The film '' Z '' is based upon the same-titled book written by Vassilikos and referring to a real-life event: the assassination of one of the most honorable Greek politicians ( his real name was Grigoris Lambrakis ), who sacrificed his life in the name of peace and human dignity. Costas Gavras did his best to present the prevailing atmosphere and the political situation in Greece ( although Greece is at no point straightly mentioned, but implied ) during May of the year 1963, which is the year when the real events took place. Choosing an adventurous, thrilling or hilarious style according to the facts and scenes presenting at each part of the story, he made an '' all time interesting and provocative '' film. Great acting was also put in by everybody and particularly by Jean-Louis Trintignant, who was great as the Examining Magistrate. As long as the script is concerned, the plot builds up very satisfactorily and carefully, thus not leaving any holes. Great respect should also be paid to Mikis Theodorakis who wrote the original score for the movie, helping it gain the marvelous rythm it retained right until the very end of it. As a concluding remark I would like to mention that anybody who's interested in late Greek history ( from post World War II era to date ) should watch it carefully. The whole result is very rewarding.
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Angeneer13 July 1999First and foremost, it is a true story. It's the story of the assassination of Grigoris Lambrakis, that eventually led to the military junta. Every time I see it, it gives me the chills. Since Z was released while the junta was still in power, it was banned in Greece for several years. After the fall of the military junta, Z was worshiped, although we saw it on TV much later in order to avoid stirring passions. In terms of the plot, if you're not Greek, it's quite possible you might be left with many unanswered questions, but, in general, it is an accurate description of Greece during that era.
While Vassilikos' novel (written in 1966) has driven him to exile from 1967, Theodorakis was still in Greece under surveillance and managed to write his excellent score secretly.
Costa-Gavras gives us a top-class fast paced direction which hasn't aged even today, although I'm sure the Oscar was as much a political decision as a purely artistic one. What is truly spot-on is the casting. Both Montand and Trintignant excel, but even minor roles like Vago and Yago are portrayed in an extremely realistic way. My small objection would be Irene Papas staying near-silent throughout the movie. Although her talent allows her to pull it off with class, I really didn't understand why she was not supposed to talk. -
Xstal20 November 2021... even today, although the abuse of government and power by those on both extremes of the political spectrum is usually far more subtle than the flagrant corruption and abuse presented here, but not always - as the murder of journalists by western sponsored nations is usually forgiven, especially if large reserves of oil can be used to acquire weapons from the sponsor.
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lhwilliams29 August 2004When the preview of "Z" was shown at the Oscars, it received a standing ovation. I didn't know why until I saw the movie. The Oscar forced it to be shown in the United States. At the time, the US backed the military government in Greece. The totalitarian government represented a stand against communism. This movie depicts the true story of a beloved olympic athlete who became a doctor and began speaking out against his Greek government. For that, he was murdered. This is about a brave investigator who begins to search for the origin of the orders to have the doctor killed.
It leads to the downfall of a country. Mikis Theordorakis wrote the music from house arrest in Greece and it was smuggled out to be placed on the film. Yves Montand played the lead role and was blacklisted from getting a US Visa for his participation until some strings were pulled and he was allowed a 24 hour visa, to be extended each 24 hours in order to allow him to film "On A Clear Day You Can See Forever". At the end of filming,that night he made a surprise appearance on Johnny Carson's Tonight Show. He told the story about "Z" and commented that he was in the care and custody of US Immigration and the FBI. The camera panned right and a dark suited man slid quickly behind the curtain. He apologized for his abruptness, but his visa expired at midnight and he had to get to the airport. When I saw these things, I was shocked my government would take a movie so seriously. When it showed up in an obscure movie theater in Houston, I had to go. I was the only person buying a ticket just after noon that day. Upon entering the theater, a dark suited man was sitting in the lobby. I walked into theater and then stuck my head back out to see what the only other individual in the theater was doing. He was stepping away from the ticket booth. I watched as he walked the short distance to my car, took out a notebook and wrote in it while looking at my license plate. This is how it happened. It was 1969. J. Edgar Hoover had stated publicly that no truly loyal American would pay money to see such a movie. It was unpatriotic. Newspaper articles that spring reported it.
Watch this movie and consider the importance "entertainment" can have on government, media, and yourself. -
gletzes24 August 2006This is not a review.All that is need to be written about this masterpiece of a film has already been written.
