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Reviews
Beyaz Melek (2007)
A Very Good Drama
Firstly I would like to admit, I entered the theatre to watch this movie with only one thing on my mind; "this is a Mahsun Kirmizigul movie so expect nothing too good". But the reality couldn't be any further from my expectations.
For those non-Turks a bit of history about the writer/director/producer Mahsun Kirmizigul; he is a famous singer in the genre known as Arabesk/Fantasy. His attempts at acting to date having proved (for the lack of better words) bad. This movie was, in away, his statement that he has the talent it takes to succeed on the big screen and I'd argue he has.
The movie is about the changing culture in Turkey with the adaptation of the Western civilisation into the metropolitan cities. It depicts the great harmony that exists between all cultures within the Turkish Republic and to name them specifically, Turkic, Kurdish and Greek. The main concentration is on the family values that are common to all Anatolians and that have inevitably shifted with the western way of life overpowering those cultural values that once were.
The story revolves around an elderly home where people from all walks of life cross paths as they wait for their eventual end (death). The joy and cruelty that exists within the walls of this sanctuary are based on true events that made headlines in Turkey when caught on camera by a national current affairs program in the 90s.
There are some remarkable camera and directing work, especially coming from someone as unexpected as Mahsun Kirmizigul. The introduction scene and horse scenes are ones to really enjoy from a technical point of view, and the actors in general make the drama hit you where it hurts and your tears will be the evidence of the wonderful acting.
Asmali Konak: Hayat (2003)
The crew (including the Director) has forgotten this is a continuation of a TV series
Asmali Konak has arguably become one of the best TV series to come out of Turkey. With its unique cinematography and visual approach to filming, the series has gained a wide following base with rating records continuously broken. Personally I do not agree with singers becoming actors (hence, Ozcan Deniz - the lead actor) but I guess the figures speak for themselves.
In relation to the movie, it was disgusting to see how much someone can destroy such a plotline. Years in the making, this movie was able to oversee every descent story that existed within the series. Not only that, the cultural mistakes were unacceptable, with an idiotic scene involving the family members dancing (Greek style) and breaking plates, which does not exists anywhere within the Turkish culture.
Some argue the movie should be taken as a stand alone movie not as a continuation of the TV series but this theory has one major fall, the way the movie was marketed was that it will be picking up where the series left off and will conclude the series once and for all. So with that note in mind, me and everyone I know, would have asked for a refund and accepted to stand outside the theatre to warn other victims.