Film
What's on at the cinema plus reviews of the latest movie and DVD releases
Somersault in a Coffin (1996)
Director: Dervis Zaim
Movie review
From Time Out Film Guide
This no-budget first feature from a Cyprus-born director is very likely the best Turkish movie of the 1990s. Mahsun (Ugurlu, a distinguished stage actor) is an alcoholic and a street sleeper, known to the Istanbul cops as an expert car thief. Essentially a picaresque account of this human wreck's exploits, which include a turbulent relationship with a junkie prostitute and the theft of a peacock from a national park, the film uses Mahsun as an index of the currents of fear and loathing which it sees permeating life in 'modern' Turkey. Zaim says the character is based on a real-life prototype, but the film has none of the limitations of docu-drama: vigorous hand-held camerawork complements a sophisticated grasp of pacing and structure.Author: TR
Cast & crew
Director: Dervis Zaim
Producer: Ezel Akay, Dervis Zaim
Cast: Ahmet Ugurlu, Tuncel Kurtiz, Aysen Aydemir, Serif Erol, Fuat Onan full cast
Duration: 76 mins
Top Stories
Ridley Scott interview
Director Ridley Scott tells Cath Clarke why he's making a science fiction comeback
Cannes Film Festival 2012: half-time report
Dave Calhoun reports on the hits, misses and a shocking new masterpiece from Michael Haneke






What do you think?
Post your review now