- Actors: Miroslav Caslavka, David Svec, Pavel Skrípal, Kostas Zerdolaglu, Miroslav Breu
- Directors: Wiktor Grodecki
- Writers: David Svec, Wiktor Grodecki
- Format: PAL
- Language Czech
- Subtitles: English
- Region: All Regions
- Number of discs: 1
- Classification: 18
- Studio: Millivres
- DVD Release Date: 10 Mar 2003
- Run Time: 126 minutes
- Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
- ASIN: B00008IAU1
-
Amazon Bestsellers Rank:
36,260 in Film & TV (See Top 100 in Film & TV)
- #5 in Film & TV > Gay & Lesbian > Millivres Multimedia
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Product details |
Reviews
Special Features
Czech
Region 0
English
Region 0
English
Tags Customers Associate with This Product(What's this?)Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
|
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
37 of 41 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Some movies which are story-based could be seen as 'documentaries'. Director Wiktor Grodecki's first 'movie' (Body without soul) which was actualy ment as a documentary, tells about Chechish boys who come to Prague to earn money, but end up as prostitutes or 'actors' in porn movies. Perfect soberness and story-telling make that movie great.
Now the same director Wiktor Grodecki directs a 'movie' with a beginning and an end. (which you could call a story) And because of that choice, Grodecki makes the entire Prague-prostitute issue even more sober or 'dark'. His way of putting the scenes into picture cannot go beyond your imagination about tis particular porn/prostitute scene. Sometimes with tears in your eyes or with shivers running down your back! That feeling is exactly what makes this movie/documentary one of its finest or Top of the Bill!
33 of 39 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
DISCLAIMER:
Any unauthorized reproduction of my review (also in excerpts) will have legal consequences! The author.
I don't think Mr. Grodecki had the intention of turning one of the famous/famed Japanese boy love manga into a movie. But it surely looks as if he did!
The plot is simple: a runaway boy gets trapped in the vicious circle of prostitution, alcohol and drugs as he goes from rags to riches and back again. Still, the many sub-plots almost overload the film with high-piched drama and heartbreak. Everything you can think of in the Rise And Fall spectrum is there: seduction, rape, addiction, lust, perversion, betrayal, violent death, true love and fake love.
Still, the natural acting style of the non-professional performers (mostly RL hustlers and pimps) prevents "Mandragora" from being just another smooth, polished "coming-of-age-in-the-gutter" flick. To watch the kids wallow alternately in high hopes of wealth and suffer unspeakable pains when their hopes are crushed truly is heartwrenching.
This movie is not for the voyeur who finds pleasure in seeing the decline of appetizing, sexy youngsters. Far from being sexy and stimulating, it is brutal, merciless and harrowing - yet the film possesses a kind of tragic beauty and achingly beautiful melancholy.
I recommend "Mandragora" not only to fellow yaoi manga lovers but to everyone who is unafraid to go through the heights and depths of a revealing, pleasantly "old-fashioned" drama.
Any unauthorized reproduction of my review (also in excerpts) will have legal consequences! The author.
I don't think Mr. Grodecki had the intention of turning one of the famous/famed Japanese boy love manga into a movie. But it surely looks as if he did!
The plot is simple: a runaway boy gets trapped in the vicious circle of prostitution, alcohol and drugs as he goes from rags to riches and back again. Still, the many sub-plots almost overload the film with high-piched drama and heartbreak. Everything you can think of in the Rise And Fall spectrum is there: seduction, rape, addiction, lust, perversion, betrayal, violent death, true love and fake love.
Still, the natural acting style of the non-professional performers (mostly RL hustlers and pimps) prevents "Mandragora" from being just another smooth, polished "coming-of-age-in-the-gutter" flick. To watch the kids wallow alternately in high hopes of wealth and suffer unspeakable pains when their hopes are crushed truly is heartwrenching.
This movie is not for the voyeur who finds pleasure in seeing the decline of appetizing, sexy youngsters. Far from being sexy and stimulating, it is brutal, merciless and harrowing - yet the film possesses a kind of tragic beauty and achingly beautiful melancholy.
I recommend "Mandragora" not only to fellow yaoi manga lovers but to everyone who is unafraid to go through the heights and depths of a revealing, pleasantly "old-fashioned" drama.
