If you’re in the mood for a shrewd, off-the-wall flick, then you’ve come to the right place.
Tomorrow I’ll Wake Up and Scald Myself with Tea (1977) is a Czechoslovakian* sci-fi/comedy about time travel and outsmarting the person you used to be.
It’s also about time travel as a profitable tourist activity.
Now, to travel through time, you must take a rocket. Rockets depart several times daily from the Prague airport, and time travel companies offer tourist packages to eras throughout history. You can visit dinosaurs, for example, or you can party with French Revolutionaries.
One time travel pilot, Charles (Petr Kostka), is hired by a group of Czechoslovakian Nazis to travel to 1944 Germany, so they can give Adolph Hitler a stolen hydrogen bomb to help him win the war.
However, when Charles suddenly dies before lift-off, his identical twin, John, takes his place. From here, things quickly spiral into comic surrealism.
Because the film has such a bizarre premise, we have to explain the story a bit more.
Tomorrow I’ll Wake Up and Scald Myself with Tea has a razor-sharp script filled with amusing characters, all of whom are deftly maneuvered around one ordinary but significant event: A man accidentally scalds himself with tea.
(The tea looks more like coffee, but there’s no guessing how a time-travelling society might alter hot beverages.)
Charles, the amoral time travel pilot who has been hired by the Czechoslovakian Nazis, lives with his identical twin brother, John. Charles, the daring pilot, is sloppy and careless; John, the timid rocket designer, is tidy and Responsible.
On the morning of his trip with the Nazis, Charles chokes on his breakfast roll. Unable to shout for help, he soon collapses.
John, in the kitchen with his tea-coffee, doesn’t hear his brother’s distress because he’s accidentally scalded himself. By the time he realizes what’s happened, Charles is unconscious. John fetches the doctor, but it’s too late – Charles is dead.
While the doctor prepares the death certificate, Charles’ fiancé phones. John starts to tell her the bad news, but she can’t bear it. She gives the phone to her overbearing mother who makes it clear there Better Not be bad news about Charles. John, panicking, blurts out it’s John who has died.
The doctor, overhearing this conversation, puts John’s name on the death certificate and now John has, suddenly, assumed Charles’ identity. So he does what Charles would have done; he dons the pilot uniform and heads to the airport.
Sadly, John-as-Charles soon realizes he’s become involved with dim-witted Nazis who, for all their plans of World Domination, are quickly imprisoned by the same Germans they admire.
Things really get messy when (most of) the group escapes from the Germans and returns to the Prague airport the day before they left. Here they discover a second, “future” version of themselves, preparing for the same trip from which they have returned.
But! John-as-Charles realizes his future self is still at home, unscalded by tea-coffee, and that Charles hasn’t yet choked on his breakfast roll.
This presents a welcome opportunity for John-as-Charles, as well as the Nazis, but it also means sabotaging the duplicate versions of themselves.
As one character says, “Yesterday’s Klaus is going to rob today’s Klaus.”
Tomorrow I’ll Wake Up and Scald Myself with Tea is a fast-paced comedy that doesn’t stop to catch its breath. The screenplay is adapted from a short story by Josef Nesvadba, a Czechoslovakian writer and psychiatrist. (Wikipedia says Nesvadba may have been an agent of the state secret police.)
The script gleefully plays with the concept of duality in countless ways, and it’s a pleasure to watch such a clever premise skillfully unfold on screen.
We haven’t shared half of the fun. We implore you to see Tomorrow I’ll Wake Up and Scald Myself with Tea. You can watch it free, with English subtitles, HERE.
You’re welcome.
Notes
- *Even though the nation of Czechoslovakia was dissolved in 1993, we are using this name because the film was released in 1977.
- This is part of the TIME TRAVEL blogathon hosted by Wide Screen World and yours truly.
Tomorrow I’ll Wake Up and Scald Myself with Tea: starring Petr Kostka, Jirí Sovák, Vladimír Mensík. Directed by Jindrich Polák. Written by Milos Macourek & Jindrich Polák. Filmové Studio Barrandov, colour, 1977, 93 mins.
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You are amazing! I’ll certainly be checking out this, shall we say unconventional?, movie.
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It’s so much fun, and nothing is wasted. Things that are introduced early in the film, no matter how trivial they seem, have greater significance later on. One example is dish detergent – and you’ll know what I mean when you see the film.
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So clever. So funny. When the Nazi’s leg broke off I nearly choked!
