Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		4.5
Overall		4.5

Twilight Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov February 16, 2024

Gyorgy Feher's "Twilight" (1990) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Arbelos. The supplemental features on the release include new program with cinematographer Miklos Gurban; new program with editor Maria Czeilik; two newly restored short films; and original U.S. trailer for the film. In Hungarian, with optional English subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

That man... That thing was here.

If films could inject atmosphere into the veins of their viewers, Gyorgy Feher would have been the director who discovered how to do it -- do it perfectly, too. His film Twilight accomplishes something very, very similar. Needless to say, viewing Twilight is an utterly strange experience, and while it will not be everyone’s cup of tea, it is without a shadow of a doubt an unmissable one.

On the outskirts of a provincial town somewhere in communist Hungary, a resident uncovers the cold body of a little girl. Shortly after, a freelancing aging detective (Peter Haumann) who has a complicated relationship with the local authorities begins tracking down the killer. But there is not much that can point him in the right direction -- before he slashed the little girl’s throat with a razor blade, the killer fed her chocolates.

While visiting a popular local medium that has helped solve similar murder mysteries, the detective gets a most unusual description of the killer -- he is a giant man, an outsider, and a ghost. Before he leaves, the detective is also told that despite his best efforts he will not be able to nab him. Utterly perplexed by the medium’s description and warning, the detective resumes his investigative work, and as his lack of progress drives him on the verge of a nervous breakdown, slowly begins to realize that he may in fact be chasing a ghost.

Nearly two-thirds of Twilight are essentially dialog-free, but there is plenty to hear and absorb. When the detective and a few of his former colleagues do not engage suspects, for instance, Twilight is flooded with very heavy, borderline meditative music that incorporates a wide range of nature sounds and noises.

Twilight has an unusual visual style as well. It emphasizes natural gray and plays with light in some very particular ways. Also, the camera does not make rapid or other conventional fast moves and routinely remains behind the detective, clearly making a conscious effort not to disturb the thoughts his mind produces while assembling a profile for the elusive killer. As a result, there are many unorthodox close-ups, several of which are quite long, too.

The atmosphere that materializes is quite incredible and makes comparisons with the work of grandmasters of cinema like Andrei Tarkovsky and Bela Tarr practically unavoidable. (This writer thinks that it has a lot in common with the atmosphere that emerges in many of Alexander Sokurov’s films as well, like Days of Eclipse and The Second Circle). However, while it frequently dominates the story, it does not destroy it but helps it expand, which is why the search for the elusive killer remains very intriguing.

Feher shot Twilight with a Hungarian cast that is unknown in North America. While the performances are convincing, it must be said that their quality is difficult to judge because so much of the work Feher does with the images and sound is most unusual.

In a new program included on this release, cinematographer Miklos Gurban reveals how Feher described this work to him and managed it after he was asked to replace cinematographer János Kende, who had shot only a couple of short segments. Apparently, Gurban experimented with different film stock to find out which could best reproduce the desired by Feher natural gray that gives Twilight its unique appearance. Once the shoot was complete and the footage finalized, Gurban, while following directions from Feher, also intentionally degraded Kende’s segments to make them match the quality of the rest of Twilight.

*Arbelos’ Blu-ray release introduces an exclusive new 4K restoration of Twilight completed at the National Film Institute – Hungarian Film Archive and FilmLab, which was supervised and approved by Gurban.

Twilight Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.66:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Twilight arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Arbelos.

The release introduces an exclusive new 4K restoration of Twilight completed at the National Film Institute – Hungarian Film Archive and FilmLab, which was supervised and approved by cinematographer Miklos Gurban.

I have a previous experience with Twilight thanks to an imported DVD release. All I can say after viewing the Blu-ray release earlier tonight is that Twilight has been given a new life. In fact, I was so impressed by the new 4K makeover, I am tempted to speculate that even some of the folks that made Twilight have not seen it look this good before. On my system, Twilight had the type of appearance I would expect to see made possible by a 4K Blu-ray release, not a Blu-ray release. It looked sensational, which is not at all easy because the overwhelming majority of its visuals are very carefully captured on film to emphasize a particular type of earthy gray, with an equally particular ranges of blacks and whites. Despite plenty of tricky areas, especially darker ones, I think that the new 4K makeover reproduces this balance exceptionally well. Also, the density levels of the visuals are outstanding, so they remain impressive on a very large screen, too. There are absolutely no traces of problematic digital corrections. Image stability is excellent. From start to finish Twilight looks immaculate as well.(Note: This is a Region-Free Blu-ray release. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your player regardless of your geographical location).

Twilight Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: Hungarian LPCM 1.0. Optional English subtitles are provided for the main feature.

Twilight has a unique, very heavy ambient/psychedelic soundtrack that produces incredible atmosphere. Some bits of it are easy to compare to the soundtrack that was created for Andrey Zvyagintsev's The Banishment, and in particular Andrey Dergachev's piece Exilium, but there is plenty more from Mother Nature that is not. As you can probably guess, there are a lot of subtle contrasts that emerge as the detective begin tracking down the elusive killer. Turn up the volume of your system a bit more than usual. You will not be disappointed. I did not encounter any encoding anomalies to report in our review.

Twilight Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• "A Particular Light" - Miklos Gurban in Conversation - in this exclusive new program, cinematographer Miklos Gurban recalls the invitation he received to replace the original cinematographer of Twilight, János Kende, and explains in great detail how the film's unique appearance was made possible. Gurban also discusses his professional relationship with director Gyorgy Feher, an iconic figure in Hungarian cinema, and its impact on his career. In Hungarian, with English subtitles. (34 min).

• "The Long Collision" - Maria Czeilik in Conversation - in this exclusive new program, editor Maria Czeilik recalls how her professional relationship with Gyorgy Feher started and the many late nights the two spent together in the editing room. There are some particularly interesting comments about Feher's fixation on image continuity and its significance in his work. The conception and production of Twilight is discussed as well. In Hungarian, with English subtitles. (24 min).

• Short Films - presented here are two short films directed by Gyorgy Feher.
  
  1. Oregek a.k.a. Old People (1969). Several retired elderly men and women discuss their daily struggle to survive in communist Hungary with visiting clueless Party apparatchiks. Fully restored by National Film Institute – Hungarian Film Archive and FilmLab. In Hungarian, with English subtitles. (17 min).
  
  2. Tomikam a.k.a. Tommy (1970). A minor dispute between aging stamp collector Uncle Stetti and middle-aged bachelor Tommy sends the latter in front of a communist kangaroo court, where several Party apparatchiks accuse him of breaking the rules of "socialist coexistence" and threaten to permanently destroy his life. Fully restored by National Film Institute – Hungarian Film Archive and FilmLab. In Hungarian, with English subtitles. (23 min).

• U.S. Trailer - presented here is a promotional U.S. trailer for the new 4K restoration of Twilight. In Hungarian, with English subtitles. (2 min).

• Booklet - ten-page illustrated booklet featuring critic Andrea Virginas' essay "Breathing in for the Last Time: Aesthetics and Authorship in Gyorgy Feher's Twilight", as well as technical credits.

Twilight Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The hunt for the elusive killer quickly evolves into a cinematic seance whose striking atmosphere makes it impossible not to draw comparisons with the work of renowned masters like Andrei Tarkovsky and Bela Tarr. Needless to say, viewing Twilight is an unforgettable experience. Arberlos introduces an outstanding exclusive new 4K restoration of Twilight with a small but fantastic selection of bonus features, so I will make sure that its Blu-ray release appears on my top ten list at the end of the year. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.