The Witness
 | Average Customer Rating: Recommend Banned for over a decade for its outspoken criticism of the post-WWII communist regime in Hungary, Péter Bacsó’s 'The Witness' has since then achieved unparalleled cult status in its native land. Known as the best satire about communism, 'The Witness' has become a cult classic, which was also well received by critics and general audiences alike when it was finally released outside of Hungary. Its candid and realistic portrayal… Product details and pricing info |
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9 Customer Reviews Posted
- A great little movie
- I love this film. To see if you'd be interested, I strongly recommend that you look it up on The Internet Movie Database (IMDb).
Only caveat is that English subtitles freeze on my two small portable DVD players and on a LCD/DVD combo TV. Works fine on DVD player/recorder and on my desktop computer, but not on my laptop. - 2008-08-15, 0 of 0 people found this review helpful, Rated:
- Witness "The Witness"
- It has been my experience that throughout history any group of people which have felt oppressed have always turned to comedy to belittle their oppressors. During the communist era in Eastern Europe this was most definitely true and here is a prime example.
Peter Bacso's "The Witness (A Tanu)" is a look at Communist Hungary in which he skewers the party as one which promotes ineptitude. No wonder the film was banned in Hungary for 10 years and wasn't released in America until 1982 depite having been shoot in 1969!
"The Witness" takes places post-WW2 as the Soviets have already invaded the Eastern Bloc. This time in history for Hungary is known as the Rakosi era, which was based on Stalinism.
"The Witness" follows in Basco tradition of political satire, but this particular film, which has earned cult status, must have been deeply personal for Basco. He was a friend of the former Hungarian Prime Minister Imre Nagy, whom by the time this film was made had been killed by the the Soviets. Nagy was put back in power after the Hungarian revolution in 1956 but two years later would be killed.
It was because of his friendship with Nagy, Basco suffered hard times in Hungary. He was banned from making films for four years. So he had his own personal reasons for wanting to attack the force in power.
"The Witness" is about a dike keeper, Jozsef Pelikan (played by popular Hungarian actor Ferenc Kallai, who has even been in a few Bela Tarr films) whose wife has left him with several childern, which he finds he is unable to take care of. So one day he decides to slaughter their pig, in order to provide food for the family. But, this is against the law. The state provides for those who need. Everyone is given equal shares. No one should have more than others. So when the secret police find out about Jozsef activities he is sent to prison. And thus begins this absurd journey.
Fearing he might be imprisoned for years or possibly sentenced to death, Jozsef finds one day he is released from jail, as the higher ups in the Communist party, namely Arpad Virag (Lajos Oze), have taken a liking to him. When released from jail he is put into a high position, only to find himself back in jail after a misunderstanding. In fact, this happens repeatedly! Jozsef is sent to jail only to be released and promoted to a higher and higher position, all the while failing at each endeavor. Here we see the inept nature of the Communist party. And Virag is made out to be a fool too. Whenever Jozsef, in earnest, ask why is he constantly being promoted, Virag's response is always the same "the international situation is intensifying". This, at one time, after the release of this film, became a popular saying in Hungary.
But one day the Communist intentions are made clear. They want Joszef to testify against his friend Zoltan Daniel (Zoltan Fabri), whom the Communist claim is a spy.
The lead up to the trial and the actual trial itself show how no one was safe under the Communist rule. Charges would simply be made up. In one scene we see party leaders go to a writer, who has written Jozsef testimony, they argue over the choice of words and one head official becomes upset when he finds his name is left out!
Kallai's performance is pitch perfect. His every mannerism, his speech, even the way he looks all suggest an innocent newborn baby trapped in a corrupt and confusing world. Because that is ultimately what his character is, an innocent man trying to deal with the world around him.
Basco may not be very well known to American audiences as I don't think many of his films have been distributed here. He certainly is not as well known as Istvan Szabo or Miklos Jansco. Although his 1990 political satire "Stalin's Bride" was released here and opened to generally favorable reviews. Basco hadn't directed many films prior to this one and his co-wroter, Janos Ujhelyi had never written anything before! In fact many of the actors in this film were non-professionals.
Will outside audiences be able to relate to this film? I think so. One doesn't have to be Hungarian or understand the politics of our country to find the humor. We can all relate to the idea of those in power being corrupt. We see it all around us. While that is probably sad, it's also funny. Just like this film.