However there are 1-2 things worth mentioning that might interest some folks that are not from Greece: Jean Louis Trintignant's character "The Examining Magistrate" was in reality Christos Sargetakis who became the president of Greece for 5 years(1985-1990).
The film ends with the rise of the military dictatorship and it is suggested that the upposition didn't really capitalise on Lambrakis' assassination.That's not what happened in reality.
In reality the Lambrakis assassination caused the resignation of prime minister Karamanlis(the right wing P.M of Greece at that time) and the triumph of the upposition(something like the democrats in the U.S,the G.Papandreou party,NOT Lambrakis' left wing party) in the elections of 1963 with a whooping 54% which becomes even bigger when taking into account the situation in Greece at that time,with right-wing police controlling everything and manipulating the citizens.
Of course the film was made after the democratic-elected government had fallen and junta had taken over.(in fact the democratic government had fallen 2 years*in 1965* before the junta took over and we had a false semi-democratic government that consisted right wing members of parliament and defected members of the G.Papandreou party)
So in reality the Lambrakis assassination DID make a difference in Greece,if only for 2 years(1963-1965) while on the film nothing changed.I guess with the ultimate rise of the junta that was reigning at the time the film was made it was proper to make the film bleaker than the true events. -
lee_eisenberg2 August 2005I would like to give a little history of Greece from WWII to the time when "Z" happens. The Greek people had successfully expelled the Nazis when English forces invaded the country and put the Nazi collaborators in power. The US army took over the effort in 1947, rounding up thousands of people and putting them in reeducation camps. By 1949, the "civil war" was over, with Greece under military rule.
Then, the story portrayed in "Z". Dr. Gregorios Lambrakis was beginning to speak for the people, when the junta gunned him down. In "Z", we get to see the investigation into the murder, exposing how the generals orchestrated it. They never say that the movie happens in Greece (although it clearly does), and more than simply a look at the CIA-installed regime that was ruling Greece from 1967 to 1974, it's a reminder of all totalitarian governments in the world. "Z" will very likely chill you. -
In this film, we find ourselves in a big city in a nameless country, whose political system is royal democracy. However in effect it is under a military regime. At that time, a pacifist politician-doctor-athlete arrives to deliver a speech about disarmament. This does not please the military, who devise a plot to do away with him. The politician is killed and his murder is covered up as an accident. The rest of the film is about the efforts of the Examining Magistrate and a newspaper photographer to uncover the truth.
For those who are up to date with Greek history, the country is Greece, the city is Thessaloniki and the politician is Grigoris Lambrakis. But that is of small importance, since this is a story which could have (and possibly has) happened anywhere at any time in history.
About the film: the cinematography is excellent, even by today's standards. The acting and direction are both top class. But what impressed me the most was the film's editing. After the slow first 15-20 minutes or so, the film picks up a pace which is tight and lightning fast. The dialogue is concise and to the point - the film's last lines, spoken by the Narrator and found in the quotes section of IMDb, never fail to bring tears to my eyes. Finally, the film offers what I consider to be the best film score of all time (but I may be a bit biased on this, since the score is by Mikis Theodorakis, my personal favourite).
This kind of documentary-style film making has been done plenty of times since, especially in political thrillers. But this is what sparked everything up. Watch this film. You'll be rewarded.
My rating: 10/10 -
suzy q12315 May 2001One of the best political/muck-wracking films ever made, it set the stage for the great US political films of the 70's. Costa-Garvas at his finest, it's filled with detailed performances and camera work, a memorable score, and breathtaking content. If only they made films like this now, I'd be a happy camper. By the way, it was the first foreign film (French) to be nominated for Best Picture. That should tell you something.......
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nuntukamen21 May 2005Having seen this at the Art Theatre in Akron, Ohio, upon its first American release, this film was a forcefully stunning, face slapping wake up call to keep a vigilant eye on most politicians because they are controlled only by the constraints we present and confine them with. Grown men left the theater with tears pouring down their cheeks not only because of the great performances and story, but because these were the Nixon years, and the film made us realize we were only a pen stroke away from the horror of losing freedom and democracy here in the United States. No country is safe, and it could be argued in areas of Florida today that, even though we preserved our nation and eliminated Nixon, it was a Pyrhic victory, a temporary victory, and our democracy and how it is supposed to ethically work was left disheveled and browbeaten in the end, anyway. One thing is for certain; the rats are in the cupboard now. And this film hits all the right buttons; great music, acting, an avant garde documentary style of filming that was sensational in its time and still is good today, but so many people have copied it, it seems to lack originality since we are so accepting now of something that was novel at the time...but this is the real thing that started it all. A film that should be in everyone's home and shown to every civic class in America.
