Jakub Arbes: Newton's Brain

The most interesting work, for which Jakub Arbes is nowadays mainly sought after and read, is of course his novelette. The term, which was advised to the young aspiring writer by Jan Neruda himself, refers to a longer story combining mysterious, adventurous and science-fictional motifs. The plot is usually based on an unusual supernatural phenomenon, for which witnesses find it difficult to find a rational explanation, and often has an almost horror-like tinge. Among the more unknown are Saint Xaverius, The Devil on the Scissors, The Grey-Eyed Demon and The Crucified. And also Newton's Brain (1877), a work for which Jakub Arbes is often ranked among the founders of Czech science fiction literature. Persons and cast: Jiří Andres (Jan Bartos), Bedřich Wünscher (Bořivoj Navrátil), doctor (Josef Velda), priest (Petr Oliva), rhythm master (Ladislav Frej), caretaker (Josef Chvalina), Newton (Josef Patočka), editorial director Vozáb (Ivo Gübel), parish priest in Nechanice (Roman Hemala) and corporal (Stanislav Bruder)Directed by: Petr Adler