The world as frankps sees it!
Posts tagged Movies
Back from Hungary with 3 Hungarian Movies
0As always when I am in Hungary, I try to find myself a few Hungarian movies. This time I bought Állítsátok meg Terézanyut! (2004), S.O.S. Szerelem (2007) and the last one was Kalandorok (2008). All three of them available with on DVD with English subtitles.
Lets start with the last one first, Kalandorok, it is made by the same people behind the classic Üvegtigris (2001 and Üvegtigris 2 – 2006). I hoped that they had found a great story, that I could really laugh from, but sadly not, the movie was a tragedy. I cannot on Earth understand how this movie could win prices at the Hungarian Film Week and Transilvania International Film Festival.
I am a great fan of Sándor Csányi, so one of the movies that I hoped to be buying this time in Hungary was S.O.S. Szerelem. In short, Peter is the head of a high-tech matchmaker company which organizes dream dates for wealthy costumers. Then comes Tamás, an ambitious businessman that can’t find a way to get close to Veronica, the woman of his dreams. Peter comes up with a spectacular plan: He rents a mansion in the country for Tamás, and he and his colleagues pretend to be his family in the hope of winning Veronica’s heart. However, Veronica is attracted to Péter instead of Tamás, and develops a strong bond with his daughter. Is Veronica going to follow her heart or will an unfortunate event from the past determine her decision? All in all, a quite so enjoyable movie.
Állítsátok meg Terézanyut! was a great movie, that made me laugh lots of times. The movie has several promising actors and actresses, that I have seen in Kontroll, Szabadság, szerelem, Csak szex és más semmi and Konyec. The plot was simple, Kata, in her 20s, loses her boyfriend and her job on the same day. She’s been indulging in fantasies of a more thrilling romantic life, and the cold water of being alone and unemployed doesn’t entirely dampen her imagination. She’s egged on by three girlfriends who get together to talk about men and sex. Kata has possibilities: She meets David (Sándor Csányi from S.O.S. Szerelem), a medical student; there’s Tamás, a stranger on a train who might be good for a relationship and a job. There’s also Miki, her brother who’s had serious drug problems.
The actress that did Kata was new to me, Gabriella Hámori. She won the award The Best Hungarian actress of the year in 2003, and I can only say that I hope to see more of her.
Make sure to read what I have written about other Hungarian movies.
Bought 3 new Hungarian movies
0As always when traveling to Hungary, I visit the Tesco Hypermarket near by. I don’t have to much good to say about these hypermarkets, as they first of all kill most smaller businesses and secondly kill variety. So also with movies, Tesco has a huge section with DVDs. Perhaps even bigger then some DVD shops, but the selection is more or less limited to (American) blockbusters. Just one small, little shelf with some Hungarian movies on sale.
I ended up buying three movies this time, one older one and two more recent movies. The first one I found was Üveg Tirgris 2 (2006). I just loved the first movie, it’s a classic. I got it recommended from several of my Hungarian friends, and I really understand why. It has achieved a cult status. The sequel is also a nice way to kill an evening, but as always sequels never keep the same level as the first movie. One thing I found sad was that the second movie didn’t have English subtitles as the first one. A few words about the movies is in place I guess, most of both of them are filmed on one small location, in front of a roadside buffet. It’s amazing what situations the 6 loosers manage to get themselves in to!
The second movie I bought was an early film by Dobó Kata,Európa expressz (1999). She made two brilliant appearences in Csak szex és más semmi (2005, blog entry) and Szabadság, szerelem (2006). Európa Expressz was one of her first movies, and it was the first Hungarian action movie after communism, but unfortunately the realisation is somewhat awful. One of the casts also appeared in both Üveg Tigris movies. Another one, Sandor Csanyi, played against Dobó Kata in both Csak szex és más semmi and Szabadság, szerelem. He is most famous for his role in Kontroll (blog entry), and as you might now from my blog, that is one of my favourite movies. What I find special with Európa expressz is that is has a new generation of actors and actresses, that are today the core of Hungarian movie industry.
The last movie that I bought this time, was the Bonnie and Clyde-like movie Konyec (2007). The movie is from the film house Hungaricom, and they were behind Csak szex és más semmi. And surprise, surprise, the actress Schell Judit played again Kata Dobó and Sandor Csanyi in that movie.
Konyec is about an old married couple living in post-communist Hungary. They are happy, but poor. After not being able to pay the bills, Emil decides to stop it all and leaves his council house that is threatened by debt collectors. He drives his old Russian car (a 1958 Chaika GAZ, luxury car of communist party leaders) and leaves to rob – gently and politely – the first post office he comes accross. His next target was gas station, and then we get introduced to the two out-of-town investigators, talented Ági (Schell Judit) and the hot-headed Andor. They try to set a trap for Emil by using Hédi but during the confrontation Hédi runs away with her husband and they set out on a journey that makes them both feel free and gives them the chance to live out everything they dreamed of in their youth. With the police partners after them, they find shelter with an old friend who pulls them into trying something much bigger…
The deeper part of the movie is showing some of the differences between old-age couples and young couples today. A movie worth watching.
Egon & Dönci
0My good friend Péter Kenderesi was writing about Egon és Dönci, a new Hungarian animation movie. Well, I haven’t see it yet, but the HD music video released on their web page is amazing!
A short movie summary is in place: Egon and Donci live together in their own idyllic village, on a small planet far away from Earth. Though both aliens, Egon bears a striking resemblance to a human boy and Donci is best described as an overweight cat. While Egon gazes into space from his observatory, he is at the same time diligently hammering together his own spaceship in a run-down workshop. Donci, meanwhile, spends the wicked time between meals getting into mischief in a nearby field. But when a bizarre spacecraft crashes on their tiny planet, delivering a message from a distant planet called “Earth”, their lives change forever. With new purpose and great effort, Egon works to finish construction of their own spaceship. After a few setbacks, following the crash-landed spacecraft’s instructions, they set out towards our solar system and Earth.
I guess I know this for sure, there is another DVD to be bought hopefully the next time I am in Hungary.
Kill Buljo dubbed to English
5I love Kill Buljo, it is a great Norwegian action comedy. But the English subtitles included on the DVD were horrible. They were to the point were you laught of them as well, and not only the movie!
I hope that the dubbed version is better:
I guess I will buy the dubbed version as well 
The Man From London – Bela Tarr
0Yesterday I finally got around to watch Szabadság Szerelem. It was a beautiful movie, really well made and played!
There is now another great Hungarian movie, that is about to be shown in Cannes. “The Man From London” (Londoni férfi) made by one of the most celebrated auteurs in world cinema, Bela Tarr. The movie is featuring an international cast, including Tilda Swinton, Czech actor Miroslav Krobot, British actress Leah Williams and Hungarian stars Janos Derzsi and Istvan Lenart, and is based on a novel made by Belgian Georges Simenon.
I hope it reaches the cinemas in Norway.