Description

MTV — A Dunai Hajós (The Danube Pilot), MTV / MOKÉP (DVD)

In VERY GOOD condition! As pictured! Buy with confidence!

Product Details

Product Type: DVD
Brand / Label: MTV Rt. / MOKÉP Rt.
Catalog Number: MOKÉP 390
UPC / EAN: 5996357330264
Director: Markos Miklós
Original Story: Jules Verne
Release Year: 1975 (original TV film); DVD release
Genre: Adventure / Drama
Language / Audio: Hungarian
Subtitles: None
Region: 2
Format: PAL

Product Features

Runtime: 111 minutes
Aspect ratio: 4:3 (1.33:1)
Audio: Hungarian Dolby 2.0
Region 2 PAL DVD
Extras: filmographies of Agárdi Gábor, Bujtor István, and Koncz Gábor; trailer for Beszterce Ostroma
Condition: Used, very good

Overview

Jules Verne wrote a lot about journeys, but few of them feel quite like this one. A Dunai Hajós — The Danube Pilot — is a 1975 Hungarian colour TV film adapted from Verne's novel The Danube Pilot, directed by Markos Miklós and shot along the actual Danube, where the river itself becomes as much a character as anyone on screen.

The story follows Borus úr, alias Ladko, who wins a fishing competition in Sigmaringen and uses the prize money and weapons he has gathered for Bulgarian patriots fighting for independence. To keep his cover, he bets he can sail the Danube all the way to the Black Sea living only off what he catches with a rod. Shadowing him is Jager, an Austro-Hungarian detective who suspects Ladko is more than a fisherman — and he isn't wrong.

Markos Miklós assembled one of the strongest casts Hungarian television could offer. Koncz Gábor anchors the film with his physical presence and quiet authority. Agárdi Gábor brings warmth and comic weight, Bujtor István adds exactly the right measure of roguish energy, and Madaras József, Kállai Ferenc, and Latinovits Zoltán fill out the crew with the kind of lived-in detail that makes ensemble television feel real. Menszátor Magdolna rounds out a cast that reads like a who's-who of Hungarian screen acting in the 1970s.

This is adventure television from an era when rivers were still wide, schedules were slower, and a serialised story could breathe. Fans of classic Hungarian film, Jules Verne adaptations, or the particular atmosphere of 1970s Eastern European adventure productions will find something to treasure here.

Interesting Facts

Jules Verne's novel Le Pilote du Danube was published in 1908, one of his later works; the Hungarian TV adaptation brings the Danube setting to life with location shooting on the river itself.
Bujtor István, who plays one of the key supporting roles, would go on to become one of Hungary's most beloved film personalities, particularly known for his comedic and adventure roles in the Örkény-era productions.
Latinovits Zoltán, appearing in the cast, is widely regarded as one of the greatest actors in Hungarian theatrical and screen history — his presence in any production was considered a mark of distinction.
The film was produced from archival footage and original recordings held by Magyar Televízió Rt. (MTV), preserving an important piece of Hungarian television heritage.
MOKÉP (Magyar Oktatásügyi és Kulturális Exportimport Vállalat) was the principal distributor of Hungarian film and television on home video, responsible for bringing this and many other classic titles to DVD.
Markos Miklós directed several notable Hungarian TV films during the 1970s, developing a reputation for bringing literary adaptations to the small screen with cinematic care.