Hermína Týrlová
Directing
Biography
Hermína Týrlová was a prominent Czech animator, screen writer, and film director. Often called the mother of Czech animation over the course of her career, she produced over 60 animated children's short films using puppets and the technique of stop motion animation. Born in Březové Hory in Central Bohemia, Hermína Týrlová learned puppet-making skills from her father, who was a woodworker and made small wood figurines. As a teenager, she moved to Prague to make a living acting, singing, and dancing in vaudeville. She also began writing and illustrating children's magazines. In 1925, she joined Studio AB, where she met her future husband, Karel Dodal. The studio produced animated films for advertising companies such as Elektrajournal and IRE-Film.Dodal and Týrlová produced 5 animated advertising films together, and in 1935, they co-directed the first commercial Czech puppet animation film, Tajemství Lucerny ("The Lantern's Secret"). Following the 1939 German occupation of Czechoslovakia, Karel Dodal took exile in the United States and then Argentina. Týrlová chose to remain in Czechoslovakia. In 1941, she moved to Zlín in eastern Moravia to work with Ladislav Kolda at Bata Studios, where she remained for the rest of her life. In 1944, she released the short film Ferda Mravenec ("Fernando the Ant"), which achieved worldwide popularity. The original puppet for the main character is on display in the Toy Museum in Figueres, Spain. In 1947, she co-directed Vzpoura Hracek ("Revolt of the Toys") with Frantisek Sadek, which combined stop-motion animation with live action footage. She continued to write and direct animated films until 1986, and she died in Zlín on May 3, 1993 at the age of 92.
Known For
In WWII Czechoslovakia, an old toymaker incorporates secret messages in his models to fool the Germans. They find him out and he flees. As the Gestapo officer hunts around he is attacked by the toys, who send him packing. Live action and stop motion short by Hermína Týrlová.
Revolution in Toyland
A snowman comes to life in this charming and playful stop motion short. In danger of melting once spring rolls around, the snowman eventually departs for an icier climate, perhaps to return next winter.
The Snowman
Ferda Mravenec (Ferda The Ant, 1944 ) runs over ten minutes, telling the tale of an ant colony versus a spider. This one is teeming with characters, with impressive animation, fun gags, and a good story.
Ferda the Ant
An animated short film that explains in a pedagogical way how the radio transmission works. Created by Czech filmmakers it was commissioned by Argentina Schools. The film tells the story of Curious, an extraterrestrial child that reaches the planet earth attracted by the sound waves. There he meets the Queen of Waves, an ethereal figure who teaches her step by step the process by which sound is captured, amplified, modulated and transformed into electromagnetic vibrations to be transmitted by a radial antenna.
The Queen of the Waves
No description available.
Já a Bělovous Zrzunda
No description available.
Wreath of Songs
Puppet adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale.
The Pig Shepard
PSA promoting traffic control and caution of children in the street.
Collision
An episode from a series of fairy tales tells the story of correcting the behavior of a mischievous and devilish boy. When the boy gets glued to a bucket, he finally understands how he's harmed the animals in the yard and woods.
The Mischievous Boy
A stop-motion animated fairy tale about good and evil using wooden folk toys.
The Naughty Slingshot
Another of Hermína Týrlová's "wool fairy tales" tells about two children who decorated a Christmas tree.
Christmas Tree
A poetic and colorful tale at the bottom of the sea.
Coral Fairytale
Two little figures are born from the wool clippings, who compete for the wool doll's favor and try to impress her with their bizarre antics.
Skittish Brothers
No description available.
Já a Kiki
No description available.
Pejskův sen
Children with their musical instruments are able to drive lazy Martin out of the furnace and punish him for his laziness.
Kalamajka
An adventurous letter that wandered around the world instead of rushing to a summer camp to see its little recipient.
The Curious Letter
The draughtsman Jára receives a letter from his girlfriend in which she parts with him. He is very unhappy and tries to shoot himself with a gun. Deranged, he spills ink from a bottle on the table. A clown Bimbo is born from the ink and he thanks Jára for setting him free. He keeps inventing how to surprise the draughtsman and cheer him up. Their friendship, however, is soon over, as the clown has conjured up a girlfriend for Jára. The draughtsman sets off to the open air with his new girlfriend, leaving the drawn forlorn Bimbo desolated in grief for losing a friend. The film is often dated 1927, but the documented censorship record originates from as late as 1930. Information about the year 1927 is on a single surviving copy in an opening title, which is not original. Nothing as to who created the given title and from which sources the person in question drew information about the date of origination of the film was found. The author of the rhymed subheadings is Karel Smrž.
Bimbo's Unfortunate Adventure
Puppet animated movie about an evil king, a golden-haired princess and living and dead water based on the fairy tale by Josef Kaynar.
Zlatovláska
No description available.