The Ear cover art

The Ear Details

1970 Certificate 15
  • Rated:
  • 70
  • from 291 members

A couple from Czechoslovakia suffer from intense paranoia when news reaches them that one of the husband's superiors has been arrested. Their fears are heightened when it appears that they are being watched... Read more

Starring Jirina Bohdalova, Radoslav Brzobohaty
Director Karel Kachyna
Genres Drama

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The Ear

A couple from Czechoslovakia suffer from intense paranoia when news reaches them that one of the husband's superiors has been arrested. Their fears are heightened when it appears that they are being watched...

Starring Jirina Bohdalova, Radoslav Brzobohaty
Director Karel Kachyna
Studio SECONDRUN
Run time DVD: 1 hr 31 mins
Certificate Certificate 15
Genres Drama
Language DVD: Czech
Hearing-impaired English
Subtitles DVD: English
Released DVD: 01 Oct 2009
Production year: 1970
Format DVD
  • Critics' reviews (3) of The Ear

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  • 4 stars out of 5

    This is one of the films “banned forever” by the Czech government in 1969, which finally emerged to great acclaim following the Velvet Revolution 20 years later. Directed with awesome control by Karel Kachyna, The Ear is a blistering combination of political allegory and domestic drama. Radoslav Brzobohaty is the epitome of paranoia as the minor official who arrives home from a blood-letting party function convinced that he is next in line for dismissal and arrest. His feuds with wife Jirina Bohdalova as they strip the house of incriminating evidence are excruciating in their bitterness and ferocity. Slightly outdated, but still masterly.

    • Radio Times
  • 1 stars out of 4

    A skilled but claustrophobic domestic and political drama, which is partly filmed in semi-darkness to emphasize its atmosphere of betrayal, guilt and general malaise; though when characters emerge into the light it is for a sinister purpose.

    • Halliwell's Film Guide
  • Most helpful member's review of The Ear

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  • 8 out of 9 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 0 stars [Highly rated reviewer]

    just zero

    there's nothing to say about this film... stopped watching in 5 minutes...

      • sirgay from London
  • Most recent members' review of The Ear

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  • 7 out of 7 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 4 stars

    A PIECE OF THE OLD PRAGUE

    This film is typical of a bunch of films made between about 1959 - 1970 in Czechoslovakia, and which were subject to withdrawls by the Communist Government. For anyone wanting to have a glimpse of the old pre-1989 life this film shows exactly what it was like in Prague in those years. It's very Czech.It's amazing to think of this extreme, intense reality existing in the centre of Europe, and films like these provide a direct link to a by-gone era. Thats what makes them so important. It's a pity more have not been released on dvd, but their obscurity somehow makes them more startling.

      • A customer from , SOHO, LONDON
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Rating breakdown

291 Member ratings
  • 100
24
  • 90
31
  • 80
64
  • 70
64
  • 60
47
  • 50
21
  • 40
14
  • 30
9
  • 20
10
  • 10
7

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