Little Otik

2001

Little Otik

Critics Consensus

Though rather overlong, Little Otik is a whimsical, bizarre treat.

84%

TOMATOMETER

Reviews Counted: 43

85%
liked it

Audience Score

User Ratings: 5,902

TOMATOMETER

N/A
All Critics | Top Critics
Average Rating: N/A
Reviews Count: 0
Fresh: 0
Rotten: 0

AUDIENCE SCORE

85%
Average Rating: 3.9/5

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Movie Info

Acclaimed animator Jan Svankmajer combines cartoon and live-action imagery to bring to life a bizarre story based on an old Czech folk tale. Karel (Jan Hartl) and Bozena (Veronika Zilkova) are a married couple who desperately want a child, but have been unable to conceive; Alzbetka (Kristina Adamcova), an only child who lives next door, has long wanted a friend to play with and feels for the couple's sad dilemma. One day, Karel is digging up an old tree stump when it occurs to him that the roots look a bit like a baby; Karel brings the stump home and carves it into the image of a child, and Bozena expresses so much love for the wooden infant that it comes to life. Karel and Bozena name their new child Otik, but their joy is short-lived when they discover the infant has a bottomless appetite -- so much so that Otik begins eating stray animals and even people in an effort to satisfy its hunger. Karel and Bozena hide Otik in their basement to keep it from harming others, but Alzbetka feels sorry for the strange child and begins bringing Otik scraps of food. It soon becomes obvious that this isn't enough to keep Otik satisfied, so Alzbetka starts luring people from the neighborhood into the basement -- letting Otik do the rest. Otesanek was screened in competition at the 2000 Venice Film Festival.

Cast

Veronika Zilková
as Bozena Horakova
Jan Hartl
as Karel Horak
Jaroslava Kretschmerova
as Mrs. Stadlerova
Pavel Nový
as Franisek Stadler
Kristina Adamcova
as Alzbetka
Dagmar Stribrna
as Mrs. Spravcova, the Caretaker
Zdenek Kozak
as Mr. Zlabek
Gustav Vondracek
as Mladek, the Postman
Arnost Goldflam
as Gynaecologist
Jitka Smutna
as Bulankova, the Social Worker
Jirí Lábus
as Policeman at Station
Radek Holub
as Young Postman
Jan Jiran
as Karluv, Office Co-Worker
Zdenek Palusga
as Uniformed Policeman
Frantisek Polata
as Plainclothes Policeman
Vaclav Jezek
as Plainclothes Policeman
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Critic Reviews for Little Otik

All Critics (43) | Top Critics (10)

View All Critic Reviews (43)

Audience Reviews for Little Otik

½

An infertile couple pretend a tree stump is a baby, but trouble arises when it comes to life and needs to be fed. The laughs are as twisted as the gnarled roots little Otik uses to grab his dinner in this black comedy adaptation of a European folktale with hints of horror and flecks of surrealism.

Greg S
Greg S

Super Reviewer

Little Shop of Horrors, with a Czech twist. An off-beat (to say the least) rendering of a fanciful fairy tale. Consider this a rave review for a ravenous root. :)

Randy Tippy
Randy Tippy

Super Reviewer

½

Like merging Lynch's The Grandmother & Eraserhead and making it more straightforward but also more twisted at the same time

Arash Xak
Arash Xak

Super Reviewer

Yet another reason for not having kids ever.

Tsubaki Sanjuro
Tsubaki Sanjuro

Super Reviewer

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