Indul a bakterház

The movie was just not interesting or funny at all for a non-Hungarian guy like me. The only thing that I loved about the film was the physical comedy. The protagonist was just a brat and there was absolutely no direction to the storyline.

This television version of Sándor Rideg's nationwide bestseller `Indul a bakterház' seems to be made exclusively for people who have read the book. I did so, but I still found the TV-movie rather poor. It features only those elements of the book that contribute to the storyline but the storyline is the least important quality of Rideg's book. Everything that could be funny (and that's what `Indul a bakterház' is supposed to be in the first place) is left out or reduced, so only those can laugh who have read the book and are, by the film scenes, reminded of it. I don't know whether this is the sense of a film, and, as I had read the book quite some months before, it didn't work with me either.

My criticism refers to the producers, the director and the bad sound quality (it really disturbs one if the synchronization isn't professionally done), but it doesn't concern the actors. Their performances are immaculate without exception, and they do really good jobs in portraying Rideg's characters, although had created them all rather excessive and stylized. Just as many other films based on bestsellers this one wastes many stars, many good comedians, especially Róbert Koltai, to raise expectations which are then disappointed. They didn't take much trouble to make this.

The movie is somehow still entertaining still these days. I remember when I saw this firstly on my tiny portable CD player when I was 6 years old, and how hilarious was it watching with my parents. It perfectly represents our expectations about the Hungarian peasants and their everyday life. The main character is very well played by Imre Olvasztó as well as the others. My favourite part is when the boy meet the crone or the "banya" several times and their behaviour with each other is always killing me always. Despite some good old wine drinking and some drunk scenes, the movie is rated between family friendly for teens - like I referenced earlier, I can recommend for everyone who wants to laugh a lot.

Dear Non-Hungarian Readers/Movie Watchers!

I am really sad to say, but I think this film was made only for Hungarian people. I respect Non-Hungarians who try to understand this movie, but I'm sure they wont. Even not if they read the book, tried to study the language... I don't want to hurt anybody... The characters use an accent that is funny on its own. Bendeguz is a 'Hungarian farmer' (Paraszt) kid with a very simple but totally positive view of the world - and has conflicts with people who don't have the same emotions. These conflicts and his tactics to avoid them - or cause them - are really fun. But for Foreigners, this film is a nice memorial of the Hungarian farmer-society and its life between the two World Wars, and I guess nothing more.

I'm not sure if being Hungarian is the key to enjoy this film. It certainly has a milieu very peculiar to this part of the world (yes, I'm Hungarian too). But that may also appeal to viewers from other countries in the same region. The language, the events and the characters are a classic portrayal of rural life but one that belongs in a long lost era. Thus, it is even alien to most Hungarian people. However, most people, even though born long after the time the film is set, like myself, enjoy the film to this day. So I suppose a familiarity with the conditions and history of Hungary between the two World Wars may come in handy, I still feel the film, when dubbed, could be enjoyed by a wider audience. I accept of course that it will have completely different meaning than what it means to the Hungarian.