In 1969 Estonian film company Tallinnfilm made a masterful adventure film "Viimne reliikvia" (The Last Relic). They have never made anything close to it again... Three years later an attempt to repeat the success with "Verekivi" (The Blood Rock) failed. They shouldn't try to film a medieval adventure story anymore. However, in 1984 they did it and gained the absolute bottom with "Hundiseaduste aegu" (When dogs ate dogs).
Set in the 14-th century there are used lots of costumes and armor of its time in the film. Even a medieval village is specially built into the forest. Doesn't sound like a cheap movie ? Well, everything not mentioned above was a real crap ! The director Olev Neuland - i'd say that i'm really afraid to watch any of his other films. The action was extremely unrealistic and jumping from one task to another. Did they do any film-composition (montage) at all ? The cinematographer did anything to make a feeling of some kind of experimental film. The actors we have used to see in good quality - what did happen to them ? Why is the acting so fake ? Who genius came to the idea that in the final scene Meleleiv will kill Hans Metten with his glance ?? The fighting scenes, especially on the river are nothing but pathetic ! To watch that, i'd got the feeling that all the crew just fleers over the public. And who wrote all that comic-weak text ? Radiator on the wall of the medieval castle or electric pole visible makes it even more hapless. The crown for it all is an unsuitable aggressive synthesizer music through the whole movie (a compositor Grünberg did Kraftwerk insead of Clannad).
Well, to get to the good points then there almost was none. Yes, the village girl was a beauty but her role was rather a small. Her Van Damme-type boyfriend was fine looking warrior too but still, they were more requisites than actors. So that's why we are talking about a film that is wished to be forgotten forever.
