A Time for Drunken Horses (2000)

Unable to find this film at any local or independent video stores, unwilling to play the heft $40 eBay price tag, I reluctantly decided to watch this amazing slice of cinema via YouTube. Don't worry fellow followers, this is not going to be a current trend, but I really didn't want to skip this highly reviewed film - and I am so excited to have seen it. For those that follow, check it out on the YouTube, or if you cannot watch movies via the internets, than soon I will have this for rent at Cinema Underground. Worried that this was going to be another "Yol" viewing (for those unaware - a horrible VHS transfer of a mixed non-linear tale), "A Time for Drunken Horses" surprised me. A simple story about a boy living in the hardships of Kurdish life, tries to pull together enough money to pay for his brother's surgery. His brother, suffering from an unknown growth disease, is carried from place to place as his brother does everything and anything to make the pain stop. A touching story that pulls your heartstrings by the end, is both tormenting to watch via location, but also because of the true emotion that all of these characters emote throughout the film. In a mere 80-minutes (or eight YouTube segements), you will feel the genuine ups and downs that these characters go through just to get one simple surgery.

Perhaps it was just the transfer to YouTube, but as always the huge landscape views seemed grainy and less-HD-ish, and the translation left much to be desired (...in the sense of a long sentence from a character - only to have the word "Thanks" appear...), but it washes off your shoulders as you get to know Madi, his brother Ayoub, and sister Ameneh through all the struggles and hardships faced in this third-world nation. How a simple journey can involve land mines, ambushes, lack of pay, and snow so harsh that you need to feed the horses liquor merely to stay warm. The difficulties themselves are tough to watch, but what makes "A Time for Drunken Horses" impressive is the fact that non-actors were used for the parts. From the beginning, these kid unknowns pull you in - bring full strength to their characters, and make you feel like you are right there with them the entire journey. Director Bahman Ghobadi must have seen this right away, and supportively gave free reign to their abilities. The ending, either man or woman, will have you in tears. Madi is stuck, the ambushers are coming, and the mule (needed for the money) is stuck in the snow because it is too drunk. The intensity never lets up.

Beautifully edited coupled with phenomenal storytelling, this is one of those films that speaks in volumes because of its actors, because of its themes, and because director Ghobadi wasn't afraid to demonstrate real life. The pull of this film is realism. You feel like you are right there - with Madi and his brother, as they scrape together whatever they can for the weekly shots. There was one scene that stood out (outside of the intense ending) - which is where Ayoub is getting food somewhere and he doesn't have enough money for a poster for Madi, and the child barkeep gives it to him. The generosity amongst the daily chaos was brilliant to show. "A Time for Drunken Horses" really stands out within other films of this nature. It is short, its details tell a compelling story, and again - our actors - are AMAZING. Watch online or come and see it from me - you will be as impressed as I was!

Found in my "Halliwell's 2007" book, this is my second to last "Z" film which began with Costa-Gavras' "Z" what feels like decades ago. I will be happy to wrap this up, but it is finds like this film that really keeps pushing you back into cinema. Sorry about the random "R" film, but I was running short of options - and really wanted to watch something. This film, obviously, is getting a green mark with blue stars. If anyone ever comes into contact with this film and it is under $20, please let me know. I would love to have it with my collection.