Possessing a subscription to the Criterion Channel has taught me so much (and, with the exception of the CFL, who do I show more love to than the Criterion Channel?). As I've often noted, my Japanese Film Noir class grew out of the Criterion Channel's collection of the same name. Another collection that I've loved (and which I partially harvest for my Fascism class this semester) is their Czech New Wave collection. The other night I watched Frantisek Viacil's The Valley of the Bees, which is the final film in his history trilogy (following The Devil's Trap and Marketa Lazarova). The Valley of the Bees focuses on the story of two men, Ondrej and Armin, who are members of the Teutonic knights, and the tragedy that ensues when Ondrej fees the order and Armin journeys to bring him back. It works beautifully as a historical critique of fanatical religion, but it's difficult to not read read it as a commentary on communism. I need to watch more Viacil films.
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