Das Ziegenhorn

Be whatever oppression comes upon, there is always a strong spirit to rise. And in todays times, when more than ever it is important to cherish and value the true power of women, the main Lady character - one to bear the strength and banner of rising against all violence and subjugation, defying that only a man can liberate or bring justice is a vital sign of what women can do. Beyond that, we can learn to renounce the slavery against humans and see the true vandalism against humans it brought. A movie, that beautifully and with few words brings up great human rights to a pedestal. As a cinematography, this is shot very much in the spirit of the classic cinema, enchaining the viewers experience in creating a visual a musical harmony and art masterpiece. A story remains in our minds and brains not with the words, but with the emotions, and this movie draws on free spirit and justice as true human emotional pillars.

Even if you can't see a sub-titled version, you won't miss anything; as someone has already mentioned, the dialog in this film is extremely minimal. Instead, the viewer is immersed in the story through the natural sounds of the wild Bulgarian hills, empathic and creative (but never obtrusively 'there') camera-work and the amazingly expressive and authentic performances of the two lead actors.

When this film was released it was seen by three million people in Bulgaria, and the population then was only 8 1/2 million.

It is sad to relate that the director, Metodi Andonov, lived only a few years after the making of this film. With so few examples existing of his craft, The Goat Horn is even more precious.

An absolutely beautiful, unforgettable film.

I was very much taken in by the movie in the start. Not to the point where i would say masterpiece but a solid and interesting approach to things. Unfortunately a film of this character only have a few viable endings and for me I think it was fast limited further down. I did think the acting was good and I do think the landscapes was beautiful. But I felt the story lacked some development outside the very narrow scope of the father and the girl. And I did also think there was lack of character progression besides one of the main characters. It is by no means a bad movie. I just felt if could easily have achieved so much more than ending up being a very average movie.

"Kozijat Rog" is by far the best Bulgarian film ever made.

It has all the characteristics of greatness: a story that lacks nothing of the dramatic depths of classical tragedy; a frugal style of visual narrative that is both monumental and subtle; acting that is as good as real-life; and last but not least - music that is impossible to forget.

"Kozijat Rog" is conducted in the ways of old - with the power and gentleness of a true master. And although color loses its saturation with the passing of time, this film will not, for it is shot in black-and-white.

No point for me to go into the plot with all the other comments. This is an exceptional film that delivers on many levels. There is a minimum of dialog and the story is told through realistic action and expression. The acting is so good you can feel what the characters are thinking with hardly a word spoken. The cinematography is at times stunning and always very appropriate for the story. There are moments of visual poetic beauty coupled with a hauntingly beautiful soundtrack. It's a story of power and oppression, of anger and revenge. The stage is set during the time of Turkish rule over Bulgaria. It has the depth of a Shakespearean drama, yet the film is a testament to simplicity.

To those who have seen the film there is so much that can be said, but for newcomers it's best to let the film tell the story. The layers of meaning are forcefully and gently revealed.

I rate this as one of the great film masterpieces. It is a shame that it has not received a wider international audience. It is unheard of in many parts of the West, but it has all the hallmarks of a classic. I hope that someday this film will be available at DVD sales and rental shops in Western Europe, the Americas and Asia. It deserves to be there. It deserves to be viewed in film schools, universities and art schools around the world. This film has been available in Bulgaria in a DVD limited edition.