Genres

Visitors Review

spartik 2012-05-20 10:30:18

A criminal movie...

I saw the film, and I cannot believe it. It turns a social process, arevolution, into a comedy. Is criminal to speak this way about a fight,where lot of people died, and most of them were communist. The poverty ofGreece was the cause of the guerrilla, not the badness of a couple ofcrazyguys. The "coup d´etat" that came after confirms that things happeneddifferent... Is very hard hearing the mother screaming for his sons, butthat´s only USA propaganda.

spyroshas 2012-05-19 15:13:37

Please people don't hurt my people's pride!

The movie really belongs to the trash bin-same as the book. Good oldAmerican propaganda. As for those who are not Greeks but know exactly whathappened in that war I really doubt that they do.The term "fascist" is commonly used in Greece for all right-wing people,even "mild" right-wing people, if such a thing exists. Does that ring anybells to you? It is really worth spending some time studying about thecivilwar in Greece(1945-1949). It really is the epitomy of US (and British)involvement in the internal affairs of every country and if you change thenames and dates it can be just as good for Spain, Korea, El salvador,Colombia, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Bolivia, Cuba, Vietnam, Somalia, Kosovo,Afghanistan, Iraq etc etc (the list is infinite) The epitomy of foreign USpolicy itself!Being evil is easy.Being good is tough.Choose your path or be a zero!

2012-05-06 14:01:41

Great Movie

This review is from: Eleni [VHS] (VHS Tape) The story of Eleni is one of tragedy and should be seen by all. It tells of the horrors of the Greek Civil War of the late 1940's and the determination of one woman's fight to save her children. While the Greek version of this story is more detailed about Eleni, the English version still gets her story across and includes the inner story of her adult son's turmoil of resolution of his mother's murder. I also recommend Nicholas Gage's book of Eleni.

jtpaladin 2012-05-06 05:59:31

Brilliant story and a brilliant film

Folks, please ignore the silly left-wingers who have decided to posttheir hateful remarks about this great film.Speaking as a Greek-American, who's father was a partisan in WWII, thestory as shown in the film was exactly as it happened. Yes, there was aterrible civil war following WWII but it was an attempt by the SovietUnion to extend its' power into the southern Balkans. The Sovietsbacked communists in Greece and the Allies backed non-communists. Aftera long and bloody conflict, that also resulted in thousands of Greekchildren being stolen from their parents and shipped to Eastern Bloccountries, the war ended with the non-communists as victors.Now, be sure that like in every bloody civil war, there were atrocitiescommitted on both sides. But fighting against the communists was theright course of action since they did not favor free elections, wouldhave instituted a tyrannical govt., and would have dragged Greece intothe Eastern Bloc for 50 years.As for the kidnapping of the children, the blow to Greece's manpowerwas tragic. It would be the equivalent if millions of children weretaken from American parents. Truly a nightmare. But a nightmare thatcould have been averted if the filthy communist scumbags had beenstopped early on. It was Churchill that wanted to land troops in Greecefor just such a reason during WWII but the Soviet dominated alliancenixed such an idea, leaving Greece wide open for chaos and anatmosphere for civil war.Anyway, the film was truly accurate in its' portrayal of the politicalclimate of the time, the brutality of the communists, and the endresult of this horrendous period. I highly recommend it as a lesson inwhat many countries of that, and later periods, encountered withcommunist insurrections. I also highly recommend it as a powerfultestament of a mothers' love to protect her children from the ensuingchaos of war and tragedy.

Petros-9 2012-05-04 00:16:32

Everlasting Propaganda...

...50 years after the end of Greek civil war which have cost muchmore livesthan the WWII (most of them leftish people), a Greek-American boy whichbecame a man (?) adds his punchline to the right-wing everlastingpropaganda. A successful film of a successful book, which only placeshouldbe the trash-bin along with other propaganda products of the cold war. Anutter insult to the thousands men and women Greek partisans who foughtagainst the Nazis and for our freedom, and -unfortunately-lost...

