Search - Hukkle on DVD

Quirky, one-of-a-kind film

LGwriter | Astoria, N.Y. United States | 05/21/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"There's no dialogue in this short (75-minute) feature film, set in the small village of Ozora, Hungary. The title is Hungarian slang for hiccup, and the film starts with an old man (pictured on the cover of the DVD) doing just that.



The old man sits in the same place during the entire film, doing nothing but hiccuping and watching as events transpire around him including two funeral processions, the passing through of a supersonic fighter jet, the discovery of what appears to be a murdered inhabitant of the village, and other things as well.



A complex film, Hukkle integrates views of nature (extreme close-ups of moles, frogs, rabbits, snakes, fish, birds, cats, and insects) with daily village life including a primitive form of bocce, fish poaching, eating a group meal, working at various trades, and an old woman out harvesting some type of plant(s).



Pay careful attention, because there are ostensibly clues along the way as to the reason for the dead body (although personally, I found it tough to locate those clues).



There are flashes of surrealism as well. In one scene, a man parts a hanging set of multiple filmstrips (of the film we are watching)--rather than beads or fabric--to enter a room. In another, the inner skeletal workings of the jaws and head are revealed as a man eats his dinner.



There's a nice set of extras here including a 'Making of' featurette, deleted scenes, and director commentary. The film has won several awards and is definitely a unique experience, setting it apart from the works of the other two notable Hungarian film makers, Bela Tarr and Istvan Szabo.



Definitely recommended.

"

Original and Challenging Film

Derek W. Barker | 06/03/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"An old man has the hiccups. A mole digs underground. A family sit down to a meal. An old woman tends her garden. A pig's enormous testicles. Hukkle contains a series of images (both beautiful and disturbing) with no dialogue, and no apparent connection. The film challenges you to construct your own narrative.



The film portrays a day in the life of a rural village in Hungary. The images could be simple snapshots of the everyday lives of typical villagers -- or they could be clues to a sinister and disturbing mystery. Throughout the film, the viewer will be challenged to assemble the pieces, but nothing is revealed until the very end.



Be prepared to watch the film at least twice, since you will be completely lost during the first viewing.



In my opinion, Hukkle is one of the most original films I have every seen, and among the very best films of the last several years."