I saw "Morgiana" on February 24, 2024 on YouTube, I didn't have money to see it at the cinema in 1972 in communist Romania, when I was only 13 years old. The director Juraj Herz was also an actor and in a picture from another of his films, looks exactly like Peter Sellers, as if they were twin brothers. Back to "Morgiana" (which is the name of a cat), what I saw on YouTube was mostly a completely black image, from which you could not understand anything, you could only hear the dialogue. Was it like this, a complete black screen, on Juraj Herz's intention? I kind of doubt it. I won't narrate the film, I'll just say this much: a few shots are filmed from the cat's point of view, which I consider original. Then, the double interpretation of the actress Iva Janzurová, is a remarkable performance. A much better film made by Juraj Herz, in fact, his absolute masterpiece, is "The Cremator" Original title: Spalovac mrtvol from 1969. As an actor, Juraj Herz had a small role in a comedy that enchanted my childhood "Lemonade Joe" Original title: Limonádový Joe aneb Konská opera 1964.

I really enjoyed the opening with the gilt black coffin being lowered into the grave and then the reading of the will to the two sisters (both played by Iva Janzurova'). Following that scene was the opening credit sequence with a montage of somewhat surrealistic paintings of different body parts (eyes were prominent) and geometrical patterns.

I rather liked the "Morgiana-cam" (well before David Letterman used the "monkey-cam" on his late-night show) and it was very effective seeing from the cat's P.O.V. - I wish it could have been used more, and perhaps more effectively the few other times it was used.

I was trying to pay particular attention to the two sister's being played by one actress, noticing the various technical devices used. There were a couple times I was pulled into the story that my attention to this slipped - one time that Victoria slapped Clara I didn't quite see how it was done. The other special effect that was interesting was the use of overlapping shimmering shadings of blue and red, used to indicate the effect the poison was having on Clara.

The basic story line is that of two sisters whose father has died with the older & less-liked sister attempting to do away with the younger to get all of the estate. Victoria's cruel streak is shown not only by her poisoning her sister; she also holds Morgiana the cat up to a birdcage and puts poison in the water for a dog in the household - you'd think she might worry about her cat - the one creature she appears to have a liking for - besides herself, anyway, but perhaps knowing cats have "nine lives" is enough for Vicky to know, at least in the present.

The doctor brought in to treat Clara seems to be a bit of a buffoon, telling her to "read a novel or something and take the quinine and watch your diet."

Victoria begins to get blackmailed by the woman who sold her the poison and Clara gets an anonymous letter telling her of the poisoning - the story spools out from these events, but I can't say anything more without getting into spoilers. I wasn't entirely pleased with the ending - I thought it might have been more inventive, but it did point up a little foreshadowing that I'd missed earlier in the film.

I really did like the painted images before the opening credits, though . ..

Originally planning to watch Karel Kachyna's Long Live the Republic got stopped in their tracks,when the DVD kept jamming up in the player.Since I had planned to watch the movie after seeing Horseman,I decided that it was time to meet Morgiana.

The plot:

After the sudden death of their dad,sisters Klára and Viktoria attend the reading of the will.Caught completely by surprise, Viktoria discovers that their dad has left most of the riches to Klára.Shortly after the reading of the will, Klára starts to go out with a guy who Viktoria has secretly had her eyes on for ages.Burning with rage,Viktoria picks up their pet cat Morgiana,and starts to tell Morgiana her plans to take from Klára what is rightfully hers.

View on the film:

Whilst the print does have some noticeable dirt,Second Run still run with a strong transfer which picks up the notes of Lubos Fiser's spidery score with a clarity and also showcases the depth of vision for this Gothic nightmare.

Breaking out from the grainy black and white world of The Cremator,co-writer/(along with Vladimír Bor) director Juraj Herz leaps into colour with an infectious energy.Opening with clipped paintings,Herz and cinematographer Jaroslav Kucera crush the screen with vibrant reds and charcoal blacks which under a cloud of mist reveal the Gothic Horror Melodrama that the sisters are entwined in with a delicious richness. Unexpectedly dipping into the psychedelic,Herz shows an amazingly playful side which jumps from an ultra-stylised "light show" and Giallo-style first person tracking shot, (with black gloves!)to reflecting in-camera special effects which highlight the deadly differences between each sister.

Getting Alexander Grin's (whose books were banned by the Soviet Union for "not promoting socialism") novel from out of the cave,the screenplay by Bor & Herz cleverly uses the sisters to link the genres that the movie is crossing,as Klara's ordeal keeps the Melodrama bubble away whilst Viktoria's sting makes the Gothic chills strike with a mysterious atmosphere.Making sure that the sisters don't get to keep all the fun to themselves,the writers edge out their Gothic dream with wonderfully quirky sides,from a cat who witnesses everything,to a dashing lover who injects Viktoria with burning eyes of jealousy.

Reuniting with Herz after making Oil Lamps a year earlier, Iva Janžurová gives an exquisite performance as Klára & Viktoria.Taking on both roles, Janzurová lavishly gives each sister a distinctive quality,thanks to Janzurová soaking Klára in a care-free mood which is crushed by Viktoria's blistering eyes and twitch of a furious lip,as Viktoria tells her secrets to the pet Morgiana.