adulation. This is matched by the format of the documentary, where we are not informed, for example, about who is who and whether this person is Švankmajer's film producer or some old beer buddy. This corresponds to the protagonist's perception, where the viewer simply knows who Švankmajer is and who the others are, dude doesn't care. Note that any time, no matter how moronic the question, the famous artist manages to answer it with a paragraph. If you're not into that, take a shot any time someone says "tactile" or "imagery" in the movie and say goodnight. I felt like I was at my dad's cottage the whole time and laughing at how similar all these artists from that one era are.
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