DbcultAccessing Vault...
6.5/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6.5/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. The Heroic Captain Korkorán remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
Honestly, it depends on how much patience you have for 1930s slapstick. If you like classic comedies and don't mind when the plot gets a bit loose, The Heroic Captain Korkorán is a fun artifact. If you need high stakes or a story that makes total sense, you'll probably hate it. It's a bit like watching a loud uncle try to tell a story at a dinner party—he's funny, but he loses the thread every five minutes.
Vlasta Burian is basically the whole show here. He’s got this manic, rubber-faced energy that reminds me a bit of the chaos in Jazzmania. He plays the Captain with such intensity that you almost forget the rest of the cast is just standing around waiting for him to do something else. There’s a scene where he’s trying to navigate a fancy social setting, and he looks like he’s physically fighting the furniture. It’s great.
The movie doesn't really care about being a masterpiece. It feels more like a vehicle for Burian to just be as loud as possible for 80 minutes. Some parts are clearly improvised or just thrown together to get to the next gag. It reminded me of The Golden Web in how it just sort of wanders from scene to scene without much of a map.
I think I liked it more when it stopped trying to be a romantic comedy and just leaned into the absurdity. When the characters start acting like normal people, it loses its steam fast. The movie gets noticeably better once it stops taking itself seriously. 🌊⚓️
It's not a film I'd show at a party to impress people. It’s a movie for when you're tired and want something that doesn't demand you think too hard. Just watch the Captain. Don't worry about the plot holes; they're everywhere anyway.
