Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		5.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.5

Heroic Times Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf September 17, 2023

Turning to animation to realize the world of folklore hero Miklos Toldi, director Jozsef Gemes attempts to bring reality and emotionality to a particularly conflicted figure of power. The Hungarian production is realized through paintings, with extreme artfulness leading the charge in “Heroic Times,” giving it a special cinematic power, capturing the intensity of thought and the tragedies of life. It’s a unique offering of storytelling, and while the tale isn’t always interested in the fine details of motivation and power plays, feelings register with potency, while the endeavor looks like a museum come to life.

“Heroic Times” explores the life of Miklos Toldi, a simple farm boy who lost his father, a knight, in battle, with his brother stepping into the role of leader. Miklos resents such a situation, in possession of incredible power, and when death enters his life again, he escapes, soon using his strength and pursuit of nobility to claim a position in service of the king. As the years pass, Miklos maintains authority and defeats enemies, but his heart remains empty, eventually discovering the power of beauty in a young woman he desires but cannot have.

Narration is added to “Heroic Times” to help understand what’s going on, and while this wasn’t Gemes’s original intent for the picture, it does help viewers follow what’s going on in Miklos’s rise to power. Poetic thoughts are appreciable, but the feature does work as a purely visual experience, with the animation concentrating on the sweep of the character’s odyssey, as he grows from a boy robbed of innocence to a bitter old man of violence. Imagery works with the stillness of paintings to more active movement, finding the production taking special care of atmosphere and expression as Miklos sinks into own thoughts while experiencing a range of challenges to his honor. “Heroic Times” explores battlefield horrors, duels, jousting, and animal attacks, detailing the physical might of the character and the response of those witnessing it. Political power plays are also examined, with royal authority complicating Miklos’s imagined sense of peace.

Heroic Times Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.37:1 aspect ratio) presentation is listed as a "4K restoration of "Heroic Times" by the National Film Institute-Film Archive in Hungary," with "Blu-ray authoring by David Mackenzie of Fidelity in Motion." The viewing experience secures the textures of animation, with imagery nicely detailed, providing an appreciation of technique and depth, allowing fans to study the incredible imagery. Colors are vibrant, containing a rich sense of primaries on clothing, with reds and blues favored. Colder hues also register as intended with darker moods and desolate battlefields. Delineation is satisfactory. Grain is nicely resolved. Source is in good condition.

Heroic Times Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 LPCM mix delivers a clear understanding of narration, which carries a hint of compression. Intelligibility is never threatened. Scoring supports the epic mood of the feature with decent power, preserving orchestral movements and instrumentation.

Heroic Times Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Booklet (14 pages) contains an essay by Jennifer Lynde Barker.

• Commentary features film historian Samm Deighan.

• Animated Shorts (HD) by director Jozsef Gemes include "Koncertissimo" (4:11, 1968), "Parade" (6:10, 1969), and "Funeral" (3:09, 1970).

• Interview (26:08, HD) is a video conference discussion of "Heroic Times" with animator Sandor Bekesi.

• Interview (50:09, HD) is a video conference chat with Gyorgy Raduly, Director of the National Film Institute and Film Archive of Hungary.

Heroic Times Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

There's beauty and brutality in "Heroic Times," and the assembly of animation is astonishing, with Gemes boosting the epic tale with epic artistry, creating an unforgettable look for the feature. The story is mostly a loose summary of frustration, and a few stretches of Miklos's existence are missing a firm dramatic grip, but there's enough fire to the characterization to support the film, especially when it goes deep into the knight's emotional limitations, battling against perceived unfairness. "Heroic Times" is a beautiful endeavor, perhaps one of the most creative undertakings in animation history, with Gemes finding inventive ways to detail this traumatic life experience filled with pain and domination.