| Old Czech Legends | |
| Director: | Jiří Trnka |
| Screenplay: | Jiří Brdečka Jiří Trnka |
| Music: | Václav Trojan |
| Cinematography: | Emanuel Franek Ludvík Hájek |
| Editing: | Helena Lebdušková |
| Studio: | Československý státní film Praha Loutkový film Praha |
| Distributor: | Rozdělovna filmů Československého státního filmu |
| Runtime: | 91 minutes |
| Country: | Czechoslovakia |
| Language: | Czech |
Old Czech Legends ('''Staré pověsti české''') is a 1953 Czechoslovak stop motion puppet animation film directed by Jiří Trnka. It is based on the 1894 book Ancient Bohemian Legends by Alois Jirásek.
After the completion of Prince Bayaya in 1950, Trnka was praised by the communist regime of Czechoslovakia, and asked to make more films. He planned to make an adaptation of Don Quixote, but was rejected for the theme being too cosmopolitan.[1] He was pressed to make an adaptation of Jirásek's Ancient Bohemian Legends. Trnka initially didn't want to work on the project.[2]
The film has a complex story with many characters and features complicated scenes both to stage and animate. Trnka's use of camera movements, lighting, set design, character design and animation and general storytelling made this an influential film in the history of animation.[3]