"Vizantijsko Plavo" or "Byzantine Blue" remains among the best of scripts in 1990s Serbian cinematography. And how could it not be so, knowing it was based on a book by Milorad Pavic, one of the greatest Serbian writers in modern history.
90s were a tough time to make films in Serbia, they were tough indeed. But with such fine script material You'd expect a decent movie worth watching and remembering, even if it didn't meet all the technical standards. Unfortunately, You're wrong. "Vizantijsko Plavo" could have been a great flick, but alas, the promising back story was yet again pushed aside - by acting. In this case, very poor and disappointing acting. Katarina Zutic had all predispositions to become a major movie star. Coming from a gifted family, with two greatest Serbian actors as her parents (Svetlana Bojkovic and Milos Zutic), young Kaca got all the wind in her back a new star could hope for. And yet, she missed and still misses that main fragment which makes a good actor - talent. You could give Ms Zutic some slack 20 years a go, when her career was only starting, but the problem remains she didn't change or improve during all this time. The same old plain, juvenile and unconvincing performance followed until the present days, thus probably being a major reason she never got a leading role ever again. As for the leading male actor, it's a story seen and heard many times before. A murky Lazar Ristovski played himself, although this role suited him in many ways. Therefore his performance can be labeled as a positive aspect of the movie.
Anyhow, the reason You probably could watch this movie and maybe even like it is the aforementioned story. Like the title says, it revolves around a shade of blue used in the elder days. Romans called it "Imperial Blue" or "Royal Purple", while the Greeks named it "Tyrian Purple" or "Byzantine Blue" in post Roman times. It is one of the most profound and beautiful shades of blue which enchants with it's richness and depth. It was used for cloth coloring, painting, but most important fresco painting in early Christianity. Even after thousands of years, the color still withstands the tooth of time and brings to light the beautifully painted walls of Orthodox monasteries. The movie tells a tale of this color's meaning and one man's struggle to find it's secret recipe.
I guess "Vizantijsko Plavo" is worth watching and it sure will make an impression, though, it could have been much much greater if the acting cast was on the level.
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