Toldi - Movie (2022) is Marcell Jankovics' fifth and last animated feature film, after "Johnny Corncob" (1973), "Son of the White Mare" (1981), "Song of the Miraculous Hind" (2002), "The Tragedy of Man" (2011) . The cinema version of the animated series "Toldi" made in 2021. Unfortunately, he was unable to live his presentation. R. I. P. The cinema version was completed by co-director Lajos Csákovics.
"Toldi" is the work of the poet János Arany, a primary school curriculum in Hungary. The work of Sándor Petöfi, also included in the primary school curriculum, is "Johnny Corncob". Secondary school curriculum Imre Madách's work "The Tragedy of Man". It can therefore be seen that important literary works form the raw material in Jankovics Marcell's animated feature films. The folktales and folklore stories of " Son of the White Mare" and the "Song of the Miraculous Hind" are also based on fables, folktales, myths and historical descriptions.
The cartoon "Toldi" was created by request, as was the "Song of the Miracle Hind". The director was originally invited to make a series, but he already indicated that he wanted to make a movie version of it. The Toldi consists of 12 songs (chapters) and a prologue (preface). Since the story is connected, the movie version does not feel like a series has been made from it. Of course, minor changes were made. In addition to omitted scenes, new scenes and minor modifications were made in the cinema version.
A condition for making the cartoon "Toldi" was that János Arany's work must appear in the film faithfully. This was quite a serious limitation during the preparation. About 60% of the original text is spoken. Previously, "The Tragedy of Man" was also shown as a series on television, and there the film faithfully followed the original text, but there the different parts were of very different lengths and less text remained from the original.
It is interesting that this is not the first adaptation of Toldi in the form of an animated feature film. In 1984, József Gémes directed "Heroic Times", a sensational oil painting film. It was originally going to be made without text, but in the end a small narration was added. In reality, "Toldi" is a trilogy, and "Heroic Times" adapted the trilogy. He won in Annecy in 1985. Jankovics' film contains only the first part of "Toldi".
Toldi is also a typical Jankovics film, but here, for the first time, realism plays a bigger role. Like the cartoons " Song of the Miraculous Hind " and "The Tragedy of Man", it displays several styles here. The characters' thoughts are presented as a thought cloud in the realistic representation of the story in Manesse codex style. A ghost figure, none other than the poet János Arany, plays a significant role.
In Toldi, compared to Jankovics' previous works, transformation-based imagery plays a smaller role, but at the same time, the story of Toldi is presented in a world-class visual way that is likable for schoolchildren. The film is a meeting of visual storytelling and recitation, from which it follows that the characters of the plot themselves speak in the voice of Tamás Széles. This is how Toldi becomes a visually animated literary work of art.
The mood changes of the main character, Miklós Toldi, when his hair turns golden yellow and his eyes light up, are amazing - many compare them to anime heroes. For me, it reminds me more of Son of the White Mare. In Miklós Toldi, we can discover a real superhero.
We cannot forget the music accompanying the film, in which the atmosphere of the medieval world is significantly enhanced by György Selmeczi's music.
A special feature at the end of the film. After his victory, Toldi is brought back from the island in a flag ship with 12 golden warriors. In them we can recognize the main creators of the film. The first two golden warriors are Marcell Jankovics and Lajos Csákovics. Ferenc Mikulás, Zsolt Richly (R. I. P.) and György Selmeczi can also be seen.
I don't know if English subtitles have already been made - based on the original literary work or just a simpler text version - if not, I still recommend watching the film even for those who don't know Hungarian.
