Elektafilm

Elektafilm a.s., formerly Elektafilm s.r.o. was a Czechoslovak film production and film distribution company that existed from 1923 to 1951. It produced and distributed silent and since 1930 sound films in Czech, German and French languages.[1]

Elektafilm
TypeJoint-stock company
IndustryMotion picture
Founded1923 (1923)
Defunct1951 (1951)
Headquarters,
Czechoslovakia
Area served
Czechoslovakia, Germany, Austria, France
Key people
Josef Auerbach
ProductsFilm
SubsidiariesSlaviafilm

In the 1930s, Elektafilm was the biggest film production company in Czechoslovakia.[1] The most successful Elektafilm-produced film was Gustav Machatý's Ecstasy. Most of its films were shot at rented A-B Ateliers in Vinohrady, Prague in 1920s, and Barrandov Studios since 1930. Another Czechoslovak production company, Elekta-Journal (1929-1937), had no connection to Elektafilm despite the similar name. Elektafilm frequently worked with directors Martin Frič, Svatopluk Innemann, Karel Lamač and Miroslav J. Krňanský.

History

Elektafilm was founded by Josef Auerbach, Julius Schmitt and Jan Reiter as a limited liability company in 1923. In 1926, Elektafilm acquired a production company Vircofilm. In 1928, the company transformed to joint-stock company. In 1930, Elektafilm bought two other Czechoslovak film production companies Slaviafilm (then owned by Sascha-Film) and Moldaviafilm. In 1932, Auerbach acquired 100% of shares of Elektafilm. He sold Moldaviafilm in 1934.[2] In 1939, Auerbach moved to New York through Brazil because of the worsening political situation for the Jews in Europe. During the war years, the company was taken over by the Germans and produced films for UFA GmbH.[1] In 1945, the company was nationalized and finally dissolved in 1951.[2] Josef Auerbach's effort to get the company back were not successful. In USA, he went into real estate and popcorn business, then he worked with The Mirisch Company.[3] In 1964 he accepted the Academy Award for Lauro Venturi's short documentary film Chagall.[4]

International operations

In the 1930s Elektafilm was co-producing their multi-language movies with French Gaumont Film Company, German Sonorfilm and Ondra-Lamač-Film or Austrian DonauFilm.

Films produced

Elektafilm

YearTitle
1923The Kidnapping of Fux the Banker[5]
1925From the Czech Mills
1927Schweik in Civilian Life
1929Hanka a Jindra
1930Imperial and Royal Field Marshal
K. und K. Feldmarschall
1931The Affair of Colonel Redl
Der Fall des Generalstabs-Oberst Redl
1931Him and His Sister
Er und seine Schwester
1931Last Bohemian
1931Kariéra Pavla Čamrdy
1931Business Under Distress
Wehe, wenn er losgelassen
1932Extase (Czech)
Extase (French)
1932Lelíček ve službách Sherlocka Holmese
Le roi bis
1932Zapadlí vlastenci
1933Professeur Cupidon
1933Public Not Admitted
1933 Řeka
1933Skřivánčí píseň
1934The Heroic Captain Korkorán
1934Polská krev
Polish Blood
1934At St. Anthony's
1935Childless
1935Jedenácté přikázání
1935Král ulice
1935Student's Mother
1935Valse éternelle
1935Nanynka Kulichová's Wedding
1935Le Mari rêve
1936On the Green Meadow
1936Heart at Dusk
1936Her Highness Dances the Waltz
1937The False Pussycat
1937Watchman No. 47
1937Widow from the Sky
1937Woman at the Crossroads
1938White Crow
1938A Foolish Girl
1938The Third Ringing
1939Cesta do hlubin študákovy duše
1939The Magic House
1939Věra Lukášová
1940Second Tour
1940Jana Kosinová's Past
1940Pohádka máje
1940To byl český muzikant
1941The Blue Veil[6]

Slaviafilm

YearTitle
1929Erotikon
1932Sestra Angelika
1932Budoucí hospodyňka
1933Srdce za písničku
1936Rozkošný příběh
1936Uličnice
1938Holka nebo kluk?
1938Svatební cesta
1939Dědečkem proti své vůli
1939Zlatý člověk
1940Baron Prášil
1940Dva týdny štěstí
1940Pacientka dr. Hegla
1940Poznej svého muže
1941Advokát chudých
1941Provdám svou ženu
1941Turbina
1941From the Czech Mills

References

  1. Michal Večeřa (2012). Elektafilm – největší výrobní koncern československého filmu v meziválečném období (PDF) (Mgr.) (in Czech). Masaryk University.
  2. PhDr. Schwippel Jindřich. "Elekta" (PDF) (in Czech). NFA.
  3. Mirisch, Walter (2008). I thought we were making movies, not history. Madison, Wis.: University of Wisconsin Press. pp. 37–38. ISBN 9780299226404. Retrieved 18 October 2021.
  4. "Academy Awards Acceptance Speeches - Search Results | Margaret Herrick Library | Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences". aaspeechesdb.oscars.org. Retrieved 18 October 2021.
  5. Český hraný film I. 1898 – 1930. Národní filmový archiv. 1995.
  6. Český hraný film II. 1930 – 1945. Národní filmový archiv. 1998.

Bibliography

  • Auerbach, Norbert: Z Barrandova do Hollywoodu, 2006, Prague: Mladá fronta ISBN 80-204-1558-0
  • Jiras, Pavel: Barrandov I: Vzestup k výšinám, 2011, Ottovo nakladatelství ISBN 978-80-7451-173-8
  • Jiras, Pavel: Barrandov II: Zlatý věk (1933-1939), 2012, Ottovo nakladatelství ISBN 978-80-7451-261-2
  • Bednařík, Petr: Arizace české kinematografie, 2003, Karolinum ISBN 80-246-0619-4
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.