The Hour of the Pig (1994)

Just watched this film again on video (purchased off Ebay), and this film is simply magical.I love films of all kinds from fantasy - Holes, Chocolat, Batman, through drama and thrillers, but what I love best is the telling of a story, and the way it's phrased. Hour of the Pig is just that, an excellent story developed in layers, that takes its time, because it does a fantastic job of developing the characters, mostly through the dying art of great dialogue, and some of the best British actors around.Colin Firth and Ian Holm underpin an excellent cast, rich in dialogue, with a fantastic story. And there's the rub, you have to like stories, as there's very little action, just a fascinating twist through medieval France.Films like this remind me why I go to the cinema which is where I first saw it over 10 years ago. It's a crime this doesn't have a DVD release.It never goes for less than £10 secondhand, and often tops £15, for a secondhand VIDEO. Come on, whoever owns the rights to this, and get it out on DVD.

This film gives what feels like a realistic depiction of the medieval europe described in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. This is a world where the priest seems to have slept with all the women in town, the main Inn in town is also a brothel, and an animal could be hung for sodomy.Stepping into this mess is a city lawyer intent on finding some peace and quiet in the country -- think "Northern Exposure" set during the 1450's.There are some funny bits and a lot more sex than I was prepared for. In addition to the fact that animals could be tried in court, other bits of history are thrown in. The plight of the Jews, influence of landowners, corruption of the church and spread of the plague are all thrown in making the film something of a greatest hits of 1450, and that is ultimately the problem. While the film is busily touching on so many issues, it fails to deeply address any single one to the level I would have liked.Another problem with the film is that everyone seemed to be wearing costumes that had just arrived fresh from the drycleaners. I mean its the middle ages! People back had only 1 or 2 outfits in their wardrobe. They were dirty, but this film doesn't give any of that, and that reduces some of the realism. It just never felt like anything other than a bunch of actors playing dress up.So, while I learned something from the film, the lack of real dramatic tension, and a feeling that everyone was a little too clean cut meant that the film never engrossed me enough for me to fall in love with it.The concept is great though, and I was left feeling that if this movie got the same treatment as the current HBO series 'Deadwood', it would make a great TV series.

Out of curiosity I watched this film on TV when it came on after midnight mainly because I rather like Colin Firth (handsome fellow!). I'm afraid I simply got lost on the whole thing.I learned more of what the story was meant to be about by the rolling onscreen printed text at the beginning and the end which explained some of the history and background, thank goodness, or I really would have been lost. Otherwise, most of what I saw was: 1) quaint medieval costumes and sombre castle settings, 2) a more mature Colin Firth (the Advocate in the film, I'm told), 3) an odd menagerie of peculiar looking people, tall and extra short, 4) lots of bare bottoms, 5) a series of Firth's worst advocate nightmares become reality, or so it seemed, 6) a case of the plague towards the end. There was a good dose of intrigue and suspicion wrapped up in silence where I guess the viewer was supposed to know what everyone was thinking. Maybe this wasn't my night for connecting. Am I getting old or what?

I am surprised this film is not more popular. Only sorry i did not see it on the big screen, but found the plot interesting, and the acting superior, especially C.Firth and Ian holm. Some of the lines are very amusing, especially from Courtois' clerk. I have watched this many times, and never find it boring, See it for a good watch.