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Stephen-124 January 1999Every so often a film comes along whose cinematic quality is less important than the statement it makes about civilisation. 'Z' is such a film.
Chilling in its execution and its denouement, the film is a powerful anti-totalitarian tract, showing the powerlessness of the forces of truth against an establishment which holds all the cards (but which nonetheless displays appalling incompetence in playing them). That the government in question is right-wing is not important - like Orwell's 1984, this film opposes totalitarianism of all kinds.
The script, direction and performances are good enough, but this is not a film you see for entertainment. It should be shown to every government official in every country in the world, to remind them of the corrupting influence of absolute power (and, incidentally, it ought to be shown to every journalist to remind them what investigative journalism is supposed to be about).
11 out of 10, were it possible. -
bouncingoffwall16 October 2003Starts out a bit slowly; but, if you stick around, you'll likely become spellbound by the story's unfolding. This film made me wonder just how many situations like this -- however minor -- occur in our world on a regular basis. This certainly is a film with a message; yet, no one tries to hide the fact, as is evident at the very beginning where you might think you are reading a disclaimer. Good work!
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Emerenciano7 January 2005This is a great Costa-Gavras' masterpiece about a political confusion caused by a murder of a politic. Costa-Gravas again shows his talent in this interesting film that is full of conspiracy, tension and confusion. The plot is complex but you can follow it and, once you do it, you enjoy the film a lot. There's this dark atmosphere in the whole length of the movie that gives it a nice and enchanting look. I think the best way to watch "Z" is in total silence, with your eyes glued to the screen and your mind turned towards the frames and all the great actions and dialogues.
My rate 8 out of 10 -
jcnsoflorida13 February 2015I saw this when it was first released in the US and wanted to see how much I remembered (not much!). My reaction this time: positive but tempered. It's politically correct and perhaps the most valuable thing about it is its youthful energy and idealism. It's very much of its time. My favorite element is the music which is pop and contemporary but also very Greek. Also, the character played by Trintignant-- obviously central to the film-- keeps us wondering which side he's on. That's welcome because everyone else is good or bad, i.e., boring. One of the 2 main villains is a gay pederast. I don't mind gay villains now and then, but was startled by the gratuitously mean way it was handled. Political correctness has changed a bit.
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markkp9 February 2004I watched this film again, not having seen it since it first came out
during the heady days of back then. My friend, who had not seen it
before, asked me if it was an 'absurdist comedy' after the first
twenty minutes. Sadly, the old warhorse has no kick left in it. And
the bad filmmaking shows through glaringly--everything is talk talk
talk slapped on top of clumsy cinematography. I can't believe that
those who vote this a 'ten' have actually re-looked at it in the past
decade. This is one of those films that just ends up on classic
lists. Tedious and clumsy to the point of silliness. Not "Z" but "zzzz". -
I have to start by getting slightly off topic. I've wanted to see this film for thirty years. Not because I've read or heard anything about it, but entirely because of the trailer I saw when it was first released, back when I was 14. Although I now remember more the feelings the trailer inspired than the trailer itself, it still reminds me how awful trailers almost always are. The trailer for "Z" was some the most intense, exciting few seconds of film I had ever seen, and I wanted to see more. A brilliant ultra-short film production. And it did it without revealing and spoiling the movie's story. So when I finally did see "Z" I was able to enjoy something fresh and new.