2012-05-03 12:35:34

Eleni

This review is from: Eleni [ NON-USA FORMAT, NTSC, Reg.4 Import - Latin America ] (DVD) I HAVE READ THE BOOK "ELENI" WHICH WAS FANTASTIC - BUT WAS DISAPPOINTED IN THE FILM - THEY COULD HAVE DONE A BETTER JOB - LEFT OUT A LOT OF THE DETAILS.

centen 2012-04-29 17:21:51

Outstanding

Powerful performances all around in this tale of a family's struggle toescape the Greek Civil War after World War II. Based on a true story, andwith a powerful performance by Kate Nelligan as the title character. JohnMalkovich does not disappoint as her son who seeks to avenge his mother'sexecution. Oscar winner Linda Hunt also gives a fine supportingperformance.A gripping, suspenseful mystery!

mikki_dr09 2012-04-29 04:15:28

Eleny: a great movie to learned.

One of my favorites movies. I love the end because let us a greatlearning about what is important in what we do in our lives. Many timeswhat we will like to do is not the correct action. We can't do what wedon't believe and in what our parents teach us. This movie remember mymother when Kate shout "my children's" at the moment she was killed. Mymother fight for us so we can be proud of her forever. The acting of Kate and Nicolas are wonderful. Was a good decision inselecting both for this movie and the idea to filmed this real story.Movies like this should be consider by the producers for the newpresentations.

2012-04-29 01:15:31

A Must Have

This review is from: Eleni [VHS] (VHS Tape) Absolutely incredible flick. Very powerful performances that gives extra depth and meaning to such a tumultuous time in the modern history of Ellada. This film should be a wake-up call to those of us in America, that the savage thuggery, rape and murder practiced by the Greek Communists, could very well happen here by the Obamunists and their left-wing union, ACORN, Black Panther bases.Sad and ironic that the Communists, now called PASOK, have taken control again in Greece.

Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat 2012-04-28 21:15:46

An extraordinary movie about a heroic Greek woman with an outstanding performance by Kate Nelligan.

aroni-1 2012-04-21 02:10:32

The truth hurts

An excellent film, especially for history buffs. I suggest that anyonewho has seen this film should also read the book. As a former leftist,this movie hits home regarding the lies and distortions that communistsuse to perpetuate their evil and inhuman ideology. As an American ofGreek descent, I am familiar with many of the traditions and customsshown in the film. The village life shown caused me to recall storiesthat my mother told me, and the closeness of the family in Greekculture shown by the protagonist's relentless search for his mother'skillers is another accurate portrayal. The starvation and suffering ofpoor Greeks during WWII made them easy prey for communist ideology,which, thank God, did not succeed in 1945-1949, and thanks to workslike this film, will never succeed.

2012-04-20 07:50:29

Left wing Hollywood machine

All freedom loving people need to remember how Communists and their twisted ideology destroyed the lives of so many millions of people around the world including this wonderful lady in a village in Greece.Since this film truthfully depicts the horrors commited on innocent people in the name of Communist ideology, Hollywood will take its own sweet time in releasing it in DVD format.

2012-04-18 02:26:57

Very interesting film

This film captivated me from the beginning until the end and will not soon be forgotten.

2012-04-17 13:25:59

Touching, tear jerker based on the love of a mother...

As a young boy his mother is shot by Communist guerrillas who take over this small town in Greece. 25 years later as a successfull New York newspaper colummnnist he returns home to square up with those responsible for his mother's death.

ccthemovieman-1 2012-04-13 12:57:36

Decent Story But In A Word: Grim

This is another of those supposedly based-on-a-true story accounts,this one dealing with a man's (writer Nicholas Gage) quest to return tohis native Greece and avenge his mother's death which occurred 30 yearsearlier.This is not an uplifting story but it's not depressing, either.....butit is grim. It begins with the Grecian mother protecting her kids fromthe vicious Communisits of the late 1940s. The film switches back andforth from that period to modern-day but it's never disjointed. Theacting by John Malkovich, Kate Nelligan and Linda Hunt is excellent andthe scenery is pleasing and very little, if any, profanity if memoryserves me. It's a decent film but not anything I'd watch more thanonce.

KYKLON 2012-04-13 00:44:08

Exposes The Lies.

This movie vilified,mostly by Communists, because it exposes theTruth of how they were pensioned for their War Crimes, is alsoadeeply moving TRUE story about a mothers love and sacrifice, and aSon seeking Justice. It depicts the true collaboration ofCommunists, in the region, to take over Greece at the close ofWorld War 2, rather than the propaganda that they fought theNazis. In brutal detail New York Times writer Nicholas Cageexposes the 'good' life granted to these War Criminals, by thethen 'Socialist' Government Years later when it came to power. Hesearches for the murderers, and when he finds them, his decisionnot to stoop to their level is powerful. Great Performances byJohnMalkovich as Nicholas Cage, and Kate Nelligan as Eleni.

