Pat & Mat
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Pat & Mat (original names in Czech Kuťáci, ... a je to!, Pat a Mat) is a Czech stop-motion animated series featuring two handymen, Pat and Mat (Czech for "Stalemate" and "Checkmate", respectively). It was created by Lubomír Beneš and Vladimír Jiránek.
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[edit] The show
The show features the two characters facing mostly a self-made problem, trying to solve it using any possible and impossible tools and constructing gadgets, which leads to more problems. Yet, eventually, the two manage to get a working result with a mostly surprising solution.
According to the authors, it is the manual ineptitude that inspires the stories. The humour is not the only feature of the show, but also the optmistic approach to life. The two characters always get into problematic situations but they never give up, until they solve the problem in imaginative ways.
The show is also memorable for its soundtrack, composed by Petr Skoumal, of which the main parts consist of the theme song and a harmonica tune.
[edit] History
The two characters first appeared in a 1976 short film entitled Kuťáci (The Tinkers). Later, the characters appeared in more shorts, making their own TV series called ... a je to! (... And that's it!), where they got their final look. The two handymen got their names Pat and Mat in 1989, and this became the name of the show.
While creating the two characters, the authors had in mind especially entertainment for adults, but the show became popular with all audiences. However, in former Czechoslovakia, the first 35 episodes of the series could have been produced as children's TV programme only, in the short's format of 7 minutes.
The show became popular throughout the world, being aired in Czechoslovakia (now Czech Republic and Slovakia), Sweden, Poland, Yugoslavia, Iceland, Germany, Switzerland, Brazil, Finland, Netherlands, Croatia, Norway, Spain, Iran, Hungary, Jordan and some more countries.
In 1990, shortly after Czechoslovakia became open (and later the Czech and Slovak republics), Lubomír Beneš (who died in 1995) founded his own AIF Studio in Prague (production) and Zurich (marketing, sales, financing), where he and his team produced 14 more episodes, and introduced all 49 of them in the international market.
[edit] Festivals, awards, prizes
Several of the Pat & Mat episodes have received prizes and awards at world animation festivals during the years.
From the latest ones directed by Lubomír Beneš, the 38th episode The Cyclists, animated by Alfons Mensdorff-Pouilly, participated at the "Annecy '93" (Annecy, France) animation festival competition, and has been invited to a number of other world festivals.
The Cyclists has also been included in the selection "The Best of Annecy '93" by Cinémathèque Québécoise (Montreal), Museum of Fine Arts (Boston), Pacific Film Archive (Berkeley), Museum of Modern Art (New York) and presented by these institutions in their autumn '93 show.
The 44th episode The Billiards, animated by František Váša, has been selected for the "Annecy '95" competition, and invited to almost all other world film festivals.
The Billiards has got two prizes at the World Animation Celebration in Agoura (CA), March '97:
- 1st prize - best animation for a daytime TV series
- 2nd prize - best stop motion professional animation.
[edit] Followers
Later on there were also five DVDs released with the episodes. As of 2005, 78 episodes were made in total, with the idea and characters taken over by partially new teams. Among the team members on the new production was Marek Beneš, Lubomír Beneš' son.
[edit] List of show title in other languages
Here is a list of how the series was called in different countries.
- Czech Republic: Kutaci, ...a je to!, Pat a Mat, Pat a Mat se vraci
- Poland: Sąsiedzi, Pat i Mat
- Germany: ...und fertig!, Peter und Paul, Pat und Mat
- Switzerland: Sepp und Heiri
- Brazil: Zeca e Joca
- Finland: Hupsis, Pat ja Mat
- The Netherlands: Buurman en Buurman
- Iran: Hamineh & hamooneh
- Iceland: Klaufabárðarnir
- Norway: To gode naboer
- Slovenia: A je to! Pat in Mat
- Slovakia: A je to! Pat a Mat
- Britain: ...and that's it!, Pat and Mat
- Sweden: Två snubbar
- Hungary: Kétbalkezesek
- Jordan: Zingo wa Ringo
[edit] Episode Names
| N/e | Year production | English Title | Czech Title (Slovak in 1979-1985) |
Director Episode |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pilot produced in the Barrandov animation studios, Prague |
||||
| 1 | 1976 | Pat & Mat (Tinkers, Neighbours) | Pat a Mat (Kuťáci) | Lubomír Beneš |
