Devicanska svirka

Locations can make a big difference in certain movies. I am thinking of the location work in the two versions of Nosferatu (or about any Werner Herzog movie for that matter). The Virgin's Music benefits from authentic locations. The western viewer feels he is watching the drama take place in a startling, foreign world. Along with its black and white photography, the settings are this film's strength.

The plot begins like Dracula. The plot has a traveler being stranded at an inn when the carriage driver ominously says he will go no further. Trying to walk the rest of the way, the traveler sees a castle in the distance with strange music coming from it, but a young boy warns the traveler to not go there. Suddenly, a quick moving carriage runs over the boy. Its owner is Sibila (Olivera Katarina) the castle's owner. She has the child and the traveler brought inside the castle. From there the tension builds slowly as Sibila constantly flirts with the traveler, who is bewitched by this beauty.

Olivera Katarina is certainly right for the part, sensual and mysterious. However, a half-hour of flirtation and build-up (who is playing that strange music?) occurs before the big reveal at the end. I found it too much set-up and not enough pay-off. I had a similar reaction to Leptirica, also from director Djordje Kadijevic. Others may like Devicanska Svirka more than I did.

One of the best Yugoslav (Serbian) genre directors (Sveto Mesto, Leptirica) Djordje Kadijevic has always explored the folklore, that's one of his trademarks, so naturally I expected this film to follow the route.... What we get from it, apart from lovely Olivera Katarina (Mark of the Devil) is one moody, very Gothic picture. Young man travels across the country side, but gets a cold shower after having been informed by one of the villagers not to go near the road leading to lonely castle. And no carriage will go there.

But Ivan (the traveler) shrugs it off as superstition and decides to proceed his journey, on foot. To cut a long story short, of course he gets himself into the mysterious castle, being enchanted by its beautiful landlady. From this point on film takes a different route, in the vein of sophisticated and stylish silent films, leaning on shadows, contrasts and atmosphere rather than ominous and threatening words of castle mistress. Her weird lines don't appear to make much sense, their goal is to raise the tension and bring in the poetry: stress the lonely, sad atmosphere some more. Perhaps also point out the mental state of Sibila, the castle owner.

Throughout the film we hear the Virgin Sound, from the title, a strange piano music that lure unsuspecting travelers just like mermaids' song in Greek myth did. We are perfectly aware from the start there's something sinister going on, but what? And what is the source of the Virgin Sound? The finale is very good and creepy. We do learn about Sibila's secrets, and so does Ivan. Very enjoyable, if you can sit back, relax and let the Virgin Sound have its mesmerizing effect on you. 8/10