ADELA HAS NOT HAD SUPPER YET (ADÉLA JEŠTĚ NEVEČEŘELA), 1978, NFA, 102 min. “Within that bizarre flower lies a huge enigma,” muses Nick Carter, America’s Greatest Detective (Michal Dočolomanský), called to Prague to investigate the case of a missing dog and instead winding up in the jaws of a giant carnivorous plant controlled by his old nemesis, The Gardener (Miloš Kopecký), in Czech director Oldřich Lipský’s beloved cult hit. Inspired by the Nick Carter dime novel detective stories created by John R. Coryell, ADELA is an irresistible slapstick combination of 19th century James Bond gadgetry, LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS, Blake Edwards circa THE PINK PANTHER STRIKES AGAIN and Louis Feuillade silent serials like FANTOMAS and JUDEX. In other words, a sheer delight.

The second major comic hit from director Lipský and writer/animator Jiří Brdečka after their musical western spoof LEMONADE JOE (1966), ADELA features much of the same cast as their third and final satire THE MYSTERIOUS CASTLE IN THE CARPATHIANS (1981) including leads Dočolomanský, Kopecký and the wonderful Rudolf Hrušínský as a Pilsner-drinking sausage-eating police commissar who invariably saves the day. A loving tribute to the bygone days of old-world Prague, the film is literally filled with surreal, poetic moments and machinery – a balloon chase on a flying bicycle, a solar rifle, flowering vines serving tea – with the best by far being the Audrey-like man-eating plant designed and animated by the legendary Jan Švankmajer (who also contributed to MYSTERIOUS CASTLE IN THE CARPATHIANS several years later). Look for famed Czech actress Olga Schoberová (LEMONADE JOE, WHO KILLED JESSIE?, Hammer’s THE VENGEANCE OF SHE) in a brief but memorable role as cabaret dancer Irma the Cat. Beautifully restored by the Národní filmový archiv, Prague, for release by Deaf Crocodile and Comeback Company. In Czech with English subtitles.

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Video Quality

Adela Has Not Had Supper Yet debuts on Blu-Ray in its original 1.66:1 aspect ratio with a 1080p master derived from a restoration by Národní filmový archiv in Prague released by Deaf Crocodile. As is typical with the label, the results are astounding for this little-known gem outside of its home country. The new transfer displays a magnificent amount of depth and enhanced detail within the brilliant production design and costumes. The film has a fantastical bent, but the frame never suffers from a soft appearance to conjure such a feeling.

The restoration cleans up any previous bits of damage for a remarkably pristine viewing experience The natural film grain of the original photography remains intact while extracting so much texture in the varied environments. There is a marvelous amount of detail present with prominent textures on the clothing and the creative production design. Colors are deep and bold to capture the intended appearance. Black levels are deep with no semblance of black crush or compression artifacts. Deaf Crocodile has worked tirelessly to bring this one to Blu-Ray, and the results are undeniable.

Audio Quality

This Blu-Ray comes with a strong DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio split mono track in the original Czech (with optional English subtitles). The film indulges in some whimsical sound effects that are given the appropriate presence within the mix. The score emanates through the room well in relation to the competing sounds. There are no signs of fragility in any of the notes. This track deploys everything with precision and the utmost fidelity free of damage and other unwanted issues. The film balances unique sonic characteristics with the expected qualities you need from the track. Dialogue flows through clearly without anything overshadowing important information. Deaf Crocodile has knocked it out of the park.

Special Features

The Deluxe Edition Blu-Ray of Adela Has Not Had Supper Yet arrives in a hard slipcase package that is a beauty in person. The release also includes a 60-page, bound book featuring writing by film critic Walter Chaw and film historian and expert on Central & Eastern European cinema Jonathan Owen. There are also excerpts from the book Jiří Brdečka: Life-Animation-Magic. All of this provides great insight into the film, the themes, the creatives, and the behind-the-scenes details in a thoughtfully written style. The on-disc special features are as follows:

Audio Commentary: Tereza Brdečková and Czech film expert Irena Kovarova of Comeback Company provide an informative commentary track in which they provide great context for Czech cinema of the time, the collaborations between writer Jiří Brdečka (father of Tereza) and director Oldřich Lipský, the love of the Nick Carter novels, the production of the film, and much more. Not only do we get a personal take on the material, but the analysis as a film historian is fascinating.

Jiří Brdečka Animated Shorts: Four extremely interesting animated short films are provided that showcase the inventive mind of the writer. These have been restored in beautiful HD.

- Badly Drawn Hen (1963) (13:40)

- The Forester’s Song (1966) (9:35)

- The Miner’s Rose (1974) (8:05)

- What Did I Not Tell The Prince (1975) (9:33)

Final Thoughts

Adela Has Not Had Supper Yet is another quality collaboration between Jiří Brdečka and director Oldřich Lipský that upends what you expect from conventional filmmaking. There is a daring quality to each choice that reignites your belief in the wonders of cinema. At its core, this is a detective story, but it is quite unlike any detective story you might expect to witness. The performers do a nice job and the behind-the-scenes craft elements are first-rate. There are other efforts from this creative team that we love a bit more, but it is hard to not celebrate this special film. Deaf Crocodile has released a Blu-Ray which sports a top-tier A/V presentation and a rich assortment of special features. Every discovery from the label is something you should not miss. Recommended

Adela Has Not Had Supper Yet is currently available to purchase on Standard Edition Blu-Ray or with a Deluxe Edition Slipcase exclusively through Deaf Crocodile and DiabolikDVD.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Deaf Crocodile has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.