Saw this on a rented dvd few days back. The trailer n premise was intriguing for me. Definitely for blokes who liked Marshland, Memories of murder n True Detective. It is about a sick n pervert serial killer n also about an innocent man who is put behind bars for the murders. The film explains the actions n consequences of both these men.
Warning, this film is very grisly n the necrophiliac scenes r explained in details rather than off screen which i wud have preferred. Also the male rape n torture scenes were too much. I feel the director went overboard with the grisly scenes but he did a terrific job in making a good serial killer film.
The night time photography is striking. It is eerie n atmospheric. The direction, acting n cinematography r all good but they needed some work on the editing.
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"Strangled" is the international title of the Hungarian horror/thriller "A Martfüi Rém" - which roughly translates as "The Martfü Monster" - that is set in the politically turbulent period of the late fifties and early sixties, and is based on the true story of a vicious serial killer that terrorized a little industrial town. I reckon that every country has its own morbid serial killer case, and this is definitely one of the darkest pages in the history book of Hungary. "Strangled" is a very intense, stoic and grisly film and writer/director Árpád Sopsits certainly didn't bother to palliate the facts. In 1957, in the little community of Martfü where almost everybody works in the shoe factory, the corpse of a young woman is discovered in the river. The police are put under a lot of pressure to solve the crime and inspectors Botá and Katona quickly arrest the victim's weak and gullible boyfriend Akos Reti. When Reti confesses, he gets sentenced to life-imprisonment while inspector Katona gets promoted to district attorney. Seven years later, however, the mutilated bodies of multiple women are once more discovered in Martfü, and a few girls who narrowly survived the encounter with their attacker are scarred and traumatized for life. Botá receives a brand new, young and ambitious colleague who wants to re-open the 1957-case, because they may have convicted the wrong man to prison, but the district attorney Katona is too concerned about his reputation and obstructs the investigation. In parallel, the film depicts how Akos Reti literally decays in prison and even follows around the real murderer as he prepares for his next sickening and repulsive crime.
The film benefices tremendously from the gloomy time period and the sensitive political climate that both have been wondrously recreated! Practically the entire town of Martfü's population of Martfü comes walking out of the bombastic shoe factory gates. The people return to their tiny grey homes or depressing apartment blocks, while the more influential authority figures arrogantly refer to each other as "Comrade" and revert to corruption in order to save their slightly more luxurious social position. "Strangled" allegedly was a giant box-office success in its home country, which is surprising because the subject matter is extremely sinister and director Sopsits certainly doesn't restrain on showing uncompromising violence and misogynist cruelty. Many sequences are not for the squeamish, including bits of necrophilia, and the atmosphere is continuously bleak with eerie music and desolate photography. The film isn't entirely flawless, mind you. With 118 (!) minutes, "Strangled" is about 20-25 minutes too long. There are several moments of long silence between the lead characters, but those sequences are suspenseful and shouldn't have been cut. Instead, we could have done with fewer dialogues between the coppers about their cover- ups. -
deloudelouvain7 April 2018Strangled or A Martfüi Rém (The Monster from Martfü) is based on true events and tells the story of a Hungarian serial murderer/necrophiliac in the 1960's. It's an interesting story to follow, but it's also not the most captivating movie about a psychopath like him, nevertheless it's a well made movie. The murder/rape shots are a bit graphic and that makes the movie look real, without being too disgusting to watch though. The acting wasn't bad. I didn't know any of the actors but they all did a good job. You can't help thinking that research and justice were not the greatest things in that era in that country. I don't think I watched a lot of Hungarian movies before but this one is worth a watch.
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DimitrisPassas-TapTheLine31 December 2019This is a movie based on actual events that occurred in the small town of Martfü (Hungary), circa 1960. A series of grisly murders of young women shocked the community and put the Hungarian Police on red alert. The victims are all brutally strangled and it seems that they were also sexually violated after their death. Initially, a local man, Réti Ákos was arrested and confessed one of the murders, but in the course of time, he was proved to be innocent, another case of false confession. " Strangled" focuses on the investigative procedure from the authorities, detectives, and prosecutor, while at the same time the audience gets to know the identity of the villain relatively early and we watch his moves, all the stalking, and attacks to his new victims. This duality, in terms of narration technique, is effective as far as the level of intensity and suspense is concerned as the viewer is constantly on edge to find out what happens next.
Nevertheless, the film is not a strictly defined police procedural as the director, Árpád Sopsits, allows us to take a glimpse into the workings of the Hungarian justice system at the time. When Réti is exempted from his charges, many people inside the judicial structure find themselves in a vulnerable position as they can even lose their job, something that inevitably influences the current investigation. The main protagonists in Strangled are the detective in charge, Bóta ( Zsolt Anger) and the young, idealistic prosecutor, Szirmai Zoltán ( Péter Bárnai), who carries a tragic personal history and is determined to serve the idea of justice at any cost. I've read a lot of criticism on the performances by the actors, though I think that it is not justified. Perhaps it is not the level of acting that leaves a lasting impression to the audience, but it is nevertheless a decent work by all the thespians.
