The Cremator

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The Cremator

1969,

1h 40m,

Comedy/

Drama

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Watchlist

89%

9 Reviews

Tomatometer

91%

500+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

89%

Tomatometer

9 Reviews

91%

Popcornmeter

500+ Ratings

In Prague, Kopfrkingl (Rudolf Hrusínský) enjoys his work at the crematorium perhaps a bit too much, having gained a perverse idea of reincarnation from his haphazard studies of Tibet. After World War II breaks out, there is a sudden need to be as Aryan as possible, and Kopfrkingl's old friend Reinke (Ilja Prachar) points out that Kopfrkingl has some German heritage. But his wife is Jewish, which makes his children Jewish, which makes the now-Nazi Kopfrkingl's blood boil.

Margaret Hinxman

Daily Telegraph (UK)

Jun 8, 2020

A valuable moral, but it is hard to care about the destiny of characters who are depicted as freaks from the beginning. Stunning Peter Lorre-ish performance from Rudolf Hrusinsky, however.

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Jonathan Romney

Film Comment Magazine

Aug 9, 2019

The Cremator is essential viewing if you're a lover of morbid black comedy, the kind of cinema that lies on the delicate border between horror and social satire.

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Anthony Lane

The New Yorker

Jul 29, 2019

Herz practiced a surrealism that is bare of whimsy and armed with aggression; one image splinters into the next, and, in the opening scene, full of caged beasts, you feel the prowling presence of Kafka.

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Julian Singleton

Cinapse

Jul 12, 2025

The Cremator is a stunningly-shot portrait of systemic evil at its most terrifyingly mundane, and provides a watch that is as chilling as it is bleakly humorous.

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Nicholas Bell

IONCINEMA.com

Jul 30, 2020

4.5/5

While retrospect allows one to appreciate The Cremator's comically monstrous undertones, it's dismaying sense of dread has only become more potent over time.

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Martin Unsworth

Starburst

Dec 14, 2017

9/10

Not only is it an immensely entertaining movie, it's a work of art that should be on the list of anyone looking to understand filmmaking and cinematography.

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Draco M

May 2, 2018

One of the best of the Czech New Wave. Creepy and wonderfully shot. From story to cinematography, this is a must-see.

Draco M

May 2, 2018

Acclaimed Czech black comedy with a great performance by Rudolf Hrusinky.

Leia L

May 2, 2018

If ever there was a film that could be described as 'stream of consciousness', this is it. It's a kind of surreal horror comedy, somehow it got forgotten about. It will freak you out.

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Leia R

Apr 27, 2018

Dark, somewhat funny, powerful, and disturbing. Well worth a watch

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Juraj Herz

Director

Rudolf Hrusínský

Kopfrkingl

Vlasta Chramosotova

Lakmé

Jana Stehnova

Zina

Milos Vognic

Mili

Ilja Prachar

Walter Reinke

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Synopsis

In Prague, Kopfrkingl (Rudolf Hrusínský) enjoys his work at the crematorium perhaps a bit too much, having gained a perverse idea of reincarnation from his haphazard studies of Tibet. After World War II breaks out, there is a sudden need to be as Aryan as possible, and Kopfrkingl's old friend Reinke (Ilja Prachar) points out that Kopfrkingl has some German heritage. But his wife is Jewish, which makes his children Jewish, which makes the now-Nazi Kopfrkingl's blood boil.

Director: Juraj Herz
Screenwriter: Juraj Herz, Ladislav Fuks
Production Co: New World
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Original Language: Czech
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 9, 2020
Runtime: 1h 40m

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