La corne de chèvre

As an undergrad film student, this was my absolutely favorite discovery. Powerful film with minimal dialog yet every aspect of the story, the drama and the horror of war, comes through loud and clear. Highly recommended if you can get a chance to view it. I've been trying to add this to my personal collection and professional collection with no luck for the past forty years.

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.

I could never imagine some months ago,that a Bulgarian movie I saw a night that I didn't have something more interesting to do,would make me admire it so much,so that I could definitely say that it is a masterpiece of the European cinema ever made. No special effects,no impressive decoration.Just a plain composition but also a genius one. The wife of a farmer is being raped and murdered by a gang,in front of the eyes of her little daughter. The farmer hungry for revenge brings the girl up as a boy, and when she is old enough they kill one by one the killers. This movie is a hymn to simplicity.No dialogs when it is not necessary,full of primitive feelings with perfect harmony between actors and natural location.Excellent!!!!!!!!

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.

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.