Develiker terrible... so disappointed.

Rijndri Load of rubbish!!

Comwayon A Disappointing Continuation

Sienna-Rose Mclaughlin The movie really just wants to entertain people.

Jackson Booth-Millard I found this Hungarian film in the book 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die, I could not find many critical reviews for it, so I did not have other opinions to go with, but I watched and hoped for something good, directed by Miklós Jancsó (The Red and the White). Basically the story is set in the 1890s on the Hungarian plains, a group of farm workers go on strike and will face harsh retaliation and experience the realities of the revolt, oppression, morality and violence. The iconic images I recall are many women being stripped completely naked and walking across the plains, but the most significant is the image of a woman getting a gunshot in the hand, her wounded hand being held in the air, he hand red and the blood draining down her arm. This is later used as a statement for peace, or something, as many other people wear red velvet on their hands, holding them in the air, to represent the bloody hand, as they march on the plains against whatever enemy they fight. The cast are all unknowns but they all do their parts fine, the film mainly consists of 28 shots and the poignant symbolic imagery, using the colour red to great effect, the title relates obviously to the colour and that religious songs are sung a few times, the title is also a literal translation from a poem, "And the People Still Ask", this film may not be high profile or rated by many critics yet, but it is one that should be recognised as a good interesting drama. Worth watching!

Emil Bakkum The film Red Psalm is more a fantastic ballet or opera than a realistic story. It portrays the revolutionary spirit in the Hungarian countryside. The events play in a feudal society, where the village is constantly plundered by passing soldiers. Actually the cavalrymen are always and persistently present in the background of the sets. Whilst the soldiers make away with the lute, the peasants dance, make music, sing and deliberate. Now and then they kill an officer, a civil servant or a priest, nothing to make a song and dance about. Or they are massacred themselves by the military. In short, the film rejects feudalism and praises freedom. It is a glorification of peasants' uprisings, not of a socialist (industrial) revolution. I enjoy revolutionary hymns, and recognized the usual song: the Marseillaise, the Internationale and the Varshavyanka. Red Psalm is clearly rooted in the Leninist tradition, and it shows the typical Leninist contradiction. For on the one hand the regime of the state was red tape: conservative, bureaucratic and official. And on the other hand the state culture glorified revolutions of all kinds. This includes the sexual revolution, for again and again three naked women pop up on the scene. It also includes the invention of the wheel (joke). The Leninist state itself provided a living to the people and even allowed the production of films like this one. But it ruled by command and was devoid of freedom. In summary, I would not call Red Psalm a master-piece, but is is agreeable to watch. If you enjoy Leninist films, consider seeing my other reviews.

Boris European Jancso's movies can be recommended only to people with serious interest in movie-making and especially alternative European cinema. As in "Szerelmem, Elektra" Jancso again uses his favorite images and sounds. Hundreds of extras dance and perform rituals on the vast Hungarian plain surrounded by galloping horses (a traditional Hungarian animal as the Hungarians are heirs of the nomadic Huns). Very often the viewer is confronted by naked women walking around, I am still confused as to what they symbolize...that socialism needs no violence to overtake the old regime? Another typical feature is the solemnity with which the actors converse and act, no real dialog is to be found but a series of monologues. These monologues reveal what Jancso is most interested in - socialism and the equality of people. It is difficult for the viewer to keep up with them as they follow one after the other to bombard him with socialist ideology on the rights of the workers, the rising of the masses, the resistance, etc. Jancso tries to show that socialism can peacefully convert even the officials of the old order as seen by the officer refusing to suppress the mutineers and the soldiers dancing with the crowd towards the end of the movie. Regarding the lengthy monologues on socialism, a resemblance to Godard and his La Chinoise...? This movie is difficult to watch due to its complex imagery intertwined with the socialist ideology that Jancso's characters devour us with. There may appear the question whether this movie can be seen out of the context of a life in a regime glorifying socialism (Hungary between 1945 and 1989). For anyone interested in movie-making by Hungarian directors, I recommend first starting with Szabo's films such as Mephisto, Oberst Redl and Sunshine, then going through Bela Tarr's movies, and finally trying Jancso.

Sorsimus The Red Psalm is an almost unapproachable film these days; the filmmaking practises of today have made us western viewers forget how to watch films that are not made to entertain.The Story is simple enough: the Red Psalm depicts the rise and fall of a peasant revolt in the earliest days of socialism. The focus is on the reasons why it doesn't succeed, rather than on characters and plot. In fact, to use words like "character" and "plot" in connection to the Red Psalm would be misguiding.This is an example of a film where message dictates the cinematic language of the film. It is not meant to be a realistic depiction of the living conditions of the peasants in the late 19th century. Instead it tries to depict realistically the reasons and causes of such tragedies in general. The film is full of what some people would call "gaffes", but they are there just because it does not matter if the actor has his wristwatch on or whether the guitar has nylon strings. That kind of authenticity is only superficial.All in all, The Red Psalm is an ultimately challenging viewing recommended for everyone who is looking for alternatives to Hollywood pap. It demands the attention of the viewer throughout, because it is not generic in any way. Yet it is not without its flaws. It is extremely slow paced, full of folk dancing and saturated with socialist propaganda. Yet features like Jancso's free flowing camera should interest at least wannabe filmmakers to this challenging and complex film.