Bottom-line: Blistering look at the Communist era in Hungary in which the party is seen as inept. Very funny moments and a pitch perfect performance from Kallai. - 2007-08-30, 1 of 1 people found this review helpful, Rated:
- A Peek into the 1950s in Stalinist Eastern Europe
- Péter Bacsó's brilliant film "A Tanu" (The Witness) is a classic of political satire and highly recommended for any film collection specializing in politics or humor. Shot in 1969 but set in the dark Stalinist period of twenty years earlier, the film approaches the gruesome subject of the Stalinist purges through typical Eastern European dark humor, focusing on the fictional life of a simple earthen dam tender, József Pelikán, who gets inadvertantly caught up in larger political storms far beyond his small world in rural Hungary. Though clearly white-washed and "kid-gloved" in many respects - for instance, the prison scenes portrayed seem quite civil and belie the widespread use of torture by the communists in this era - the film still confronts many aspects of this historical period that can still, in this simplified form, shock us today. Indeed, the film itself was banned by the communist Hungarian government in 1969 until 1981 (for showings outside Hungary) and finally in 1989 when the communist regime imploded. Bacsó includes scenes that show aspects of life at that time which Western observers might overlook, such as the near-famine conditions due to food production and distribution networks being severely undermined by Stalinist policies, or the irony of a loyal but naive communist like the protagonist, József Pelikán, ending up in the same prison cell as the former fascist collaborator who tortured Pelikán during World War II. This, again, is how Eastern Europeans use humor to describe or approach bitter historical subjects. The extreme ideological focus of those years that produced so much lunacy and incompetence will be hillariously apparent to all watchers, however, and this film is guaranteed to make you laugh. An inside joke in Hungary today that originated from this film, by the way, is the Hungarian orange - the subject of some hysterically funny scenes in the film - which a post-1989 political party, FIDESZ, adopted as its symbol. This film fits majestically into a larger category of communist-era satire films such as those by the Czech director Jiri Menzel, and is highly recommended.
- 2007-01-09, 1 of 1 people found this review helpful, Rated:
- Where ignorance is bliss
- 'T'is folly to be wise.
Blissful ignorance was certainly an advantage in post-World War II Hungary during the regime of Matyas Rakosi. Rakosi, in his dual capacity as General Secretary of the Communist Party and Prime Minister of Hungary, did not take kindly to dissent or independent thought. Rakosi often described himself as "Stalin's best Hungarian disciple". Like Stalin, Rakosi liked to utilize "salami tactics", the elimination of opponents or perceived opponents slice by slice. It is not surprising that Rakosi was deposed and fled Hungary shortly after Nikita Khrushchev's denunciation of Stalin at the USSR's 20th-party Congress in 1956."The Witness", Hungarian director Peter Bacso's wickedly funny farce, is set in Rakosi's Hungary. Filmed in 1969 "The Witness" was not shown in Hungary until after its version of the "Velvet Revolution" in 1989.
Pelikan, the hero of "The Witness" certainly seems full of bliss and devoid of folly. He is a village dam-keeper. His job is to watch the waters of the local river and open the gates whenever the situation warrants. Played brilliantly by Ferenc Kallai, Pelikan's life is focused on his simple job and keeping his family fed. Unfortunately, one way to keep his family fed in a time of food shortages and strict rationing is to grow a pig and then slaughter it in secret. The consequences of this illegal act form the plot for the movie.
No sooner has the film started than Pelikan gets caught with a basement full of pork products. Pelikan is carted off to prison. But, rather than imprisonment or execution Pelikan is wined and dined by high level party functionaries, released from prison and given a new and better job. Pelikan is spectacularly unsuited for the new job and disaster strikes. Again, he is carted off to jail and then wined, dined, and given another new job. All Pelikan wants to do is get back to his dam. But the party has another job in store for him. He is expected to testify as a witness at the trial of another high level functionary being purged via a show trial. The trial and its aftermath provide the conclusion to the movie. As in most well-made `farces' the conclusion is not just funny but also thought provoking.
It is hard to describe how funny this film is. Kallai's acting brings Pelikan to life. His acting is very visual and that more than makes up for the fact the dialogue is in subtitles. Pelikan's visual reactions to the events around him translate remarkably well into any language. Bacso's black and white cinematography and direction are also excellent.
It certainly helps to have some background information about post World War II Hungary but even without that information "The Witness" can be seen and enjoyed. The themes of venality and bureaucratic ineptitude and hypocrisy cross all national and political boundaries.
I enjoyed The Witness immensely and can recommend it without hesitation. - 2006-02-22, 7 of 8 people found this review helpful, Rated:
- Classic
- This movie is fantastic. Helps to know a little bit about the political situation depicted, but great acting. I don't know about this dvd edition as I picked up A Tanu in Hungary. Great movie.
And even better news from the company Dreamquest:
"Also in 2004 they plan to release Márton Keleti's The Corporal and the Others (1965)" This is definitely my altime favorite Hungarian film. Very funny stuff.
- 2003-11-13, 2 of 2 people found this review helpful, Rated:
