Journey To The Beginning Of Time (aka Cesta do praveku) (1955) ***1/2 [KZ Triple Feature Pt. 1]

Introduction

Through the use of numerous innovative techniques such as animation, stop-motion, puppetry, miniature models, matte paintings and live action, Karel Zeman created wondrous fantasy/adventure films that embrace a very special cinematic language that is all but lost these days—one in which unreality is not seen as a weakness but rather a cause for celebration. The audience can clearly sense the human interaction (and sometimes even the strings) behind his special effects but that only serves to stimulate the imagination and call attention to the heart, soul, and creativity of these films, as well as the many hours that went into bringing them to life. Many viewers will find the effects dated and laughable but I prefer these methods to the heavy use of CGI any day. There’s something magical about these practical approaches that is important to appreciate and preserve. Zeman’s films are truly delightful works of art, and as an adult viewer, they do an extraordinary job of transporting one back to childhood. Zeman doesn’t receive the same recognition that craftsmen such as Willis O’Brien, Ray Harryhausen, and Georges Méliès do, but he certainly deserves to.

For his sophomore feature film, Journey To The Beginning Of Time—aka Cesta do praveku (The Road To Prehistory) (1955)—Zeman created an educational travelogue of sorts. It features four young boys who travel backward in time via river through a cave that transports them to primeval lands. Many extinct beasts—including a wooly mammoth, prehistoric birds, lizards, and dinosaurs—are brought to life through the various special effects techniques mentioned in the introduction. 

This quasi documentary, clearly inspired by the beauty of the natural world, was itself inspirational to many future filmmakers and technicians, including Steven Spielberg and Phil Tippett. While there is definitely a certain '50s hokeyness to JTTBOT, it nonetheless is an impressive time capsule of a film—one less concerned with presenting a narrative journey, as much as being fun and informative, intended to capture the imagination.