There are many graphic, violent scenes in the movie and the viewers should be warned in advance that the story involves some pretty disturbing themes like rape and necrophilia. Those who are used to Hollywoodian films of the same genre will be surprised, even shocked, by some of the sequences. Overall, "Strangled" is a bold picture that stands oblivious to many of the genre's overused tropes, a fact that makes it all the more exhilarating and worth-watching. Hungary is a country that has produced several important crime films during the last few years, such as "The Investigator" ("A nyomozó"), "Budapest Noir" , "The Whiskey Bandit" ("A Viszkis"), and others, so it would be wise to check on any new films produced in the country. -
nogodnomasters18 March 2018Based on a true story in Martfü, Hungry, a small shoe factory town. In 1957 a woman is murdered and Réti Ákos (Gábor Jászberényi) confesses to the crime, although he is confused on the events. Seven year later more women are being murdered and the police question if they convicted the right man, as they look for the killer. They don't want to admit they made a mistake as it would effect their career. An outsider to the community is brought in to investigate.
I watched the film with English subtitles. The acting was fine and screen play well adapted for a drama. At 37 minutes into the film we have no doubt who the killer is. In spite of the production being good quality, it was a slow burn with a small climax.
Guide: F-word, sex, nudity -
tchitouniaram14 May 2022Because I think , that is the first Hungarian film I've ever watched ! Definitely , well made : really makes you feel , how claustrophobic and vulnerable people were in this particular time and place .
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I just want to congratulate all the creators of this movie. It kept my attention from the first second to the last and never ceased to be interesting throughout the movie. Well done!
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killercharm7 August 2020Set in the 60s. It's a true story of a Hungarian serial killer and the case for finding him. Some is so sad because he seems to be killing some girls who consider him a friend. This one is very well done. Loved it.
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Quite a find, this one, shown apparently at the London Film Festival last year, this seems not to have had a theatrical release, outside Hungary. Bleak and disturbing, this is an uncompromising look at what we are told is a true story going back to the late 50s/early60s. There is some attempt to set this horror within the political upsets of the time but I have to say, at least to an outsider, these seem rather unconvincing. Not so the main thrust of this daring film, however, which certainly visits areas not often visited in tales of brutal serial killers. The film begins with great style and carefully composed scenes and ends similarly with beautiful period vehicles and street posters, the rest of the film though is not pretty at all and the harrowing tale is realistically told in dark and subdued lighting with nothing too pretty at all. Very impressive but not an easy watch.
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pranay_misra5 April 2020This hungarian movie started off well but lost its way after that and went on to become an average flick. Movie lacked the required necessary twist and turns to make it an edge of seat thriller. Yes it depicted that due to political pressure, someone gets to go to prison for 10 years without actually being the killer but overall it couldnt keep me interested. I expected more, look away murder mystery/thriller fans.
Few plot lines could have been focused to make it more interesting but that didnt happen and hence required attachment between characters and audience went missing. Maybe it can be liked by people of same country but tough for foreign people. -
nebraskatexas20 September 2019Difficult to watch, but excellent portrait of an era where denial was the best crime policy.
Some scenes are gruesome and disturbing, but crime, specially, serial crime is not glamorous. -
CrazyCultFilms10 October 2017POSSIBLE SPOILERS: I watched this at London Film Festival where the director described his desire to tell about the political corruption that prevented a competent investigation into a serial rape/murder case. Fine. But after having watched the film, which for the first half burdens us with the unnecessary graphically depicted rape scenes and close ups showing horrific violence against numerous women (and a child), I'm not sure any political message is what you are left thinking about.
The fact the entire story could have equally been told without a single rape scene being showed, leads me to believe the director simply enjoyed showing this type of violence, and that these scenes were included for shock value. Confirmed by the director himself who wanted to provide 'horror' for the audience.
So if you were hoping to find an impressive depiction of the corrupt Communist regime, you may be disappointed by this. If you were looking for Last House on the Left x5 then you've come to the right place.
I've given it 5 stars because the acting was good, there's some excellent dialogues and the cinematography is beautiful. But for me, the story (structure not content) was weak and relied heavily on American style 'violence for the sake of violence'. Do better please.
Films like Memories of Murder did a far better job showing the corruption of a political system in a police investigation (and the violence included was far more appropriate to the story). -
surfisfun2 March 2018What a surprise! 9+, this movie is well scripted. sex is Not gratuitous, as each scenes reinforce the whole. better then Hannibal or se7en as it feel real and complicate , lots of psychological revelations by the end, what a great Film.
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alinarotaru8 February 2021This crime story is told in a way that keeps one's breath away, including many other side-stories which are never explained but understood to the viewer who is looking for more than entertainment. All characters are complex, brilliant acting, one sympathises with all the characters. Probably not satisfying if one is looking for thriller only, but the psychological dimension is what this movie is about.
Soundtrack is very well done. No cheap effects. Nothing is one-sided. The atmosphere is transporting us in the universe common to Eastern Europe of the '50s and '60s and it reminds of similar stories of serial killings which remained officially undisclosed to the public eye in their time. Coming from Eastern Europe myself, I still remember the times when women were afraid to walk alone at night. It really gave me the chills.