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Haha! So glad you saw this film, and especially glad it made you laugh. That green spray is really something, isn’t it?
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I like the idea of time travel as a tourism industry. One could have a lot of fun with that concept.
How on earth did you find out about this one?
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Truthfully, I’d never heard of the film before you mentioned hosting the blogathon. I did a search on time travel movies, and I found this one. So glad I did – it’s one of my new faves.
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This sounds wild! I’ve never heard of this before, but shall try and seek it out now. I love the title because it sounds so unusual.
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This is a very unusual movie, with lots going on, but a person never feels lots and is never confused with who is who. It’s a real treat. When I first saw it, I enjoyed it so much I watched it twice in a row!
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I love time travel comedies! There’s so much comedy inherent in the concept that there’s no reason not to exploit it. I love that it all comes down to tea:)
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Preach it, sistah! When I first saw this film, I thought, “How come all movies can’t be this clever?” I hope you get the chance to see it – it’s well worth the 93 minute run time.
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OMG! Thank you for this. I needed a laugh today! 🙂
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This film is the perfect Rx for a laugh. I find it inspiring in an odd way.
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Sounds great! Your wonderful post has convinced me…I’m watching this.
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Yay! Viewing satisfaction guaranteed.
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Hi…as you’re hosting today’s round…here is my second entry: https://thoughtsallsorts.wordpress.com/2018/03/11/most-beautiful/
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Perfect! Thanks! I’ll be posting a recap later today.
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That Nazi war-room scene was hilarious! :p
War-rooms always gets the funniest scenes, like in Dr. Strangelove.
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Haha! Absolutely correct.
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I love reading about movies I’ve never heard of and I have a small spot for time travel movies. This one certainly sounds unique and worth a viewing!
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It really is worth a view. It’s a funny and smart movie – when I first saw it, I watched it 2x in a row!
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This sounds like a lot of fun, and quite original too. Thanks for writing about it!
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Ack! Not sure how I missed this comment, but thanks for stopping by. I hope you get the chance to see this film – it is worth it.
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Oooooh, this looks like a good one. Judging by all the comments, I’m a little late to the bandwagon, but no worries. Thanks!
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I hope you get the chance to see this film. It’s madcap and so much fun!
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Sounds really interesting! So many movies, so little time… “wait, I’m sitting in a time machine, I have all the time I want!” (BTTF 🙂 )
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Haha! BTTF has a lot of wisdom, no?
I hope you’re able to see this crazy film. I think you, in particular will get a kick out it, given your interest in & research of history.
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I’m definitely putting this on my watchlist! I studied Czech cinema in Prague a few summers ago, and while I LOVED the city, I didn’t grow fond of their country’s cinema. My professor picked some truly terrible movies for us to study — even my Czech host was confused by her selections!
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You studied Czech film in Prague? Get out! What an experience…well, except for the movies…
I hope you get the chance to see this film, and I hope I’m not overselling it. I found it one of the most unique & original time travel movies I’ve ever seen. It would be interesting to get your thoughts on it.
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Woman, I know what I’ll do next weekend. This sounds completely bonkers, and I must watch this movie as soon as possible to earn cinephile points and also have a weird experience. And, well, I’d like to use and explore time travel as a touristic activity.
Kisses!
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Yes, please see it! With your knowledge of history, combined with your film smarts, I think you might find it might be a real treat – at least I hope so. 🙂
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I just watched it and it was really a gem! My mind was blown by th clever screenplay, and for sure the line “Yesterday’s Klaus is going to rob today’s Klaus.” is one of th highlights – this and the whole sequence in which John is making phone calls from the truck.
Thanks for recommending this film!
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Yay! So glad you saw it and very happy you liked it. And yes, that scene where John is making calls from the truck is hilarious!
Thanks for letting me know what you thought. That made my day!
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Okay, I really need to see this! With such a nutty premise, it’s too amazing to pass up. Your review title truly lived up to its promise – I’ve never heard of this movie before, but I can’t wait to check it out. Cheers!
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Barry, I think YOU need to see this film and, if you do, your readers deserve to know your thoughts on your blog. (Hint Hint)
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You’ve sold me on this one, adding to the watchlist. I wish I had come up that intriguing title Tomorrow I’ll Wake Up and Scald Myself with Tea. Thanks for the recommendation
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It’s a great title for a film, isn’t it? I hope you get the chance to see this – well worth it!
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Finally got around to watching this. What a find! Thank you!
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Yay! So glad you got the chance to see it. It’s a terrific film, isn’t it?
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