It wasn't what I expected, but turned out to be one of the best political thrillers I've ever seen. You don't really have to know Greek history to see it, in part because the movie never explicitly mentions Greece. Better to do it the other way around, by getting swept up in the gritty often tawdry intrigues you will be learning Greek history without realizing it. Or if you are into conspiracies and cover-ups in general you'll learn how they really aren't the brilliantly crafted master-plans of distant omnipotent figures that most movies show, but are usually the creation of dull mediocrities, full of flaws, stupidities, and ham-fisted improvisations. That they often succeed is more because of brute force than any innate cleverness. This is a powerful and effective movie, which is almost certainly due to its being based closely on reality and the passions that inspired it's making, and from it not being a recycled and denatured Hollywood product. I highly recommend it. -
Captain_Couth18 August 2005Z (1969) was a controversial film that documents the events in Greece that led to the exile of many people (including the director). A conservative government was trying to maintain political power (and receive more favors from the United States). They held "elections" but one candidate had charisma and with his left wing leanings was marked for erasure. But the government just couldn't do it publicly, so they out sourced the job to a bunch of right wing thugs. They do the job but the people wanted justice. So a public investigator was hired to look into a possible conspiracy. Even though his politics were pretty far right, he wanted to do his job and discovers a conspiracy that goes all the way to the top. The government officials persuaded him to drop the case, His morals wont allow him to do so. The indictments are handed out. But before any legal action can be taken place, a lot of the people involved either disappear or have nasty accidents. A military cabal was formed and there would be no more talk about free elections. The name of the dead politician would forever be remembered by the letter '"Z".
This is an awesome film. I was completely blown away by it. Oliver Stone must have liked it to because he loosely based J.F.K. on this movie. The conspiracies are eerily similar as well. I loved the way this film was structured. Costa-Gavras was a director who would change the way movies were made forever.
Highest recommendation possible. -
Skull_Thunder9 April 2022Z is one of those rare films that you stumble upon while browsing through a random streaming service, see the descriptors, look up the ratings, and think "Hey, this might be good. I'll watch this later". Some time passes, and you decide that it's time to watch this film that seems so mysterious to you.
In the case of Z, what you'd find would be a hidden masterpiece in the world of film.
Z can only really be classified as a cry of outrage and disgust hidden in a portrait of pure artistry. To say that Costa-Gavras did a good job with this movie is pure understatement.
To break it down easily, Z does everything it sets out to accomplish, and gives you so much more to enjoy. Z is meant to be a political statement, a way to point the finger at irresponsible and corrupt bureaucrats. While it accomplishes that goal wonderfully, the movie itself also manages to seem like it's an actual narrative film rather than a documentary. First off, the music. The soundtrack of Z should be preserved as one of the best scores in filmmaking history, and Mikis Theadorakis should be recognized for his spectacular work. The editing is also superb. Mixed in with the adaptive cinematography, every moment of Z feels well crafted and deliberate.
To go into the plot is something else entirely, but the one thing to keep in mind is that while the plot and characters may seem made up, the story of this movie is based on a real event, one that lives in infamy among citizens of Greece to this very day. And with everything Z has going for it, one could easily overlook this unfortunate truth.
Z is a truly underrated masterpiece, and one of my favorite movies. It's the type of movie you'll need to watch more than once, but one you'll never regret watching. -
trilby4728 December 2020Z shows how countries can be taken over by military juntas. Greece like Portugal has suffered such revolutions. We forget the dark political forces at work. Even in the US on January 6 2021 contesting the fundamentals of democracy..
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jmb-922 August 1999Without a great deal of background into the confusing politics in Greece over the past decades, it is sufficient to know that this country is the cradle of democracy. It is the origin of the word itself. Watch this film with that one thought in mind. Z will influence your views on politics and the importance of preserving democracy and participating in government for the rest of your life.
What occurs in Z has happened before, is happening now, and will happen again in different countries to varying degrees. An individual's awareness of this fact is vitally important, just as participating in government is vitally important.
There are movies that come along every once in a great while that should be seen by everyone. They should be, perhaps, a mandatory part of one's high school civics curriculum. Z is one of those films.
The Internet Movie Database has a list of the 250 most popular movies of all time. The list is a mixed bag. Some movies are there because tons of people saw them and - like popular novels - they had a story line that was fun and engrossing (the Godfather movies, Star Wars, Indiana Jones); other films are on the list because they changed filmmaking itself (Citizen Kane, Hitchcock, Star Wars); and finally there are movies that change our hearts forever. Saving Private Ryan, To Kill a Mockingbird, Schindler's List.
Z should be there. If only more people had seen it. -
frankde-jong12 November 2021"Z" is a fiction film that is based on barely veiled facts. As a title card at the beginning of the film says: "Any similarity to real persons and events is not coincidental. It is INTENTIONAL". Although it is never mentioned that the film is situated in Greece, it is a public secret that the plot is about the killing of Greek politician Grigoris Lambrakis (played by Yves Montand) in 1963.
