The Witness
 | Directed by Péter Bacsó Starring: Ferenc Kállai, Lajos Öze, Zoltán Fábri, Lili Monori, Károly Bicskey 21st Century DreamQuest Films, 1969, DVD |
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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 of the incompetent communist regime has earned great acclaim for both the director and the film itself when it was shown at Cannes Film Festival in 1981.
'The Witness' takes place during the height of the Rákosi Era, which was closely modeled after the ruthless and brutal Stalin regime. The film follows the life of an ordinary dike keeper, József Pelikán, who has been caught for illegally slaughtering his pig, Dezsõ. Instead of doing hard time for his "heinous" crime, Pelikán is elevated into an important position, generally reserved for the communist elite. Of course, Pelikán is utterly clueless about his newfound luck, not to mention his new job. Even his new benefactor, the mysterious Comrade Virág, is reluctant to reveal the real reason behind Pelikán’s preferential treatment. Thus, begins Pelikán’s hilarious adventure deep within the "sophisticated" communist society. One failure after another the incompetent Pelikán is elevated higher and higher on the communist echelon, all the while remaining completely clueless about his promotions. Until one day, when he gets called for to return the "favour" by falsely testifying against his long-time friend in a mock-up show trial.
Title: The Witness
Sales Rank: 65868 in DVD
Actor: Ferenc Kállai, Lajos Öze, Zoltán Fábri, Lili Monori, Károly Bicskey
Director: Péter Bacsó
Studio: 21st Century DreamQuest Films, 2003-10-07, Theatrical Release: 1969
Format: Anamorphic, Color, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen, Acpect Ratio 2.35:1
Languages: English (Subtitled), Hungarian (Original Language)
Audience Rating: Unrated
Running Time: 104 minutes
Package Dimensions: 7.1 x 5.42 x 0.58 inches, 0.18 pounds
- 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. … More reviews
- 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… More reviews
- 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… More reviews
- 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… More reviews
- 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… More reviews
