12:08 East Of Budapest (aka A fost
sau n-a fost?/2006/Tartan)
Picture:
C+ Sound: C+ Extras: C+ Film: B-
When a
dictator falls, does anything really change?
Not if the dictator’s friends take over and pretend there will be change
when things will stay the same in the worst way. That is the point of writer/director Corneliu
Porumboiu’s dark comedy 12:08 East Of
Budapest (aka A fost sau n-a fost?/2006)
makes in its clever, smart, honest, no holds barred look at what happened only
sixteen years ago as the fall of the USSR caused a china reaction of all sorts.
Besides a
good cast playing interesting characters, TV itself is made a character and
shown as an instrument that is as disturbing and it is problematic as the
federal controlled cinemas of Communists’ past was. The revolution is televised, but is really
not a revolution at all and this film spells it out in sad, unfortunate
realities that still plague the countries once held together behind The Iron
Curtain today. Some in-jokes and cultural
items I am certain I was missing will be an issue for some, but it makes this
all the more authentic. Recommended.
The
anamorphically enhanced 1.85 X 1 image is a bit soft throughout, but it is
clean and consistent enough throughout.
The DTS 5.1 and Dolby Digital 5.1 mixes show the limits of the audio
originally recorded, spread out in both mixes (from the same soundmaster) with
limited surrounds. Extras include the
original theatrical trailer and director’s feature length audio commentary.
- Nicholas Sheffo
