532. Meg ker a nep/Red Psalm (1972)

Running Time: 81 minutes
Directed By: Miklos Jancso
Written By: Yvette Biro, Gyula Hernadi
Main Cast: Lajos Balazsovits, Andras Balint, Gyongyi Buros, Erzsi Cserhalmi, Mari Csomos

IT CAME FROM (SOMEWHERE ON THE INTERNET OTHER THAN) YOUTUBE

So another thank you to "Ste" for providing me with six links to movies that I couldn't previously find. It was a HUGE help and who knows if I'd have ever found them without the help. So before they disappear I'm trying to get them watched and intend to watch them all this season and last night I took in "Red Psalm" - only me second Miklos Jancso film.

I'm not going to spend a lot of time recounting the plot, because honestly there isn't much to recount. The film takes place in the 19th century and deals with laborers striking when a landowner refuses to give them certain rights. They gather, sing songs, give speeches, chant and try to resist when soldiers on horseback arrive to try and halt their protests. The film only uses 26 shots and the cinematography is some of the best I've seen and I was really able to appreciate Jancso's camerawork and camera movements. Like I said, the story itself is pretty cut and dry and the singing gets to be pretty tedious after about thirty or so minutes.

I don't really want to bash this film and for a couple of reasons: 1) I really don't think I was able to fully understand and appreciate it. I'm not a socialism major, nor am I appealed by the story of peasants rebelling against landowners. Therefore, this film was a stretch for me and mostly, I was ignorant to it's themes and ideas. 2) As I mentioned above, that freakin' camerawork is AMAZING and I would really like to be able to say that I loved this film, because I'd love to love a film that's as beautiful as this. However, I didn't love this film, nor did I like it. I found it very difficult to get through and even dozed off at one point (I rewound the video, don't worry). I think I'll stop there, because I don't want to go on a rant and bash "Red Psalm", but I will say that it's almost a "must see" just for it's images. You'll be hard pressed to find a more visually orgasmic movie.

RATING: 3/10  And all three points are for the camerawork, which includes the beauty and that they pulled it off with only twenty-six shots. I LOVED that sweeping camera, moving back and forth, searching for beauty.

MOVIES WATCHED: 624
MOVIES LEFT TO WATCH: 377

March 2, 2013  2:58pm