Jesus Christ's Horoscope / Jézus Krisztus horoszkópja (1989)

Jesus Christ’s Horoscope (Jezus Krisztus Horoszkópia, 1988) examined the dying days of Communism through the journey of a poet named Josef Kaffka and a group of Stalin nostalgists. By contrast, God Walks Backwards (Isten Hátrafelé Megy, 1991) offers a dystopian vision of a post-Communist world following Mikhail Gorbachev’s execution, in which Stalinists take over Hungary and can only be expelled with the help of the Red Army. Contrary to appearances, this was Jancsó’s first out-and-out comedy, and pointed the way towards many of his final features, not least in featuring both Jancsó and Gyula Hernádi onscreen (at least up to the point of their own execution).

The work of renowned Hungarian screenwriter and director Miklos Jancso has grown increasingly enigmatic since his first film in 1958. Jézus Krisztus horoszkópja is no exception to this rule. Jancso emphasizes highly evocative and ambiguous imagery over dialog or exposition. Here he seems primarily interested in showing the painful, stunted lives of Hungary's intellectuals, who are shown as remaining silent and ineffectual during various political crises. There are several action sequences involving chases and shootouts, but since there's no clear narrative we're not sure how they relate to each other or to anything else. The film is, however, visually fascinating, with shots of police cars, horses, and naked bodies juxtaposed and extensive use of multiple video imagery. The camera work is dazzling. This kind of film is obviously not aimed at general audiences. Fans of Jancso and those interested in experimental filmmaking will find it a difficult but rewarding experience.

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