Invention for Destruction

In this delightfully imaginative mix of live action and animation, pirates kidnap a professor and his assistant in order to steal his design for a new weapon of mass destruction, with which they plan to take over the world. Czech legend Karel Zeman brings his 19th-century Jules Verne tale to life as if it’s a book with engraved illustrations, using live sets, stop-motion, cel animation, matte backgrounds, and detailed linework to rival a piece of op art. The tale stirs together Verne’s flights of fancy—including a wondrous submarine and a looming volcano hideout—with a droll sense of gallantry and derring-do. The playful details of the film, alternately known as The Fabulous World of Jules Verne, are best appreciated on the big screen. Restored as part of Čistíme svět fantazie/Restoring the World of Fantasy, a joint project of the Czech Film Foundation, the Karel Zeman Museum, and Czech Television in cooperation with Universal Production Partners (UPP) and with the support of the Ministry of Culture and the State Fund for Cinematography of the Czech Republic.