[2] Some of these films are adapted from works by Czech writers such as Bohumil Hrabal and Vladislav Vančura.

[9] The film was also based on a book by Bohumil Hrabal, and spoke about life in a re-education camp in Czechoslovakia under the communist rule in the 1950s.

[4][10] Menzel was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film again in 1986 with his dark comedy My Sweet Little Village.

[15] He was also awarded the French title of Knight of Arts and Letters and the Czech Lion for lifetime artistic contribution.

[10] He is survived by his wife Olga Menzelová, and daughters, Anna Karolina and Eva Maria.