Film Screening 5th May, 2004

Poster for Underground (Bila jednom jedna zemlja)

Underground (Bila jednom jedna zemlja) 

8:00 PM, 5th May, 2004

  • M
  • 194 mins
  • 1995
  • Emir Kusturica
  • Dusan Kovacevic
  • Miki Manojlovic, Lazar Ristovski, Mirjana Jokovic, Slavko Stimac, Ernst Stotzner

Underground is a film that has everything: a brass gypsy band, a sexy chick, a couple of dodgy guys, several wars, Nazis, tunnels, treachery, deceit, postmodern self-reference (done very well, actually; there's no wankery at all), a strong message, a damn fine story, a chimpanzee, and Tito. Blacky and Marco are friends, Communists and arms traders. After Blacky is captured by the Nazis (and tortured; the torture scene is hilarious, incidentally), Marco rescues him and hides him in the cellar of his grandfather's house, alongside a gaggle of cellar-dwellers making arms in return for sanctuary. Having hidden his friend safely, Marco takes the opportunity to show his affection for Blacky's lover, Natalia. In fact, he grows so fond of her, of the money he is making from the underground arms he sells, and of his rise in the Yugoslav Communist Party's ranks, that he neglects to tell Blacky that the war is over - for nearly 20 years. Underground revels in its black humour, and finds moments of intense joy and celebration in even the darkest places. If nothing else, see it for the music; be warned: you will hum it for days after you dance out of the theatre.

Helena Sverdlin