Wake Up, Mate, Don't You Sleep

Wake Up, Mate, Don't You Sleep

A múlthoz nem visszanyúlni kell, a múltat le kell nyúlni.

2003 · 84 min · ★ 5.6 · Drama, Comedy

This time, Kapa and Pepe are first of all prisoners of war – and convicts taken to forced labor service, Jews, Hungarian soldiers, German soldiers. Once they are to be executed, then again they are to perform executions. The film tells in spectacular episodes about the fact that in the past more than one century and a half we kept marching from war to war; occupation and liberation turned out to be indifferent, and why couldn’t the Jews execute the SS-guys? Our heroes hover about dilapidated barracks, then again on the bridges of the capital they guess whose satellites or eternal friends for all times we might be just now. In the cupboard, among the preserved fruit bottles, Stalin is still hiding. The authors of the film are cited before court, then in a showcase hospital they are waiting for the end to come. A Soviet soldier-maid closes the film with a Péter Nádas-quote.

Directed by Miklós Jancsó · Written by Miklós Jancsó

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Cast

Zoltán Mucsi Kapa
Péter Scherer Pepe
Ildikó Tóth Russian Girl
Miklós Jancsó Miklós Jancsó
Gyula Hernádi Gyula Hernádi
Judit Schell German Officer
István Márton Pista
Balázs Galkó Galkó
Béla Fesztbaum Béla
Emese Vasvári Emese
Székely B. Miklós Old Hungarian Soldier
András Hajós Talent Scout

Make it a double feature

2h 54m together

Wake Up, Mate, Don't You Sleep

The Blue Danube Waltz

Both from Miklós Jancsó.

Kapa and Pepe CollectionSee all →

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The Lord's Lantern in Budapest · 1999

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Jancsó’s farce, similar to the previous ones, is about our time and about death. Pepe marries into a family of mafiosi, with the father-in-law rolling in money. In a joint venture they establish the first Hungarian Prison Limited company, where there is a menu, the prisoners are residents, and they furnish the place of execution for those volunteering to execute themselves. It turns out that the first voluntary hanging should be demonstrated on Pepe. In 180 AD Emperor Marcus Aurelius is dying in Vindobona, being fed with blades of hay by uncle Miki himself, and his son Kornél Mundruczó. Kapa provides for communication: he insists on telling lies, lies and again lies. Furthermore, there are several to die and to revive, to win and to lose, and Melancholy Béla is still alive.

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