Movies & TV Archives

A scene from Eureka, Season 2, Episode 12: All That Glitters.

Just in time for Halloween comes this absolutely hilarious clip from the TV show Eureka. In this spooky episode, police are looking for a scientist from Slovenia — a mysterious country described as having a “history in witchcraft and ancient practices.” The scientist, we are told, learned “his trade” — presumably alchemy — from his grandfather. (A common occurrence here.)

Happy Halloween and see you after the holidays!

The infamous Lipizzaner debate from the film Crimson Tide. (1995)

It took me a while but here it is: the famous scene where Gene Hackman and Denzel Washington talk about Slovenia’s national horse, the Lipizzaner. (The name comes from the Slovenian town of Lipica) There are still occasional arguments about the origin of the horse but it’s usually between Austria, Slovenia and Italy.

In their goof section, IMDb refers to this scene as “incorrectly regarded as a goof” because:

While the horses take their name from the fact that the stud farm where they are bred is located in the village Lipica (in Italian: Lipizza), near Trieste in Slovenia, today all Lipizzaners trace to six stallions, all with Andalusian (Spain) blood.

That’s just goofy, to be honest. It would be like two people arguing about whether President Bush is from Connecticut or Texas, and me pointing out that, no, technically all people trace their origins to Africa. Ergo: he’s African. I would be right in a way, but also very, very wrong. Sometimes it’s possible to be both. And this is one of those times.

NOTE: I’ve decided to slowly give up on YouTube, which seems to be circling the toilet bowl these days, and instead use local video-sharing website MojVideo. If you can read basic Slovene, consider checking it out!

The clip from Sicko that references Slovenia.

Michael Moore’s latest film, Sicko, opens in Slovenia today. It’s already garnered plenty of attention here thanks to the clip shown above.

A somewhat hapless journalist recently chatted with Michael Moore in Sarajevo about the film. PopTV has video of the interview here. Moore basically goofs off the whole time, but his reaction to a Bosnian reporter who interrupts the interview is especially funny.

(Thanks Mitja!)

The official trailer for Michael Moore’s SiCKO.

The new Michael Moore movie is scheduled for release by the end of this month. If you’re in Slovenia, you probably already know that the country appears in the film as well as in the official trailer above.

I’m a bit late coming to this. (If you speak Slovene, a TV report can be seen here) But I had some advance warning that it was coming. Back in February, one of the producers contacted me wanting to talk about the Slovenian health care system. (I think this post led them to me) We talked for a bit, but in the end they seemed to be mostly interested in finding “something strange” about the country. This was around carnival time, so I suggested going to Ptuj for Slovenia’s somewhat unique take on that. They hinted that they might do some filming in Ljubljana, and try to catch some kurenti there.

But in the end, they chose a clip from the popular sitcom Naša Mala Klinika, which features lots of goofy-looking doctors. Apparently, the actors were neither thrilled nor consulted about this. (Permission was given via the studio)

I’m also hoping that the movie isn’t needlessly harsh on Slovenia. I was hoping that their point would be: “If a poorer country of 2 million people can achieve universal health care, why can’t the world’s greatest hyperpower?” and not: “Our system sucks so much that we almost suck as much as Slovenia, OMGWTF amirite?”

SiCKO opens on June 29, 2007.

(Thanks Boštjan!)

A compelling Tito documentary by Janja Glagovac and RTV Slovenia.

I found this documentary to be pretty riveting and despite severe restrictions on my time watched the entire thing. Please note that it has English subtitles throughout, which is great. Here’s a quick run-down of what the film deals with:

* Tito’s death
* Tito’s toxicology team
* Tito’s awesome wardrobe
* The Queen’s visit (including a waltz with Tito)
* Tito’s visits abroad (including a scene where he speaks English at a press conference with Kennedy)
* Tito’s self-destructive eating habits (Veal or chicken for breakfast?? The money quote: “Everything had to be greasy.”)
* To the waiter who once spilled food on him: “What are you waiting for, you put some on my back now put some on my plate so I can eat.”
* A Slovenian veteran talks about the famous Raid on Drvar attempt to capture Tito during WWII.
* Tito’s awesome wardrobe again (Camel-hair underwear??)
* His meeting with Khrushchev (includes a funny story about Tito paddling him with a billiard stick)
* A bit about Jovanka, his ill-fated wife
* His death

I did feel like a few things were missing. The film kind of grazes over some formative events. I’d like to know more, for example, about his time in Russia, as well as the power struggles of the post-war period, his legendary womanizing, his break with Stalin, his suppression of dissent, and perhaps more about the man himself. I suppose it should have been longer.

Maybe there’s a director’s cut?

(Via the new and promising Vunzvraga)

Petra KerÄ?mar and Edi Pucer lose it during the nightly news.

And, no, I’m afraid I don’t know what set them off.

(Thanks Barbara!)

Two Slovenes walk into a photo booth… Click to play.

The glorious Michael N. (no relation) spotted and sent along this absolutely wonderful clip from a recent episode of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. In it, a mega-cute Slovenian couple (what are the odds?¹) walks into a fake photo booth with a hidden camera. The girl skeptically says: “We won’t get any photos here.”

They then deal with the ensuing prank with absolute class and wit. Bravo to them.

(Thanks Michael N.!)

1. Of them being Slovenes, I mean, not of them them being cute. All Slovenes look like this, after all. [back]

The impossibly beautiful SoÄ?a River in Slovenia. (source)

It looks like the sequel to the Christian allegorical film The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, will be partly filmed in Slovenia. A crew will arrive here this summer to shoot scenes from Prince Caspian in the spectacular SoÄ?a Valley. It’s an amazing place, and certainly an appropriate backdrop for a fantasy film.

The first film got generally positive reviews and made a ton of money, so I’m guessing this one will do alright as well. And that means a lot of great publicity for Slovenia. The film probably won’t do what Lord of the Rings did for New Zealand (or did it?) but it’s still better than nothing.

A commercial for Visoki C (High C) candies.


ÄŒunga Lunga, Slovenia’s answer to Hubba Bubba.


Pips insecticide, produced by Slovenian pharmaceutical giant Krka.


Viki krema — like Nutella, only made by injuns.

(Thanks Matej and Pengovsky!)

Look out behind you!

I love this commercial for the Zastava 101. Instead of appearing majestic and serene, it just looks like the car is out of control and about to run over a hapless cellist. If there were still commercials like this, I’d consider watching more television. It’s like a proto-version of Christine.

Extra super happy time fun bonus: Another funny Zastava 101 ad.

(Thanks Barbara!)