Krabat – The Sorcerer's Apprentice

Krabat ( in the Czech original Čarodějův Ucen ) is a cut- out animation film from the year 1977. The film is based on the novel Krabat by Otfried Preußler and the old Sorbian folk tale from the good wizard Krabat. It was directed by Karel Zeman.

It was the first film adaptation of Krabat by Preußler after two years before the black mill after Yuri Brežan by GDR television had been filmed already. 2008, a live-action adaptation, which also bears the title Krabat.

Action

The young vagabond Krabat goes through the Lausitz, until he and three other beggars seeks refuge one winter in a barn. At night, he follows a raven, who calls him to the mill at the black water, and promises him that he would live better. Once there, Krabat becomes the apprentice of the master of the mill. Eleven other, older apprentices are employed in the mill, the oldest named Tonda. From now on he has to work hard in the mill and also once tried to flee after a hard punishment of the master, but he finally arrives at the run yet again to the mill. He befriends with Tonda and soon learns that he has fallen into a magic mill. After his probationary period, he was admitted as a student of the Master and learn about how the other spells of the master who these from the Koraktor, a magic book reads. You will learn to transform into animals, often ravens, and also with their enchantments to defraud the people of the country for their money they bring their master. During one of his missions to Easter Krabat meets the young Kantorka (" cantor " ) that goes singing to the well, and falls in love with her. But he can not get away from his master.

The next winter at Christmas there is a magic duel between Tonda and the Master, as Tonda has been learned and there can only be one master. A trick wins the old master, and Tonda comes around. The mill wheel stops, it will rotate again until as soon as the trainees are twelve of us again, and after Krabats arrival. And soon comes a new beggar to the mill, Witko, the angliedert as youngest in the series. Also it only works in the mill and is then picked up as a student. Krabat befriends him, and they help off. At Easter Krabat visited the Kantorka again and so evokes the wrath of his master. This tried both now tormenting again and again on their missions, while Krabat finds out that the apprentice Juro is not as stupid as he pretends. Both night after night sneak secretly, into mice in the black chamber and read illicitly themselves from the Koraktor to be superior to the master. After all, it is Christmas again and this time defeated the old master after the death Tondas the oldest, students are engaged apprentice who has to die out.

Yet Krabat is now open to his master. He flees again and again to see the singer and secretly learns from the Koraktor, where he reads, that love is stronger than any spell. This, however, he can not do anything at first. The master sends him to a new task; Krabat is to help the army of the Emperor against the Turks. In battle there he meets another wizard, he seriously injured and then reveals itself as Juro. The Master wanted them both kill each other. When Krabat now wants to take action against the master, he can not defeat him. But come, summoned by Juro, the singer to help. The master shall provide it with the task blindfolded to recognize their loved ones among the apprentices. When her this succeeds against the master's expectations, the master dies, the mill goes up in flames and the magic dissipates.

Production and publication

The film was produced in 1977 Gottwaldov of Krátký movie studio and directed by Karel Zeman, who also wrote the screenplay. The music was composed by František Belfin. At the production Südfunk Stuttgart, Bavaria Film GmbH and Československý were involved Filmexport.

Krabat was translated, among others, into Japanese, French, Finnish and Hungarian. The ARD showed the film on 24 March 1978 in Germany, on September 7, 1979, he came under the title Krabat - The apprentice of the magician in the GDR cinemas. In April 2000 Krabat released on video. A DVD edition was released in January 2011.

Synchronization

Reception

Josef Schnelle writes in filmdienst 1979 by a complicated scale action that was inappropriate in the gloomy representation for smaller children. The film is in parts " virtuoso " implemented, which shows itself particularly in the transformation scenes. It was not the fault of a " hectic action drama " has been made. The abstract moral at the end is that love is superior to black magic.