476 A.D. Chapter One: The Last Light of Aries

It's definitely not the best movie out there, but when you take in consideration the ultra low budget behind its creation, which according to IMDb was at only 100k, it's actually not bad at all. According to the cinematographic quality, from the very beginning, it is obvious that it is a low budget art/indi film, however once you accept it for what it is, it is actually rather interesting, and seems to suck you in about half way in to the movie. For instance, the first 10 minutes, there is not a single word spoken, in fact it feels overly artsy and slow, and even comic in a way, however, it is very rich in imagery, which makes up for it's slow paste, and gradual rise. Sort of like the ambiance music you might listen to in an airplane, to calm you down, if you don't like flying.

The film sort of reminds me of the experimental 1960's Prague film school films, with a bunch of picturesque images intermingling with each other, while the richness in colors ads to its value. Another element that comfortably surprised me, was the fact that at every moment, there is some kind of a soundtrack playing, is it just some barely heard ambient sound, or a classical symphony, there is hardly a second in the movie without music. From the beginning until the end, the film never leaves its tempo, which it manages to hold until the very end.

The film doesn't really start to pick up in its story until about half way in, which I felt was cleverly done, as majority of the new high budget blockbusters reach their peaks at the beginning, and then just ride that left over echo throughout the entire movie. This, I find to be a grossly cheap solution for a quick money making gimmick with today's high budget blockbusters. However, here, it seems that the filmmakers didn't have another choice, but to be more clever and creative in using the less available funds at their disposal, which it seems, that they did just that. Here the slow gradual rise to its peak was rather interestingly done, where I felt the gradual transition in its tempo and dynamic of the story was original, in the way that it didn't use the usual formula that many others do. While at the same time, never loosing its art experimental feel and style of the film. This is something that I found very interesting in a low budget film, because very little filmmakers still manage to do this in a transition of the story, yet stay consistent to it's style and genre.

Overall, despite the lower budget lack of quality in its cinematography, compared to many today's blockbusters, this movie somehow never lost me, and managed to keep my attention until the end. Which for a low budget film like this, is very impressive in my opinion.

A very good movie! I really liked this film. It has some very cool effects. It makes me wonder what it must have been like to live in 476 A.D. I really like this films sensibilities. It reminds me of the way Fellini's movies made me feel when I first saw them. Real Art! Thank you for elevating the craft of story telling, and for telling a story that isn't very well known. If you enjoy learning about history you will enjoy this movie. I feel so numb watching most of the shlock that Hollywood is selling these days. 476 A.D. is the type of movie I can watch over and over. It has so many layers. I'm really looking forward to part two.

You just have to check this film out, because it is just very different! This is one of those bizarre low budget indi films that somehow grows on you. The more you see it, the more you like it. I bought it on Amazon a month ago, and didn't really care much for it then, but I decided to watch the whole thing again, and the second time I actually really liked it, and simply got hooked on it.

Perhaps this time I wasn't expecting Russel Crowe in Gladiator, or Gerard Butler in 300, and just watched it for what it is, without the whole rossi glasses. There is just something about this film that talks to you in its own hypnotic bizarre language, to the point that it made me open my Italian Red Malvasia wine.

The film is obviously low budget, as it is lacking in cinematographic quality, when it comes to the special effects, and computer graphics, but that is exactly what makes it interesting. Even though it starts really slow, at moments even corny, and just simply bizarre, if you watch it with an open mind, I promise you will love it by the end.

In an unorthodox way, it get to its own by the second act, as it catches up in its richness and novel like dynamic. It sort of feels like listening to those audio books, only instead of the voice, the atmosphere is expressed through the collage of plentiful rich and colorful images, almost like looking at classic paintings, and somehow you just can't take your eyes and ears of it.

The film manages to take you to the Mediterranean life it self, to the point that you feel you are actually there. This is something I caught right away, because I lived in Italy, which I try to visit at least once a year, and if anything, one thing this indi film caught very well, was the true Roman Mediterranean vibe. From the very beginning of the film, from that specific Mediterranean sun, the specific grape wines you see, the apples, the olives, the plums, and even the cicadas singing in the background, the filmmakers caught every detail of what Mediterranean truly is.

Therefore, when in Rome...Saluti!

This film portrays the events surrounding Flavius Aetius's triumphant return from his victorious last battle. At a time when The Roman Empire was in its last throws of collapse, Aetius brought glory to its people. Ivan Pavletic's portrayal of Aetius, who fought the Huns and returned a hero, highlights the reality of what led to the down fall of the empire and meeting an enemy on a battlefield may very well be the easiest fight. Often the within proves to be the most formidable foe. The making of this film is a great example of why independent films continue to prove that big money and the Hollywood formulas aren't necessary to create a movie of quality and importance. I enjoyed watching this movie and felt that it was a well crafted combination of talent and skill comes together in Pavletic's film, giving it the right recipe for success.

The movie sort of feels like a 1970's/80's TV film, and with the type of the shots and theatrical acting, reminds me a little of a low budget version of the 1970's BBC series "I'Claudius". I am a big fan of the old European TV series, and especially cinema from the former Yugoslavia. As my favorite films from former Yugoslavia were in fact with Igor Galo, it was definitively refreshing to see the old Croatian/Yugoslavian star Igor Galo, as the Caesar Valentinian.

Possibly my favorite Croatian film from my youth, is the 1968 comedy classic "I Have Two Moms and Two Dads", where Igor Galo was still a teenager, as well as other of his classics, such as Most (The Bridge), and Walter Defends Sarajevo. Even today, I still think that one of the best performances by Igor Galo was as Lt. Meyer, in the 1977 Sam Peckinpah's classic "Cross of Iron" with James Coburn and James Mason. Possibly, one of the most underrated of his films, and other then the 1969 "The Wild Bunch", possibly the best of director Sam Peckinpah.

Although the quality of 476 A.D. The Last Light of Aries might have been compromised by the very low budget production, its realistic acting and original mystique dynamic, definitively makes up for its misses as the low budget indi, which it is.

Overall, the story is compelling, and the experience is worth it. If you are a fan of big budget Hollywood blockbusters, then perhaps this might not be for you, but if you are a fan the European low budget art house films, then this is definitively a movie for you.