Description

Revolutionary in form as well as content, Electra, My Love is one of the great Miklós Jancsó’s finest works. Shot in twelve beautiful, intricately choreographed long takes by cinematographer János Kende, and expressing political ideas that were forbidden in 1970s Hungary, it is a searing exposé of oppression and the abuse of power.

Jancsó here radically reworks the ancient Greek myth as Electra (seeking revenge for the murder of her father, the former king) attempts to rouse a cowardly and apathetic population against the rule of usurper tyrant Aegisthus. Jancsó’s film examines issues of law, justice and power; the deliberate distortion of myth and reality reflects the horror that Hungary endured through the twentieth century. A provocative call to arms against any system that rules without justice, this film continues to resonate powerfully today.

Available on both Blu-Ray and DVD formats, Electra, My Love is presented from the brand new 2K restoration of the film by the Hungarian Digital Archive and Film Institute, supervised by the film’s cinematographer János Kende, with special features including the featurette ‘The Evolution of the Long Take’ with János Kende in conversation, and a booklet featuring an essay by Hungarian cinema specialist Peter Hames.

SPECIAL FEATURES