Open-air cinema: Lemonade Joe or Horse Opera

Based on the novel and play by Jiří Brdečka, Lemonade Joe was a 1964 western parody directed by Oldřich Lipský (both authors also contributed to the screenplay). Although Czech audiences had virtually no experience with Hollywood stories from the Wild West, the story of a noble teetotaling cowboy who drinks only Kolaloka lemonade quickly gained popularity. Interspersed with musical numbers, the imaginative film impressed with witty dialogue and meticulously executed gags, stunt performances and lovingly absurdist humour. It also maintained its cult status for a long time. The visual aspect of the narrative is also exceptional, involving ingenious tricks or whimsical colouring of the image, evoking the technique of viraging. In addition to the title character, accurately portrayed by Karel Fiala, the film also stars Miloš Kopecký as the conniving villain Hogofogo, Olga Schoberová as the naive beauty Winnifred and Květa Fialová as the Arizona songbird Tornado Lou.