Silence and Cry

Starring:AndrÃ¡s KozÃ¡k, LÃ¡szlÃ³ SzabÃ³, JÃ³zsef Madaras, Mari TÃ¶rÃµcsik, ZoltÃ¡n Latinovits, Andrea Drahota
Director: MiklÃ³s JancsÃ³, JÃ³zsef Madaras
Studio: DreamQuest Films
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Description
MiklÃ³s JancsÃ³'s 'Silence and Cry' is set during a turbulent era of disquiet, fear, persecution and terror, which permeates every corner of post-WWI Hungarian society. In 1919, after just a few months of communist rule the Hungarian Republic of Councils falls victim to a nationalist counter-revolution. Admiral Horthy, leader of the nationalist far right movement, becomes the self-proclaimed regent of Hungary, and assumes power as the legal Head of State. Soldiers of the short-lived Hungarian Red Army are now on the run from relentless secret policemen and patrol units of the nationalist Royal Gendarme. If caught, ex-Red Army soldiers are executed without mercy or proper trial.

Description

Miklós Jancsó's 'Silence and Cry' is set during a turbulent era of disquiet, fear, persecution and terror, which permeates every corner of post-WWI Hungarian society. In 1919, after just a few months of communist rule the Hungarian Republic of Councils falls victim to a nationalist counter-revolution. Admiral Horthy, leader of the nationalist far right movement, becomes the self-proclaimed regent of Hungary, and assumes power as the legal Head of State. Soldiers of the short-lived Hungarian Red Army are now on the run from relentless secret policemen and patrol units of the nationalist Royal Gendarme. If caught, ex-Red Army soldiers are executed without mercy or proper trial.

István Cserzi, a former soldier of the Red Army has fled to the Great Hungarian Plains and has taken refuge on a farm, which is run by two sympathetic women. Due to the generosity of these women and a former childhood pal, who is now a commandant of the local Royal Gendarme outfit, István is safely hidden from the ever-prying eyes of the secret policemen, who relentlessly roam the countryside searching for ex-Red Army men and their sympathisers. However, upon discovering that the women are secretly poisoning the mother-in-law and the husband - the legal owners of the farm - István must make the most difficult decision of his life. As a personal war is waging within his own consciousness over morality and self-preservation, István must decide whether to remain silent about the women's devious secret and preserve his own life, or to report their heinous crime to the Royal Gendarme, which would also mean certain death for him.

Customer Reviews:

Great cinematography.......2004-07-04

I like the earlier works of Miklos Jancso, and I believe that this is one of his best films. This was the first Jancso movie where his traditional long takes were first developed and perfected. Jancso teemed up with a fresh-out-of-school cinematographer, who was just as eager to break with traditional filmmaking. Indeed the end result is mesmerizing cinematography. Even if you don't get the complex story at your first viewing the movie still leaves with a great impact. If you want to learn about cinema techniques you must see this film.

One of Jancso's best film.......2003-10-14

"Silence and Cry" is easily one of Miklos Jancso's best works. Anything from his 1960s period is great work of art, and "Silence and Cry" is no exception. The film is full of long sequences in which the choreography of both the actors' and the camera's movement is simply amazing. The DVD has rare extra features like the short documentary trilogy "The Presence". It also has a full director's filmography, listing all of Jancso's work, including early short films and television productions. It's a real bargain under $25 bucks, considering that similar DVDs from Criterion or Image cost a lot more. Highly recommended.

Silence and Cry (Csend és kiáltás) [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.2 Import - France ]

Average customer rating:

Silence and Cry (Csend és kiáltás) [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.2 Import - France ]
Director: Miklós Jancsó
Manufacturer: Clavis Films
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Product Description

France released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: it WILL NOT play on standard US DVD player. You need multi-region PAL/NTSC DVD player to view it in USA/Canada. LANGUAGES: Hungarian (Dolby Digital 2.0), English (Subtitles), French (Subtitles), WIDESCREEN (1.85:1), SYNOPSIS: The story begins amidst political instability after an abortive attempt by the communists to seize power in 1919. The police and the army are rounding up the insurgents, and a young communist is tracked down to a rural area. The army officer knows the wanted man, having been a childhood friend of his. A farmer, his wife, and their servant girl hide the man on their small farm, but the dragnet tightens around them. Two former childhood friends face off for an inevitable and symbolic showdown that leads to violence. SPECIAL FEATURES: Biographies, Filmographies, Interactive Menu,

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