I Served the King of England (DVD)

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I don't want to spoil anything by saying too much, since the real delight of this film comes in watching every twist and squirm, with new erotic R-rated adventures around every bend. But I will say that the performances are delightfully understated, despite the over-the-top scenes, and that Barnev rises to the occasion when cued by the music to launch into Keatonesque escapades, complete with sad-sack, deadpan facial expressions. And I'll add, again, that Kaiser balances the mirth-filled early scenes with poignant ones that still retain the vestiges of that sad and wise clown.

Jaromír Sofr's cinematography is by turns intimate and epic, a perfect complement to a film that tries to tell a personal story against a backdrop of war, and a sensual adventure with intellectual underpinnings. That's not an easy feat, but an intelligent script by Menzel, based on the novel by Bohumil Hrabal, makes it possible.

I prefer, always, to watch a non-English film in its original language, but with "I Served the King of England" I almost wish there were a dubbed version. That's because the frames are so lavish and rich and packed full of things going on--subtle things that have an impact on the tone and the intellectual and emotional subtexts--that it's hard to read the long lines of dialogue at times and still savor the full visual experience.

Video:
"I Served the King of England" is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen, and while there's a slight graininess throughout it's very slight, and a bold and brilliant color palette more than compensates.

Audio:
The film is presented in Czech Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround, with English or French subtitles. The audio isn't as rich as the video, however, and there were a number of scenes where I felt that there should have been more rear-speaker involvement. There's also a very slight hiss in spots. But overall, it's a solid soundtrack.

Extras:
The only bonus feature is the original trailer.

Bottom Line:
This heady comedy is a fun and absorbing satire of everything from politics and personal survival to sexual mores . . . and more.

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