Reviews

This movie is a real gem, probably hidden somewhere in a dusty film archive.

I could never understand why good movies are kept in the dark and left for destruction and not restored and re-released. Hey, but maybe that's just me.

OK, I agree, this movie may be old but let me say that even though I've seen this movie years ago it still left me with a deep impression.

It's a story about a boy lost in a world where fear and survival is preserving the human beings while deforming their sense of humanity. In a world affected by the war atrocities, a boy finds a friend, a dog who needed a friend in order to remain man's best friend, for in such moments, the dog, while serving the man becomes as wild and evil as an wolf. Deformed by the war in the same manner a man would have been and remaining alone, without his master, now dead, the dog has become untamed and wild and appearing as an wolf it is considered an wolf, therefore a threat for the animal stock and hunted down.

I hope they are going to release it on DVD and distribute it world wide. Perhaps tastes differ but my advice is: If you get a chance to see this, rented or bought, don't hesitate to do it.

The movie shows in parallel two stories that took place during WWII.

One of the two stories treat the human side, the things happening to a man in a war, the pain and pressure on his nerves and courage and how he copes with everything in order for him to survive and not lose his sanity.

The other story deals with the animal side, the things happening to a dog who gradually loses everything he knew and loved and is even faced with a threat to its existence itself. To survive the dog has to forget everything it was taught and hold dear, fear the man and its tricks and become wild and free again.

I've seen this movie when I was barely out of childhood and I must say that I have a vivid fond memory of it. It's about Robinson Crusoe, the sailor that ends up on a desert Island but he is not alone. He has some pets: a dog, two cats and a drunken parrot. Our characters are soon joined by another peculiar one: Friday. There will be lots of mischief going on because of a cannibal tribe ending in the most unexpected and hilarious way.

This movie is known in Romania as "Robinson Crusoe" as it was made as a Romanian-Italian co-production between "Animafilm", Bucharest, Romania and "Corona Cinematografica" studios, Italy. There were also two directors: the Romanian Victor Antonescu (who also made the script) and the Italian Gibba (Francesco Maurizio Guido).

It has been previously released on DVD in Italy, Spain, France and Germany and now in Romania in 2009, in Romanian, but unfortunately with no subtitles.

If you could find it on DVD, my advise is to at least rent it. You won't regret it! Enjoy!

This series shows the life of a girl that got separated from her parents ever since she was a little baby due to a shipwreck at sea. The story follows the line of her life from her infancy to adolescence.

She got to be a reporter but could manage to keep her sincerity and kindness along the way.

The way she handled the facts of life, the moral values included in her judgment were and still are a milestone in my life. This show was very important to me and to all the kids of my age. I will always keep a sweet memory of it in my heart.

When Sandy Belle was aired, the streets were empty. There were no kids playing outside anymore. Even the grown-ups were watching it with delight! :-)

So, if You could get a DVD with this marvelous series, I recommend it from the bottom of my heart along with

"Candy Candy" (1976), "Periinu monogatari" (1978), "Cro" (1993), Nils Holgerssons underbara resa (1962), "Janguru Bukku shonen Môguri" (1989), "Uchuusen Sagittarius" (1986), "Pikorîo no bôken" (1976), Mirai shônen Conan (1978) etc, etc...

After not being able to pass the entrance examination at the Polytechnic Faculty, Vali (Walter, in English), living in the city of Brasov, gets to be investigated by the police (then called The Militia) for complicity to different thefts. He wants to find an alibi and he figures that the best one would be provided by his father, now living in Bucharest, the capital city.

All good, but to get there he robes a motorcycle.

In Bucharest he gets to know a shop girl named Anisoara (pronounced Anishoara (Anny, in English)), whom he suggests an escapade by the seashore which she surprisingly agrees with. This goes to show how different were the people then. Nowadays, whom would react this spontaneous? But there is a saying: "Whom God would ruin, He first deprives of reason".

"The success of Timotei Ursu in "Septembrie" (meaning September) is that of making a gravely moment of truth from a beautiful love story, an acute exam of sincerity in front of life that does not forgive neither the young nor the old for their mistake. Natural and discreet, the director enveloped the load of moral signification and inherent consequences to each life gesture under the appearance of an innocent game." (1978, Adina Darian, critic).

If you have the opportunity to see this movie, don't hesitate. I guarantee you will love the story which in fact is a love story. And I'm not saying that only for the reason that this movie was made in my country. Just see it and believe it.

Or not! "De (dis)gustibus non disputandum!!!" as the ancient Romans once said.

:-)

Anyway, I'll give it a 9 out of 10.

The acting is great. I would dare to say that the script is one of the best for this kind of movies. But I would like to say something about the legendary Vlad Draculea, also known as Vlad Tepes (The Impaler) and see if the history has done him justice.

First of all, Vlad Tepes' father, Vlad Basarab, was known as Vlad Dracul not because he was part of a secret organization, as other movies suggested, but for the following reason:

He received from the emperor Sigismund of Luxembourg the highest Order that was given to a knight in those troubled days - higher than The Teutons' Order, The Order of the Maltese Knights or The Order of the Knights from Rhodos. That was The Dragon's Order. In Romanian, Dracul means The Devil. And from Dragon to Devil was only a small step.

Vlad (the father of Vlad Tepes (pronounced Tsépesh)) and Mircea, Vlad's brother were buried alive by some coward, traitorous nobles, just because the nobles didn't like the idea of a war against the Turks. Those nobles wanted peace with the Ottomans, even if this would have meant a harsh tribute in gold, silver, cattle and CHILDREN.

By that time, Vlad and his brother, Radu The Handsome, were forced guests at the Sublime Porte as a pledge that their father wouldn't have risen again against the Turks.

Vlad Tepes (now known as Draculea or Dracula) has punished very harsh the thieves, liars and the enemies. And that scared people as hell. Yes, he was harsh even for those days. But efficient!!! While he ruled the country nobody dared to steal anything!!! Why, in the evening, you could let a bag full of money in the middle of the road and in the next morning it would still be there. LOL! That's why in my country HE is a national HERO!!!!

The people are such a distorted beings. They couldn't see the forest but the trees. Some can't behave unless their are forced to do so. The good deeds are easily forgotten but the harm done... Well... That's another story. And Vlad knew that well.

Maybe if he had had the diplomacy of his cousin, Stefan The Great, the Lord of Moldavia, things would have been different.

Knowing all that... Can anyone blame Vlad Tsépesh (The Impaler) for trying to clean his country of thieves, liars, false beggars, traitors and lazy people?

Not to mention the fact that his little country, as well as the other parts of the future Romania, were as a shield to the rest of Europe against the Turks and Tartars. While the Romanians (then divided in Moldavians, Transylvanians, and Valachians) were trying to survive between the blows that came unceasingly from all sides, the rest of the Europe sinked in sloth, giving, when was requested help, only promises.

So, tell me! Which ruler was the worst? The one that sacrificed anything for freedom or the one that promised to help but never did, continuing to enjoy a life of pleasures and lust, as long as the peril was away?