It is not the amount of violence that makes "Z" a very scary movie. It is the way in which the (authoritarian) government presents itself as gentlemanlike and outsources their dirty work to some extremist paramilitary groups. The irony that the government visits a performance of the Bolshoi ballet from communist Russia while their paramilitary henchmen commit an assasination attempt on a left wing politician can not be missed.
With "Z" Costa Gavras demonstrates that he has mastered all aspects of the political thriller, both the political aspect and the thriller aspect. The film is on an equal level with such a classic as "The day of the Jackal" (1973, Fred Zinnemann). In this film there is also an outsourcing of dirty work. This time however it is done by the opposition and the agent is a professional hitman and not some self appointed vigilantes.
Halfway the film there is a change in lead character. Grigoris Lambrakis (Yves Montand) is killed and Jean Louis Trintignant becomes the leading actor playing the investigating judge. Also this judge is based on an actual person (Christos Sartzetakis). In the course of his investigation Sartzetakis becomes more and more convinced that the dead of Lambrakis is not an accident, as the government wants and expects him to believe. Famous is the scene in which he interrogates persons higher and higher in the government. They arrive very aggitated, but the judge answers each vocal outburst with the question "nom, prénom, profession?".
The character of the investigating judge is a glimmer of hope in this otherwise very dark movie. Why did the government take the risk of his investigation? I think because in the first place they want to keep up the appearance of respectability (see above) and in the second place the didn't expect that Sartzetakis would have the guts to do a real independent investigation.
The glimmer of hope is however just a glimmer. After the military coup in 1967 Sartzetakis falls out of favor and even spents some time in jail. Only after democracy is re-established he becomes President of Greece from 1985 -1990. -
The country is under the control of a right-wing militaristic government. Deputy (Yves Montand) leads a peace rally to end militarism, nuclear weapons and foreign alliances. The rally is opposed by an angry mob while the police stands by. Another deputy is brutally attacked by a gang of pro-military thugs after being mistaken for the leader. The leader is later mortally wounded by the same thugs. The police and the military attempt to hide the evidence and slam the opposition. A magistrate is brought in to investigate the case. He's misled and pressured by the powerful. The thugs try to hide. Nevertheless the magistrate doggedly follow the evidence.
The start is a little slow as it paints the picture of the country. Then fifteen minutes in, the movie hits like a club to the head. The government thugs are seething with anger. The thugs are played to the sleaziest ugliest depths. That crowd is filled with a threatening sense of dread that is all too real. The whole incident crashes and boils uncontrollably. The investigation afterwards is compelling. There are some ups and downs. The style does have some slower moments. However it also has great insightful moments. Those moments are all the more compelling coming during that turbulent year. -
Apollo-149 April 1999This movie is good but only for those who have some background of the story. The director does nothing to fill us in on the political situation in Greece and we are left in the dark as to what role each character plays. But for those who do know about the Lambrakis case, it is engaging and fast-paced. As for the other 99.99% of the world, hit the Greek history books before you see this movie; don't expect the director to fill you in.
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arthur_tafero13 January 2023Z was the first movie about foreign politics that I saw while I was in the Army, but home on leave in 1969. I was fascinated from the first scene until the last. It is about the loss of democracy at the hands of a military junta. The military achieves its goal by assassinating the most popular political figure of the time in Greece, Griroris Lambrakis. This would have been similar to General Westmoreland having Lyndon Johnson and Hubert Humphrey assassinated in the sixties in order for the Pentagon to take over the White House (not all that farfetched?) The film is suspenseful and thrilling from start to finish, as we always wonder if the Greek people will stand for this kind of political activity. Be sure to catch it.
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Thanos_Alfie25 January 2022"Z" is a Crime - Drama movie in which we watch the military and the government covering up a murder of a very prestigious politician and doctor while a magistrate tries to reveal it and prosecute everyone who is responsible for it.
I liked this movie because I found it very interesting and realistic. It had also an interesting plot that contained some plot twists that made it even more interesting while the direction which was made by Costa-Gavras was unique and very good. The interpretations of Yves Montand who played as Z, Irene Papas who played as Hélène, Jean-Louis Trintignant who played as Le juge d'instruction and François Périer who played as Le procureur were very good and their combination worked very well. In conclusion, I have to say that "Z" is an interesting drama movie to spend your time with. -
Not very near and by the end of Z, there exists little bit excitement, but throughout oh how this feels like documentary. Talk over talk without stopping, like a procedural steps of something for us to learn. First time I have to agree to disagree 165 degree with critics and reviewers.