Underground (1995)

User Rating:

8.0/10   

Director:

Emir Kusturica

Writers:

Dusan Kovacevic (novel)
Dusan Kovacevic (play)

Release Date:

20 June 1997 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Comedy

Plot:

The story starts from an underground manufacture of weapons of Belgrade, during the WWII, and evolves into fairly surreal situations...

Plot Keywords:

WWII | Weapon | Yugoslavia | Partisan | Communism

Awards:

4 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

Miki Manojlovic	...	Marko
Lazar Ristovski	...	Crni (Blacky)
Mirjana Jokovic	...	Natalija
Slavko Stimac	...	Ivan
Ernst Stötzner	...	Franz
Srdjan Todorovic	...	Jovan
Mirjana Karanovic	...	Vera
Milena Pavlovic	...	Jelena
Danilo 'Bata' Stojkovic	...	Deda (as Bata Stojkovic)
Bora Todorovic	...	Golub
Davor Dujmovic	...	Bata
Dr. Nele Karajlic	...	Falling Gypsy
Branislav Lecic	...	Mustafa
Dragan Nikolic	...	Film Director
Erol Kadic	...	Janez

Also Known As:

Bila jednom jedna zemlja (Federal Republic of Yugoslavia: Serbian title) (subtitle)
Il était une fois un pays (France)
Once Upon a Time There Was a Country

Runtime:

170 min | USA:167 min | 320 min (director's cut)

Country:

France | Federal Republic of Yugoslavia | Germany

Language:

English | Serbian | German | French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:16 | South Korea:15 | Australia:M | Argentina:16 | Chile:18 | Finland:K-14 | Germany:16 | Portugal:M/12 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | Germany:BPjM Restricted

Filming Locations:

AB Barrandov, Prague, Czech Republic

Company:

CiBy 2000

Trivia:

In 1996, members of the Yugoslavian Board of the Academy of Film Art and Science (AFUN) voted this film the third best Serbian movie made in 1947-1995 period.

Movie Connections:

Spin off "Bila jednom jedna zemlja" (1995)

Brilliant Cracking Thriller!!......

Those who have seen "Underground" have probably noticed that we are not watching one film but a collection of at least 10 films in one single masterpiece!!

I watched with great enthusiasm the work of Kusturica after "Underground" in films like "Arizona Dream" or "Black Cat White Cat" films which prove to be more elaborate and "smoother" in terms of direction (brilliant works as well!!) but none of these films could ever equal the "nerve" and strength of a very young Kusturica at his best! One could see the passion and boldness that is at stake in this motion picture. It's as if he gambled his own life doing "Underground"

How else can you describe this work of art if not a mixture of devilish and holy images that take the shape of a flawless piece of theater-dance!!

The actors speak, dance and create (more than interpret) with a vigor rarely found outside the Balkan Circle!

In terms of theatrical aesthetics the film incorporates Stanislavski( realism at its best), Brecht (at certain points the actors step out of their roles and mock at themselves) and Artaud (they are flames more than humans)

Needless to say more!

Shocking, raw, heart-breaking!!

One of the most beautiful I have ever seen! 10/10