Hukkle (2002)
Using almost no dialogue, the film follows a number of residents (both human and animal) of a small rural community in Hungary – an old man with hiccups, a shepherdess and her sheep, an old woman who may or may not be up to no good, some folk-singers at a wedding, etc. While most of the film is a series of vignettes, there is a sinister and often barely perceptible subplot involving murder.
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the audience applauded
Clever, believable, and super fun to watch. It totally has replay value.
Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.
This movie feels like it was made purely to piss off people who want good shows
A day in the life of a Hungarian town told by incredible cinematography and acute sound. At the age of 28 in 2002 György Pálfi has put together one of the most unique movie experiences out there. This dark yet funny film at first glance seems to be just a series of random events linked together by smooth camera transitions. But, there is an underlying story here, a caper if you will. "Hukkle" is an onomatopoeia that is supposed to imitate the sound of a hiccup. The opening scene of the film features an old man who cannot stop hiccuping, I believe the director was relating the pace of the film to a hiccup hence the name.During the opening credits the first name featured was that of the sound engineer Tamás Zányi. A fitting honor since there is no dialog in this film, the story is told entirely through sound. Everything from a growing leaf of grass to a F-16 Fighter jet is represented in precise detail. It truly is amazing to watch and listen to a movie like this. It grabs a hold of you and even though the events are seemingly random, you just can't wait to see what will happen next. It's like watching a Hungarian reality show.Once you realize that there is a story underneath all of this, it makes it even better. I won't ruin it by explaining the plot, just know by the end you should understand it. If not, there is a nice song at the end with the only subtitles in the film to help explain everything. Although, one would benefit from a second viewing to pick it all out.Visually, this film is wonderful. Cinematographer Gergely Pohárnok was brilliant. Moving smoothly from one scene to the next going through doors, windows and even bodies. He used CGI or computer generated imaging for some of the scenes which seemed out of place for me. I think it was to showcase more of the sound as in the growing leaf, but I thought it was unnecessary. There were only a few quick cuts thankfully, although, one in particular might make you a little uncomfortable or comfortable if your into that sort of thing.This film is not for everyone. Some may feel bored with this as the plot is barely there. But, if you view this on its technical merits you will be highly impressed.
If you've read the other comments here you'll already be aware that Hukkle is about 75 mins long, visually arresting and that there is nothing spoken (except some overheard snatches of conversation here and there). May I also add that in addition it is also rather beautiful, somewhat brutal (some of the animal stuff bothered me a bit, especially the semi-paralysed cat - which I trust was faked somehow, I hope...) and just when you start slipping into the rhythm of the film the director keeps pulling out surprises to keep you on your toes, or awake depending on your stamina and tastes.I can't quite see the oft-noted parallels to David Lynch so much as Donnie Darko which seems more like kinfolk to Hukkle. Some will not be able to take the pace and lack of conventional narrative, but if you like something different (and this IS something different) and don't want everything mapped out for you, this could be the ticket.
I am happy that so many people from different countries have liked this Hungarian film - which is quite rare. I loved it, it is very cool, innovative and fascinating. The photography and sound design are excellent. I think it is not by chance that the first member of the crew named in the opening credits is precisely the sound designer.You have to have some patience to get really into the film, but afterward, it is really worth it. Lots of black humor about eating and being eaten. In fact, eating does not mean anything good in this film...The morale of the story is well summarized in the closing folksong "Ki az urát nem szereti" (Who does not love her husband). The only time where words are used in this film to say something....And yes: "Hukkle" does not mean anything on Hungarian, it is an onomatopoetic (sound-imitating) word that imitates the sound of a hickup. (The real Hungarian word for hickup is "csuklás".)
There is something very mesmorizing about the rythmic hiccuping of an old man and the shots of pastoral Hungary. But that is not all the film is about. This debut film by Gyorgy Palfi hopefully is the first of many great films. At first this film may seem like a documentary about daily life in a small village, yet it becomes much more, and if you don't pay attention, you may miss the underlying story of a murder mystery. Also, the contrast of country life and technology is shown subtly.At our showing of Hukkle at the SF International Film Festival, we were lucky enough to have the director present and he answered questions about the film. Though this film is fiction, the underlying occurences actually happened in a small village in Hungary in the 1900s.Wonderful cinematography, beautiful scenery, unique sounds, and an original idea all contribute to making this film awe-inspiring.