A
(1/12/06 7:14 pm)

What may seem as stereotypes at first glance in most Kusturica films is just the "above" layer. There is really very much subtext going on in most of his films, and especially in "Underground"! Maybe I'm biased, as I was born on Balkan, but I don't like most Yugoslavian stereotypical films I've seen, but Kusturica is really something else.

@madhuban
Have seen the Godard short a while ago, but wasn't impressed too much. Seemed like an influence on Jean Eustache, though (or was it the just Eric Rohmer...). I liked Godard's short "Story of Water" much more (co-directed and scripted by Truffaut).
Fine to see the mention of similarities to the Czech New wave in "Do you remember Dolly Bell?". I also thought so immediately when i watched it (especially at the beginning), and when i pointed this out to a friend I watched the film with (a big Kusturica fan), I think I made him a bit interested in Czech films. 
But I think other Yugoslavian films of that time had the same influence (Rdeci Boogie by Karpo Godina comes to mind). It is the only film by Kusturica where this is apparent, though, as he fully found his own style with his next feature "When father was away on business". I see it as a kind of hybrid between Kusturica and the films he probably admired. A great film, and this made it even more interesting for me.