| |
|
 
|
A WONDERFUL NIGHT IN SPLIT
(TA DIVNA SPLITSKA NOC) |
 |
 |
| Featuring: Dino Dvornik, Mladen Vulic, Coolio, Michael Klesic, Marija Skaricic, Nives Ivankovic |
| Director: Arsen A. Ostojic |
|
Distributor: First Run Features |
| DVD release: 18 November 2008 |
|
Runtime: 100 minutes
(1 disc) |
| Format: Black & White, Color, DVD-Video, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen |
| DVD Features: Audio tracks (Croatian), Subtitles (English), Discussion guide (Director's notes, About Croatia, Historical background) |
|
A Wonderful Night in Split is the first feature film by Arsen Anton Ostojic. Set during a rock concert in Split, Croatia, it follows three intertwined stories during the few hours before to midnight on New Year's Eve. First we meet a war widow and her boyfriend. Instead of their spending the night together, he has another rendezvous on his mind. He needs to catch a bus out of town to deliver a package for a friend, so he abandons his girlfriend and her young son for the street. After passing though a street concert, his story unfolds and sets up the next story.
The middle third of the narrative follows a young addict prowling the streets for a fix. Her desperation leads a local drug dealer to hook her up with a group of American sailors looking for a good time. One of the sailors has just received a "Dear John" letter and is trying to sort out his emotions. They both feel trapped by their respective situations and are motivated by outside influences. As the night progresses, they learn each others' secrets, and things take a turn for the worse.
The final vignette involves a young couple's search for a quiet place to spend the night together. After a run-in with the same drug dealer, they have something extra to add to their night. Each has a vastly different experience from the drugs, and what could have been a beautiful night for them instead leaves them scarred and broken.
The black-and-white photography of A Wonderful Night in Split ably captures the lonely desperationof its characters. The realistic stories tie together nicely with a distinct musical theme to allow us to reset the story and see the nights events from a new perspective each time.
While the bulk of the film was subtitled, there are a few scenes in English. These are the only technical problem I found with the movie, as they have a minor sync issue. As far as the rest of the film, it's good, but I don't see any reason to watch it again. The performances are decent, but the real stars of this film are the photography and music. It's worth checking out, but don't beat yourself up if you miss it.
|
|
|
