532. Red Psalm

Red Psalm
1972
Directed by Miklos Jancso

Well, it's been rough.  I have been trying to find this film everywhere.  I had a friend download it for me.  After taking approximately a thousand years to download (at one point the estimated download time just had the infinity symbol), I was told I had the wrong codec.  I finally found it online, but only with Spanish subtitles.  I ended up watching it with Google translate open on the right.  I would pause periodically to type in and translate the subtitles then continue.  Is there even a way you can enjoy a film if you watch it in such a ridiculous way?  However, I am assured by my sister that I would hate it no matter what.

This movie is a musical of sorts I suppose.  Peasants in Hungary rebel, although they seem much more interesting in cramming in as many folk songs as possible.  And then all the women get naked.  Perhaps this was lost in translation, but I really wasn't clear on the reasoning behind this.  It felt pretty cheap to me; like a last ditch effort to make the movie somewhat interesting.  Of course, the filmmakers would claim it is art.

Such a drag.  It has been a real struggle get through some of these seventies movies and oh my god, we are only on '72.

RATING: *----

Interesting Facts:

Made up of only 27 takes.

471. Csillagosok, katonak

Csillagosok, katonak
The Red and the White
1967
Directed by Miklos Jancso

I am recovering from surgery so I should probably be sleeping right now since it is 11:27.  However, I am determined to get caught up on this blog before I go to bed.  Actually, it is quite easy to stay awake when it feels like someone is squeezing your ankle ridiculously hard.  Who would have thought?

This movie follows the 1919 battle between in the Communists and the Czarists in Russia.  The plot is extremely hard to understand.  Usually when I have no idea what is going on in a film, it is because I completely zone out, which is something I always own.  I am happy to say, however, my lack of understanding with this film wasn't my fault.  Lots of shots are done at a distance so you cannot see what is going on.  I really couldn't even tell you who the main characters are or what happened.

Surprisingly, I didn't hate it.  I usually need a good story, which this film certainly did not have.  However, I wasn't really watching the clock at all and believe me, I get bored easily.  Maybe I was so relieved that it wasn't the same old war film that I have seen a thousand times.  Possibly I liked it because I have always been interested in that time period in Russia.  Or maybe the cinematography was so beautiful that it distracted me enough so I wasn't bored.

In any case, it was worth a watch and I am excited to hear everyone's thoughts on it.

RATING: ***--

Interesting Facts:

Banned in Russia.