2012-04-09 07:38:51

...sorting out the mixture of historical background and intrinsic (dramatic) criticism

I think this movie has been underrated, for some disappointing reasons.Very few people criticize Kate Nelligan's fine performance; but theyoverlook the performances of Linda Hunt and the actor who played thelocal Communist leader who was ultimately spared by Nicholas Gage (Idon't know his name, but I thought the casting was quite deft). For themost part, though, it was John Malkovich's performance that has been sogrossly misunderstood. People hadn't seen enough of his work in 1985when the movie came out. But now, after "Places in the Heart," "TheKilling Fields," and numerous other films, we should be able toappreciate what he can do with a part.Another distressing aspect of the critical comments is the fact thatthe political left prefers to focus on political background as themajor point in their evaluation. To toss out any political reference tothe actual situation in Greece in the late 1940's is nothing more thanturning the very valid allegations of Communist mischief in that timeinto an argument for their side--something that the radical left hasalways been able to do quite adroitly for some time. In the early '80's many of those kidnapped children had grown up andreturned to Greece--as agents provocateurs. They were so successfulthat their efforts had a potent effect on Greek politics for years. Itis a fact that in that time the Soviets shot down a Korean airlinerthat had drifted off course over the Sea of Japan. Everyone aboard waskilled. And the Premier of Greece, with no evidence to support hisconclusion whatsoever, said publicly that the plane was probably on aspy mission for the CIA. He, of course, was playing to the powerfulleftist political sentiment in his own country at the time. A page ofhistory is truly worth a volume of logic sometimes.

2012-04-08 17:11:20

Eleni VHS tape - Terrrible!

This review is from: Eleni [VHS] (VHS Tape) After viewing Eleni on VHS tape, past thirty minutes of the film there is nothing but static!

macduff50 2012-04-07 22:27:57

A lot of the comments miss the point

This film seems to have unjustly attracted a lot of nonsensicalcomments, mostly from left of center commentators; and it's sadlyrevealing how the facts cited by other viewers are not even addressed,but simply ignored by the left-ist commentators. Those who accuse thefilm of being anti-communist propaganda mostly use ad hominemarguments, and insult and invective. But ask yourself: what good is apolitical view which assumes itself (because it is self-described as"revolutionary") to be above ordinary moral or political criticism? Ifthat were true, then there could never be any way to judge the value ofthe actions performed in its name. In short, this is a reasonably good film, with a fine performance byKate Nelligan, and much less good work by other members of the cast.The direction is not inspired, and the flashback structure of the filmseeks to maximize the emotional effects without stopping to considerjust how powerful those effects are all by themselves, that is, the useof that structure betrays the fear of the film-makers that the storymight not have the impact they wanted it to have. The original book is stronger, but it too is flawed by Nicholas Gage'sfailure to ask himself about how it was that the communists picked onhis mother, even though he presents some of the evidence that answersthe question. It's clear from the book that some members of his family-- I think his grandfather, but it's been a long time since I read thebook -- had serious disputes with other people in the village in the20s and 30s and perhaps even earlier, and that there may even have beena murder involved; naturally, Gage is not all that clear on the point.The communists, men, most of them, couldn't go after the grandfather,so, brave souls that they were, went after the most vulnerable: theGage womenfolk. Despicable, but that is often the tenor of village andpeasant life. And to me, this was the message of the book, that the politics ofrevolution were, in many cases, simply another weapon in thenever-ending village war between its own members. The problem with thefilm is that it never really clarifies this central aspect of thedrama, and so the power of Nelligan's performance is marooned. Itaffects, but it's almost in a vacuum, and Malkovich's portrayal ofGage, which I thought quite good, is similarly detached; but the flawlay in the original book, which ducks important questions because Gage,North American that he is, simply doesn't understand the deepercurrents of village life. Worth a look, no matter its flaws. No work of art is ever perfect, andthis one gets high marks for trying.

2012-04-07 16:41:58

Great story about the reality of communism on Greece

This is a fantastic true story about a boy, his mother and his family who are caught up in a communist revolution. If anyone is in doubt about what a choke hold communism can put on a country, see this movie.