The Dodals

Book excerpt: Today, Czechoslovakia is famous for its unique tradition of animated film. Standing at the very beginning of this tradition is Karel Dodal (1900-1986), who, in collaboration with his wives Hermina Dodalova (nee T rlova) and, later, Irena Dodalova (nee Leschnerova), made the very first Czech animations, starting with 1927's "Felix the Cat Receives a Lesson." The Dodals' marvelous short films range from abstract animations to works made with intimate little sets that vividly convey the ways in which Czechoslovakia's rich culture of puppetry influenced its animation (as instanced by the films of Jan Svankmajer). This attractively designed and abundantly illustrated biography of the Dodals traces their career from its outset, in the 1920s, through their wartime exiles in Paris, Minneapolis (Karel Dodal taught at Minnesota University), New York and Argentina as well as looking at their contemporaries. It includes a DVD featuring 28 restored and digitized films along with documentation on the Dodals themselves.