15 of 18 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Wiktor Grodecki's first actual 'film' of this genre is a decidedly solemn insight into the grungy underworld of Prague. The synopsis you will undoubtedly have read in other reviews of the same film, however I feel that what Grodecki is actually trying to portray through Mandragora has not been interpreted from all possible angles.
Mandragora can be either taken at face-value, whereby what you see is what you get: these boys have come to Prague in order to earn some cash and end up quickly being forcefully led into prostitution as the seemingly 'only way' to survive in this newly- capitalist country, or also looking at the reasons as to why they have run away in the first place. Sure, they may not be happy with their home lives but what possesses them to leave altogether (at such a young age- Grodecki refers to boys as young as 11 prostituting themselves) and set up a new life/existence in the seedy, unsafe neighbourhoods of the capital? Sure also, these families may not have much money to go around, but so do many families in other countries but you don't see their children running away to prostitute themselves, take part in porn films and eventually end up with some STD and in the worst case, AIDS, do you?
Grodecki's piece is a realistic, sensitive (and somewhat repulsive at times ref: blood and gore) portrayal of the darker-side of post-soviet era Prague, but I have to admit, despite the occasionally scratchy cinematography and poor translation of sub-titles (for those of us with a lack of Czech language ability), the young actors proved themselves reasonably professional. Although, at times somewhat unbelievable, Mandragora definitely makes for compulsive viewing and is something that everybody should be made to watch as you can really empathise with the characters and it will definitely leave you with that 'don't know what to say' feeling as the credits come rolling down the screen. Mandragora tackles many issues: drugs, sex, prostitution, homosexuality and grievance and therefore ranks high on my 'must see emotional film' list. It is even worth watching the film just to see the angelic face of David Svec, but don't just take my word for it.
Mandragora can be either taken at face-value, whereby what you see is what you get: these boys have come to Prague in order to earn some cash and end up quickly being forcefully led into prostitution as the seemingly 'only way' to survive in this newly- capitalist country, or also looking at the reasons as to why they have run away in the first place. Sure, they may not be happy with their home lives but what possesses them to leave altogether (at such a young age- Grodecki refers to boys as young as 11 prostituting themselves) and set up a new life/existence in the seedy, unsafe neighbourhoods of the capital? Sure also, these families may not have much money to go around, but so do many families in other countries but you don't see their children running away to prostitute themselves, take part in porn films and eventually end up with some STD and in the worst case, AIDS, do you?
Grodecki's piece is a realistic, sensitive (and somewhat repulsive at times ref: blood and gore) portrayal of the darker-side of post-soviet era Prague, but I have to admit, despite the occasionally scratchy cinematography and poor translation of sub-titles (for those of us with a lack of Czech language ability), the young actors proved themselves reasonably professional. Although, at times somewhat unbelievable, Mandragora definitely makes for compulsive viewing and is something that everybody should be made to watch as you can really empathise with the characters and it will definitely leave you with that 'don't know what to say' feeling as the credits come rolling down the screen. Mandragora tackles many issues: drugs, sex, prostitution, homosexuality and grievance and therefore ranks high on my 'must see emotional film' list. It is even worth watching the film just to see the angelic face of David Svec, but don't just take my word for it.
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
dvd review
Mandragora is a Czech film about a lad who runs away to the big city of Prague; and ends up being mugged and then taken in by a guy who ends up taking him to a guy who forces... Read more
Published 19 months ago by Keith Parrish
Fresh Rabbit
This is the motion picture version of the same director's earlier documentary `Body Without Soul', already reviewed by me on Amazon. Read more
Published 19 months ago by Nicholas Casley
Get past the first few minutes and you'll be rewarded, its brilliant.
The film may be grainy, but this is only testament to the film's age and low production values and should not be a point of inadequacy. Read more
Published on 22 Jun 2007 by Rozella
DISJOINTED TRASH
BADLY SCRIPTED , APPALINGLY SUBTITLED , DREADFUL CINEMATOGRAPHY AND A GRAINY SCRATCHED MESS. WHAT A WASTE OF TIME
Published on 14 July 2006 by FAIR PLAY
Grim but compelling
One of those films that you can't describe as enjoyable as the content is so grim. However it is certainly compelling. Read more
Published on 16 May 2006 by Vulpus_rex
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
