Teri Tordai Movies
- 1989
- R
Also known as Red Riding Hood, Year 2000, this Hungarian/Canadian co-production is not for children. Director Marta Meszaros again dwells upon the travails of women trapped in oppressive society. This time, the Red Riding Hood legend is used metaphorically within the framework of a quasi-futuristic storyline. The "wolves" are of the human variety, and "friendly hunters" few and far between. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Fanny Lauzier, Jan Nowicki, (more)
- 1988
- PG13
Maruschka Detmers stars as Hannah Senesh, a real-life Hungarian Jew who became a martyr to the cause of freedom during WW II. Though safely ensconced in Palestine at the outbreak of the war, Hannah volunteers to venture behind enemy lines in Europe on a life-or-death mission. Unfortunately, she is captured, undergoing unspeakable tortures before the Germans are finished with her. The script, based on Hannah's diaries (as edited by Yoel Palgi), surprisingly downplays heroics in favor of sensationalism; the prison scenes could just as well have been lifted from a Linda Blair "babes behind bars" picture. Even so, Detmers is excellent in the title role, while Ellen Burstyn is likewise superb as Hannah's mother. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ellen Burstyn, Maruschka Detmers, (more)
- 1984
Logically divided into two separate parts, this intriguing -- although definitely intellectualized -- docudrama on the life and times of Count Mihaly Karoly (Ferenc Bacs) and his wife Katinka (Juli Basti) makes for an interesting, informative account of their personal history and the political background against which their lives have added meaning. In the first segment of the film, young Katinka falls in love with the much-older Count Karolyi after a love affair in her life has ended against her wishes. Her desire for the Count seems even more unreasonable, given the fact that he and his mistress have been together for a long time. But in their social circles of fancy dress balls and idle aristocrats, even a passionate desire can be realized, and Katinka and the Count are eventually married. In the second part of the film, the radical politics of the couple is taking its toll -- during World War I the couple sided with the common people against the aristocrats, and after the communists took over Hungary in 1919 the couple further alienated others in their class by supporting the new government -- even to the point of giving away their estates. Their lives would have continued as always, except the rival old guard comes back into power, and the two Karolyis are forced into exile. Newsreel footage adds verisimilitude to the story, and Katinka herself -- now an elderly woman living in the south of France, provides an introduction to the film. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Juli Basti, Ferenc Bacs, (more)
- 1984
"The Inspector General" is a satirical comedy of errors penned by Nikolay Gogol in the 19th century and interpreted here by director Marta Meszaros for the cinema. Jan Nowicki stars as the corrupt mayor of a small town who learns that the formidable inspector general is going to show up incognito, of course, to judge the town's governing body. When an unsuspecting stranger is mistaken for the V.I.P., the mayor and his cohorts fall over backwards to offer him every pleasure under the sun, including the mayor's wife and daughter. Director Meszaros' interpretation has excellent acting and good black-and-white photography, but the comedy itself needs more emphasis to capture the hearts of most viewers. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jan Nowicki, Marek Kondrat, (more)
- 1982
The year is 1931. Someone is trying to permanently derail the Orient Express. This drama, based on a true story, explains who and why. The mad bomber is Sylvester Matushka, a Hungarian businessman. He has destroyed the train and many have died. Now Dr. Epstein is called in to investigate and find Matushka before he strikes again. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michael Sarrazin, Towje Kleiner, (more)
- 1981
In this provocative Hungarian melodrama, a clothing designer becomes obsessed with learning the truth about a young French woman. The designer is convinced that this young girl is the daughter she gave up for adoption many years before. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Marie-José Nat, Jan Nowicki, (more)
- 1972
This German only film tells the story of a plant manager hiding the results of his subordinate's ruses when the auditor pays a visit. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1971
In this complex German comedy, a hapless baker endures a lifetime of adventures in a very short time span. It all begins when he inherits and loses a fortune on the same day. He then feigns memory loss, gets put in a looney bin and ends up roped into joining a counterfeiting ring. He double-crosses the gang and ends up wealthy again when he receives a big reward. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1970
Susanne (Terry Torday) is the erotic hostess who gives comfort to the visitors to her hotel. All of the vices in the country are heavily taxed, including drinking and making love. Susanne and a group of nude women try to give some relief to the beleaguered and overtaxed clientele. The feature is plagued by lowbrow humor and suggestive dialogue. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Terry Torday, Harald Leipnitz, (more)
- 1970
In this comedy an officer is trying to get women for his soldiers, a count trying to win over an innkeeper, a man worried about keeping his job. ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Terry Torday, Glen Saxson, (more)
- 1970
Jochem Brinkman (Georg Thomalia) is a bachelor again. Now there are no barriers to he and his two friends (Peer Schmidt and Hans Juergen Diedrich) having a good time. Just as they are getting into the spirit of their bachelorhood, along come three highly marriage-minded women to complicate their lives. Among them is the woman (Terry Torday) Jochem has just divorced! This is clean family entertainment for German speakers (no dubbing or subtitles). Featured songs include In the Summertime sung by Ricky Shayne. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- 1969
When a disillusioned journalist has a nervous breakdown, he loses his family and his vocation as he tries to come to grips with his dilemma. His wife leaves him because he no longer has the idealistic fervor she feels he once possessed. He feels increasingly alienated from the fast-growing, mechanical society as he mourns the loss of the importance of people as individuals. He slowly becomes bitter, cynical and tries to forget his troubles in a series of tawdry affairs with bawdy women. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ivan Darvas, Kati Berek, (more)
- 1969
Susanne (Terry Torday) is the hostess of a popular hotel on the Lahn River. When she vacations in Paris, she becomes romantically involved with the emperor Napoleon. She sets him up with a bride and manages to uncover some military secrets in the court of the amorous emperor. There is plenty of nudity and suggestive dialogue to spice up what is otherwise a routine script with little imagination. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Terry Torday, Claudio Brook, (more)
- 1968
The thin plot of this film takes place during the Napoleonic invasion of Germany and is a backdrop for displaying several nude females. Susanne (Terry Torday) is the hostess of a well-known house of ill repute on the Lahn River. Susanne travels to Italy to deliver a message to Count Enrico (Jeffrey Hunter), an amorous lover under the spell of Napoleon's sister. She sets him up with a bride and manages to uncover some military secrets in the court of the amorous emperor. Folk songs were written about this actual historical hostess who dazzled young students with her legendary beauty. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Pascale Petit, Jeffrey Hunter, (more)
- 1968
This erotic horror film is set in a dark medieval castle where the lusty Queen of France deflowers virgins, drains the life from them, hacks them up and tosses them in a huge tower. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
