Castle of Otranto (1977) - full transcript

Jiri Trnka's Studio

Prague

Central Film Distribution

presents

THE CASTLE OF OTRANTO

Animators

Producer

Music

Editor

Artistic Studio Director

Camera

Scriptwriter, designer, director

According to an old prophecy,

the Otranto estate and castle

will cease to belong

to the present noble family

as soon as the original owner

becomes too big to inhabit it.

Doctor, could you explain to us

the connection between this quote

from an old novel set in Italy

and the ruins of

this typically Czech castle?

As a young child I came across

the first Czech edition

of a gothic novel called

The Castle of Otranto

written by Horace Walpole.

The book's knowledgeable introduction says,

'I cannot but believe that

this story is founded on truth.

The scene is undoubtedly set

in a real castle.'

The author later expresses his belief

that certain curious people may attempt,

and I quote, 'to uncover the foundation

on which our author has built.'

That sentence took my breath away.

I set out to uncover exactly that.

After all today we know

that Don Juan really existed.

So did the Montagues

and the Capulets

but I would be interested to hear

about your sources and your progress.

I took the most tangible part of the text,

the description of the castle.

I noted everything about the edifice.

For example, the large hall

at the end of the corridor on the right,

or Matilda's chamber up in the tower, etc.

Then came the second phase

of my research.

Its aim was to locate a castle

that corresponded to the castle's image.

But Otranto, unless I am mistaken,

is a small town in southern Italy.

Yes, it is a small town

in the south of Italy but firstly,

Otranto Castle does not match

the description in the novel.

It is a somewhat improved garrison.

Secondly, the real Otranto estate

was always owned by the King.

That rules out inheritance feuds

between aristocratic families.

Subsequently, I examined

all the ruined castles

and manor houses in southern Italy,

including Sicily, but to no avail.

When my hopes ran aground,

as it happens, luck came to my rescue.

A friend sent a postcard from his holiday.

It showed typical Czech countryside

with a romantic and beautiful ruin.

But what a ruin!

It matched the description in the novel.

It was incredible.

The postcard was sent from N?chod.

I went to N?chod to see my friend

and to inquire further.

Do you know what he told me?

It is Otrhany Castle near N?chod.

The village is called Otrhany.

I was struck by the resemblance

of the descriptive forms.

Otrhansky - Otrantsky,

the letter 'h' is muted

in all Romance languages.

So many linguistic congruencies

can't be accidental, I thought.

There had to be a link.

I opened a surgery in N?chod and started

archaeological digs here at the castle.

The wedding date was set for the birthday

of young prince Conrad, son of Manfred.

Oh, the helmet!

Conrad! My only son, my only heir.

Dry your tears.

Conrad is not worthy of your love.

Oh, my lord?

Instead of a feeble boy, you will get

a mature man who will appreciate your charms.

Woe is me! I am too unhappy

to think of wedlock again.

Isabella, unable to give you my son,

I offer you myself.

You? My father-in-law? Conrad's father?

Yes! I need a new heir, come what may.

No! Never! I would sooner die

After her! She must not escape.

Magnanimous young man,

how can I ever repay you?

Where is Isabella? Speak, stranger.

I will force the truth out of you.

The most astonishing moment

in my research.

Was the discovery of

this underground passage.

By then I was fully convinced

the plot had taken place right here.

But a handful of

unresolved problems remained,

such as how the Otrhany Castle

was transferred to Italy.

When I looked into this issue,

I soon realised it posed no real problem.

There have been close ties

between our country and Italy since 868

when Cyril and Methodius received

a ceremonious welcome in Rome.

Then there was

Petrarch's visit to Prague,

the Czech army's campaign

alongside Heinrich IV

in 1194 to Apulia and directly to Otranto, etc.

Yet the most persuasive

is the following possibility.

During the reign of Premysl II

a certain Henricus Apolus,

a royal notary, was living in Prague.

He came to Bohemia and

started teaching humanities.

Later he moved back to Italy

and then Bohemia again.

And here I see a concrete possibility

as to how the story

found its way as a literary topic

into the novel

the author incorrectly placed it in.

And thus, in the tender heart of Matilda, love

for the miserable Theodore started to blossom.

Open the gates for the Knight of the Big Sword!

Give Isabella to me!

I must find her and protect her.

He is in love with her.

This here was quite likely the cavern

where Isabella

sought refuge from Manfred.

Isabella...

Isabella...

Isabella, Isabella...

Isabella...

Give Isabella to me!

Never!

Isabella, my child.

Dear me! My father. Save him! He is dying.

Our viewers, as well as myself,

would like to know

your opinion on the numerous

supernatural occurrences in the novel.

You will surely agree they are

a product of the human imagination

that has left its trace

on the true story over the years?

I was of the same opinion

at the outset of my research.

But evidence from the excavation...

Digging.

...and the findings I made

posed a question to which

I have to date no satisfactory answer.

Reason suggests one answer,

the digs another.

Come and have a look.

Excavated t his one n 1938

The chemical analysis

irrefutably confirmed it was horn tissue.

Its chemical composition was very similar

to that of an ostrich feather

which is, as you know, a typical adornment

of the medieval armoury helmet.

And I found this in 1934.

Look, this is a rivet from real armour

and this is my own finding.

Can you imagine how large

the armour would actually have had to be?

I owe my life to you only.

Theodore hides in the woods, living off animals.

I am indebted only to Matilda's devoted care.

I know, you fancy my daughter.

She is a true ?ngel.

Take the hand of Matilda in return for Isabella.

Thus they linked the blood of two old families.

When Isabella's father asked Matilda

for her hand, then suddenly...

My careful scrutiny of the door aperture,

the side walls and the stones around

produced a microscopic metal fragment,

as if some huge body

was trying to push its way out.

After this warning Isabella's father

cancels his engagement to Matilda

and, equally, refuses

to give Isabella to Manfred.

When Manfred sees his plans fail,

he decides in a fit of rage to kill Isabella

but by mistake kills his daughter Matilda.

This, however, is not elementary

to our investigation.

We are more concerned

with the prophecy being thus fulfilled.

Note, please, the disgorged stones.

As if some gigantic force

lifted the castle walls

and threw them

down into the valley.

Manfred! Your deed is done.

Oh, that ancient prophecy.

Your hypothesis about

Otranto Castle being identical

to Otrhany Castle near N?chod

sounds very convincing.

But allow me to undermine

the validity of your evidence

regarding paranormal activities.

As a born realist,

I find them difficult to accept.

Could it be that the horn tissue

you have dug out

actually came from a cow's horn?

Or, could the large rivet be

a badly cast part of a water hydrant?

And as for the microscopic

metal fragments on the walls

and the bursting castle ruins,

could they be explained by the fact

that the castle was bought

by an enterprising local yeoman?

This film is dedicated to researchers

whose activities are founded on bafflement.