Review of Valerie and Her Week of Wonders (1970) by Joey S — 09 Jul 2013

A very unusual Czech fantasy/horror film, Valerie and Her Week of Wonders is sometimes too surreal to follow, but its gorgeous visuals and abundance of symbolism make it interesting to watch and think about.

It tells the story of the sexual awakening of a young teenage girl named Valerie after she has her first period. Suddenly all the men and women in her town, including her own family, become infatuated with her and go to extreme lengths to be with her.

Not only that, but a group of missionaries are coming through town, including a grotesque vampire bishop who may or may not be Valerie's father and a priest who wants to rape Valerie. It plays out like a twisted fairy tale, and a very confusing one at that, and the gothic visuals definitely add to this fairy tale vibe.

Just about everything in the movie is a symbol for something else, which is likely what makes it so confusing. Symbolism ranges from a drop of blood falling on a daisy (the loss of Valerie's innocence) to a coffin lined with bright green apples (an allusion to the garden of Eden).

It's sort of a cheap cop-out to say this, but the movie is probably not for everyone. Some people will be a little too creeped out by the sexualization of the thirteen year-old star and others (like me) will find too confusing and strangely edited.

However, I enjoyed the visuals and deeper meaning behind the story , so if you're feeling adventurous then you could do worse than Valerie and Her Week of Wonders. Just don't expect it to be even remotely normal.