| ...A je to! produced in the Barrandov animation studios, Prague, courtesy of Czechoslovak Television, Bratislava) |
||||
| 2 | 1979 | Tapestry | Tapety | Lubomír Beneš |
| 3 | 1979 | Workshop | Dielňa | Lubomír Beneš |
| 4 | 1979 | Carpet | Koberec | Lubomír Beneš |
| 5 | 1979 | Rocking Chair | Hojdacie kreslo | Lubomír Beneš |
| 6 | 1979 | Picture | Obraz | Lubomír Beneš |
| 7 | 1979 | Garage | Garáž | Lubomír Beneš |
| 8 | 1979 | Light | Svetlo | Lubomír Beneš |
| 9 | 1981 | Record Player | Gramofón | Lubomír Beneš |
| 10 | 1981 | Grill | Gril | Lubomír Beneš |
| 11 | 1982 | Removal | Sťahovanie | Lubomír Beneš |
| 12 | 1982 | Water | Voda | Lubomír Beneš |
| 13 | 1982 | Jumpers (Aeriels) | Skokani | Lubomír Beneš |
| 14 | 1982 | Garden | Záhradka | Lubomír Beneš |
| 15 | 1982 | Painting Job | Maľovanie | Lubomír Beneš |
| 16 | 1982 | Crosswords | Krížovka | Lubomír Beneš |
| 17 | 1983 | Gym | Telocvičňa | Lubomír Beneš |
| 18 | 1983 | Bird Feeder | Búdka | Lubomír Beneš |
| 19 | 1983 | Big Laundry | Veľké pránie | Lubomír Beneš |
| 20 | 1983 | Breakfast (In Grass) | Raňajky v tráve | Lubomír Beneš |
| 21 | 1983 | Washing Machine | Práčka | Lubomír Beneš |
| 22 | 1983 | Rain | Dážď | Lubomír Beneš |
| 23 | 1984 | Excursion | Výlet | Lubomír Beneš |
| 24 | 1984 | Winegrowers | Vinári | Lubomír Beneš |
| 25 | 1984 | Skates | Korčule | Lubomír Beneš |
| 26 | 1984 | Piano | Klavír | Lubomír Beneš |
| 27 | 1985 | Potters | Hrnčiari | Lubomír Beneš |
| 28 | 1985 | Defect | Porucha | Lubomír Beneš |
| 29 | 1985 | Apple | Jablko | Lubomír Beneš |
| Pat a Mat produced in the Barrandov animation studios, Prague (Krátký Film Praha) |
||||
| 30 | 1989 | Key | Klíč | Lubomír Beneš |
| 31 | 1989 | Furnitures | Nábytek | Lubomír Beneš |
| 32 | 1990 | Lawnmower | Sekačka | Lubomír Beneš |
| 33 | 1990 | Litters | Generální úklid | Lubomír Beneš |
| 34 | 1990 | Door | Dveře | Lubomír Beneš |
| 35 | 1990 | Roof | Střecha | Lubomír Beneš |
| Pat a Mat produced in the authors' AIF Studio, Prague and Zurich |
||||
| 36 | 1992 | Bisquits | Sušenky | Marek Beneš |
| 37 | 1992 | Door Garage | Vrata | Lubomír Beneš |
| 38 | 1992 | Cyclists | Cyklisti | Lubomír Beneš |
| 39 | 1992 | Shallows | Dlaždice | Lubomír Beneš |
| 40 | 1992 | Paquet | Parkety | Lubomír Beneš |
| 41 | 1992 | Gutter Pipe | Okap | Marek Beneš |
| 42 | 1993 | Convertible | Kabriolet | Lubomír Beneš |
| 43 | 1994 | Flat Tire | Nehoda | Lubomír Beneš |
| 44 | 1994 | Bilard | Kulečník | Lubomír Beneš |
| 45 | 1994 | Hedge | Živý plot | Lubomír Beneš |
| 46 | 1994 | Safe | Trezor | Lubomír Beneš |
| 47 | 1994 | Fender | Blatník | Lubomír Beneš |
| 48 | 1994 | Model Builders | Modeláři | Lubomír Beneš |
| 49 | 1994 | Windsurfing | Windsurfing | Lubomír Beneš |
| episode not released for distribution (produced by part of former Lubomír Beneš team without his heirs' consent) |
||||
| 50 | 1998 | The Cards | Karty | František Váša |
| Pat a Mat se vrací (followers, with Marek Beneš or his consent) |
||||
| 51 | 2003 | Barbecue | Opékají špekáčky | Ladislav Pálka |
| 52 | 2003 | Binding of Roof | Opravují střechu | Ladislav Pálka |
| 53 | 2003 | Black Box | Černá bedýnka | Vlasta Pospíšilová |
| 54 | 2003 | Wheels | Kolečka | Vlasta Pospíšilová |
| 55 | 2003 | Dog House | Psí bouda | Milan Šebesta |
| 56 | 2003 | Painting Floor | Natírají podlahu | Ladislav Pálka |
| 57 | 2003 | Glasshouse | Skleník | Marek Beneš |
| 58 | 2003 | Swing | Houpačka | Marek Beneš |
| 59 | 2003 | Unwelcome Guest | Nezvaný návštěvník | Marek Beneš |
| 60 | 2003 | Bodyguards | Bodygárdi | Marek Beneš |
| 61 | 2003 | Painting Windows | Natírají okna | Marek Beneš |
| 62 | 2002 | Puzzle | Puzzle | Marek Beneš |
| 63 | 2003 | Easter Egg | Velikonoční vajíčko | Vlasta Pospíšilová |
| 64 | 2003 | Slim Figure | Štíhlá linie | Vlasta Pospíšilová |
| 65 | 2003 | Automatic Machine | Automat | Marek Beneš |
| 66 | 2003 | Autodrome | Autodráha | Marek Beneš |
| 67 | 2003 | Aquarium | Akvárium | Marek Beneš |
| 68 | 2003 | Pumpkin | Zavařují | Ladislav Pálka |
| 69 | 2003 | Hang Glider | Rogalo | Ladislav Pálka |
| 70 | 2004 | The Golf | Hrají golf | Ladislav Pálka |
| 71 | 2004 | The Lid | Někam to zapadlo | Vlasta Pospíšilová |
| 72 | 2004 | The Swimming Pool | Kopají bazén | Marek Beneš |
| 73 | 2004 | The Landscape Painting | Věší krajinu | Marek Beneš |
| 74 | 2004 | The Christmas Tree | Vánoční stromeček | Marek Beneš |
| 75 | 2003 | The Chrismas Cake | Vánočka | Milan Šebesta |
| 76 | 2003 | The Illness | Stůňou | Ladislav Pálka |
| 77 | 2003 | The Fax Machine | Fax | Josef Lamka |
| 78 | 2003 | The Strawberries | Jahody | Vlasta Pospíšilová |
