Goat Story - The Old Prague Legends (Czech: Kozí příběh - pověsti staré Prahy) is a 2008 Czech 3D computer-animated fantasy comedy film produced and directed by Jan Tománek, and written by Tománek with David Sláma. The first Czech-produced feature-length computer-animated film,[2] it features animation by Art And Animation studio and was released May 19, 2010 in United States.

Goat Story - The Old Prague Legends
Czech theatrical release poster
Directed by	Jan Tománek
Written by	Jan Tománek David Sláma Robin Panzer
Story by	Jan Tománek David Sláma
Produced by	Jan Tománek
Starring	Jiří Lábus Matěj Hádek Mahulena Bočanová Michal Dlouhý Petr Pelzer Jan Přeučil Viktor Preiss Miroslav Táborský Karel Heřmánek Petr Nárožný Dalimil Klapka Pavel Rímský Ota Jirák Filip Jevič Justin Svoboda
Cinematography	Jan Tománek
Edited by	Alois Fisárek Jan Tománek
Music by	David Solař
Production companies	Art And Animation studio Visions In Technology D production Ceská Televize
Distributed by	Bontonfilm (Czech)
Release date	16 October 2008 (2008-10-16) (Czech)[1]
Running time	80 minutes
Country	Czech Republic
Languages	Czech English
Budget	$1.8 million
Box office	$1.3 million (Czech Republic)

The film features the voice performances of Jiří Lábus, Matěj Hádek, Mahulena Bočanová, Michal Dlouhý, Petr Pelzer, Jan Přeučil, Viktor Preiss, Miroslav Táborský, Karel Heřmánek, Petr Nárožný, Dalimil Klapka, Pavel Rímský, Ota Jirák, Filip Jevič and Justin Svoboda. Produced over the course of five years on a $1.8 million budget, and only about ten animators and 3D graphic designers worked on it.

Goat Story was theatrically released on October 16, 2008 by Bontonfilm on May 19, 2010. It won the main prize at the 2010 Buenos Aires International Children's Film Festival,[3] and received nominations at other film festivals. A sequel, Goat Story 2, was released in 2012.

Plot

The story takes place in Prague during the reign of Charles IV, when Charles Bridge was built in Prague and the unique Prague Astronomical Clock was built. Kuba comes to the capital from the countryside with his Goat and carry a load of eggs as a raw material for the construction of Charles Bridge. A poor student Matěj comes to Prague to study with Master Hanuš [cs]. Kuba and Koza stay in Prague for the construction of the bridge. Here Kuba sees Maca for the first time and immediately falls in love with her. Máca is a city girl of plump shapes, who supplies forged nails for the construction of the bridge. When Kuba causes the scaffolding on one side of the bridge to fall because he was carving a statue of Maca from the supporting beam, he is expelled by the workers and his Goat. Both are taken care of by Master Hanuš himself, who is looking for a good carver for the Astronomical Clock statues and is interested in Kuba's art of carving from wood. Poor Matěj, who is the target of ridicule by other students due to his poverty, also studies with Master Hanuš. He has gained the trust of his teacher and is overseeing the plans of the Old Town Astronomical Clock. Because Matěj has nowhere to sleep, he finds the Faust House in Prague, already abandoned at the time. Thanks to his classmates' constant ridicule, he succumbs to the lure and picks up a silver tolar in Faust's house so that he can fit in with his other peers. However, they deceive him and in an unguarded moment destroy the Astronomical Clock's plans. The unsuspecting Matěj hands over the plans back to Master Hanuš. The big surprise of Master Hanuš is when the Prague councilors discover damaged plans and demand punishment of the culprit. Matěj is thrown into the prankster for one day and because he does not know what he would do wrong, he decides to avenge Hanuš. When Master Hanuš and Kuba Astronomical Clock complete, they will not reap any respect or recognition. The Chinese offer Master Hanuš to build such an astronomical clock with them as well. Witnessing this discussion is Matěj, who in the meantime signed his contract with the Devil and writes a letter to Prague councilors. He entrusts the executioner of Mydlář to blind Hanuš. Hanuš wants to take revenge for this "gratitude" and the astronomical clock stops by the famous touch into the machine. Kuba, as his assistant, is commissioned to repair the astronomical clock under the threat of execution of Maca if he fails to do so in time. Kuba will open the astronomical clock at the last minute, but will not have time to run to the execution site. Later it turns out that Koza swapped with Maca and she was hanged. But then the goat falls from the gallows and it turns out that she had an iron tube in her throat all the time, so she didn't hang herself.

Voice cast

• Jiří Lábus as Goat
• Matěj Hádek as Kuba
• Mahulena Bočanová as Máca
• Michal Dlouhý as Matěj
• Petr Pelzer as Mistr Hanuš
• Jan Přeučil as Purkmistr
• Viktor Preiss as Konšel
• Miroslav Táborský as Priest Ignác
• Karel Heřmánek as Devil / Leader
• Petr Nárožný as Beggar
• Dalimil Klapka as Beggar
• Pavel Rímský as Beggar
• Ota Jirák as Taverner
• Filip Jevič as Student
• Justin Svoboda as Student
• Mike Buffo as Jemmy (English version)
• Luba Goy as Cořum (English version)
• Jo-Anne Krupa as Katy (English version)

Production

On 14 October 2001, it was announced that Jan Tománek was hired and set to direct, produce and write Goat Story - The Old Prague Legends. David Sláma co-wrote the script for the film. The film budget was just $1.8 million for release in 2008. On 5 June 2003, it was announced that Jiří Lábus, Matěj Hádek, Mahulena Bočanová, Michal Dlouhý, Petr Pelzer, Jan Přeučil, Viktor Preiss, Miroslav Táborský, Karel Heřmánek, Petr Nárožný, Dalimil Klapka, Pavel Rímský, Ota Jirák, Filip Jevič and Justin Svoboda joined the film.

Mike Buffo and Jo-Anne Krupa joined the cast on 9 July to voice Jemmy and Katy in the English version produced by Karl Hirsh. On 10 December 2005, it was announced that David Solař would compose the music for the film. Development, animation, lighting, color and storyboarding of the film was completed in Prague, Czech Republic. On 8 March 2007, Phase 4 Films and Bontonfilm acquired distribution rights to the film.

Release

Goat Story received a theatrical release on 16 October 2008 by Bontonfilm.

Marketing

The film was featured on the cover of the March 2008 edition of American publication Animation.[4]

Home media

The film was released on DVD and Blu-ray on 10 April 2009 by Bontonfilm.

In 2015, the producers uploaded both Goat Story and its sequel on YouTube.[5]

Reception

Box office

The film grossed $1.3 million in the Czech Republic. With admission 350.000 just in the Czech Republic it became the most successful Czech animated film ever.

Awards

Sequel

A sequel, Goat Story 2 was released in 2012.

See also

• List of animated feature films
• List of computer-animated films
• Prague Astronomical Clock

References

External links

• Official English website
• Official Czech website
• AAA Studio's YouTube channel
• Goat Story at IMDb
• Goat Story at Rotten Tomatoes