:
Tamas Meszaros,
Tamas Meszaros,
Laszlo Galffi,
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:
Arpad Sopsits,
Arpad Sopsits
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: Picture This
: Drama
: 98 min.
: Hungarian
: English
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A handful of preteen boys struggle against abuse and neglect in this grim drama. In 1960, Aron Soproni (Tamas Meszaros) is a nine-year-old boy whose parents' marriage has fallen apart in the wake of Hungary's political turmoil following the failed Communist takeover of 1956. While Aron has been placed in the custody of his father, the boy discovers his dad has little concern for his welfare, and soon Aron is placed in a state-run orphanage by the parent who prefers not to be burdened with a son. The orphanage is a nightmarish place run by a staff of violent, sexually predatory fiends, but Aron soon makes friends with several of the other boys, and they band together to protect each other from the adults who are supposed to "care" for them. In time, Aron and the others discover two members of the staff they can trust -- a former professor of astronomy whose political views cost him his previous position and a pretty woman who stirs the boys' first romantic longings. Torzok was written and directed by Arpad Sopsis, who based the film on his own experiences in an institution of abandoned children in the early '60s. Producer Ferenc Kardos died of a heart attack in mid-production and received posthumous credit. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
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| Effective - But Not Gay or Coming of Age
by hippy
April 12, 2003 - 3:09 PM PDT
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9 out of 9 members found this review helpful
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| A very effective portrayal of mental and physical cruelty in a Hungarian orphanage, leading to an escape plan. Other than the headmaster, one feels the pain of not only the orphans, but also the staff, as they try to impart whatever minimal kindness and comfort they can. The acting realism of the 9 year old lead is truly incredible. However, despite a few scattered minutes of sexual and non sexual affection and occurrences, I disagree that this is a coming of age story and that it belongs in the gay/lesbian category. |
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GreenCine Member Rating
(Average 5.65)
37 Votes
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JGriffioen
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