Valerie and Her Week of Wonders
Director: Jaromil Jires
Year Released: 1970
Rating: 1.5
Loosely constructed 'fantasy' of a young girl's coming to terms with her developing sexuality (at 13) and this dream world of hers that consists of Nosferatu impersonators and abundant symbolism. The individual that wrote the novel had to have some working knowledge of The Misfortunes of Virtue and Alice in Wonderland, since the story is deeply indebted to both: girl, in mysterious and unexplainable 'other-world,' voyeuristically views people engaging in sexual activities from afar - through peep holes or behind trees - but recoils when advances are made towards her. Unlike De Sade, however, no one's sure where to go with the very thin story, and instead of Valerie entering a nunnery, she - and the ending - are left in the middle of nowhere.
