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Variola Vera

Original title: Variola vera
  • 1982
  • 1h 50m
IMDb RATING
8.1/10
3.3K
YOUR RATING
Variola Vera (1982)
DramaHistoryHorror

This is a true story of the famous Variola epidemic outbreak in Belgrade.This is a true story of the famous Variola epidemic outbreak in Belgrade.This is a true story of the famous Variola epidemic outbreak in Belgrade.

  • Director
    • Goran Markovic
  • Writers
    • Goran Markovic
    • Milan Peca Nikolic
  • Stars
    • Rade Serbedzija
    • Erland Josephson
    • Dusica Zegarac
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    8.1/10
    3.3K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Goran Markovic
    • Writers
      • Goran Markovic
      • Milan Peca Nikolic
    • Stars
      • Rade Serbedzija
      • Erland Josephson
      • Dusica Zegarac
    • 11User reviews
    • 9Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 2 wins & 1 nomination total

    Photos42

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    Top cast29

    Edit
    Rade Serbedzija
    Rade Serbedzija
    • Dr. Grujic
    Erland Josephson
    Erland Josephson
    • Dr. Dragutin Kenigsmark
    Dusica Zegarac
    Dusica Zegarac
    • Dr. Markovic
    Varja Djukic
    • Dr. Danka Uskokovic
    Rade Markovic
    Rade Markovic
    • Upravnik bolnice
    Vladislava Milosavljevic
    • Sestra Slavica
    • (as Vladica Milosavljevic)
    Peter Carsten
    Peter Carsten
    • Epidemiolog iz UN-a
    • (as Peter Karsten)
    Aleksandar Bercek
    Aleksandar Bercek
    • Magistar Jovanovic
    Radmila Zivkovic
    • Sestra Zaga
    Semka Sokolovic-Bertok
    • Dr. Ciric
    Bogdan Diklic
    Bogdan Diklic
    • Dusko
    Velimir Zivotic
    • Sekretar za zdravstvo
    Milo Miranovic
    • Lozac Mile
    Dzemail Maksut
    • Halil Redzepi
    Katica Zeli
    • Servirka
    Bogosava Niksic-Bijelic
    • Telefonistkinja
    • (as Bogosava Niksic)
    Ratko Tankosic
    • Bora 'Triperas'
    Zivojin Bradic
    • Prodavac knjiga
    • Director
      • Goran Markovic
    • Writers
      • Goran Markovic
      • Milan Peca Nikolic
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews11

    8.13.2K
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    Featured reviews

    10ivanas14

    Real life is scary

    One of the most scary movies I've seen, atmosphere, acting, truly disturbing.
    10harryplinkett14

    Good film

    This film will scare you. It's an unpretentious, yet very well made horror that builds a genuinely creepy mood and introduces us to likeable characters we really care about. I have seen it several times and I have found it enjoyable every single one of those times. The interesting thing is that the film is based on real events, but that is also a potential problem, because the filmmakers cared more about putting together an effective screenplay than remaining true to actual events. This is no docudrama, but a film that takes great liberties. However, they are justified, because the screenplay they ended up with was pretty much flawless. You won't forget this film.
    10GodLovesMoviesToo

    Now this is the real horror!

    Now this is the real horror!

    The story,camera,acting are classics and sometimes really poor, but the atmosphere in the movie is priceless and unforgettable. Even the score is fantastic,It's rear but it's there. Rade Serbedzija is great and only one who seams to have fun. And the begging of the movie is just simply excellent. Variola Vera is an absolutely merciless horror drama, a movie so real and scary that,it keeps you nervous and jumpy rather than pleasurably excited, and it's a classic.

    The one and only authentic Serbian horror movie!

    I love it !
    10DzejnDou

    Remarkable...

    One of those movies that keeps you awake at night and makes you wonder about things like bio-terrorism and stuff like that... Like your own safety in those "what if" situations... Absolutely every single segment of this movie is shocking and frightening... Music theme containing some middle-East motifs keeps playing in your mind from the very first minute of the movie, and stays in it even after you have watched it. Horrifying story of pilgrim who came back and brought along one of the deadliest diseases known to men surely sounds scary, but what makes it even more creepy is the fact that it's based on true story... The event that made the whole world vulnerable, and reminded us that no matter how strong we appear to be, there's always one invisible enemy we cannot fight and cannot defeat. Cast is terrific, some of the best Yugoslavian actors had their career highlights in this movie... Especially brilliant role of Rade Serbedzija. If you like this type of movies, this is a movie that you just cannot miss... And if you don't... Well..rent it out anyway. Highest recommendation.
    9arminio

    More than scary ...

    This is really scary and shocking movie that deals with true events of smallpox epidemic that hits former Yugoslavia in 1972 (I was one year old and my parents still remember all this). Movie works excelent in building tense atmosphere from the first second - when you hear amazingly creepy score and see first scenes where a pilgrim buy a little "doomed" flute from a man infected with smallpox, to the moment when he get sick and spread desease that finally stuck in General hospital in Belgrade where main plot of the movie occurs. We see, death, fear, anarchy, people get crazy, army build quarantine ... the creepiest moments of the movie are showing infection (makeup are stunning) and suffering of patients and definitelly occurence of main infectologyst dressed in scary white suit which, in conjunction with amazingly simple and effective score give unbearable tension and unpleasant feelings (only remark I have is that he reveal himself at the end of the movie - and I think it would be better that we don't know any fact about him). It is only sad that we don't see any events that occurred outside hospital (many people was infected and died in the city and everywhere where infected pilgrim passed) and that main plot is stucked in hospital.

    Anyway, one of the best and creepiest movies I ever seen with several moments that will stuck in your memory for a long time.

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    Related interests

    Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)
    Drama
    Liam Neeson in Schindler's List (1993)
    History
    Mia Farrow in Rosemary's Baby (1968)
    Horror

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Based on the real life events, a Variola vera (smallpox) epidemic, which broke out in spring of 1972. Hospital scenes filmed at several Belgrade hospitals, including Gradska bolnica (aka City Hospital), the epicenter of the outbreak.
    • Goofs
      After the opening sequence we see a three-engined Boeing 727 making its final approach to land at the Belgrade airport. In the very next shot, when the plane actually touches the ground, it's a two-engined DC-9.
    • Connections
      Featured in Serbie, année zéro (2001)

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    FAQ15

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • July 9, 1982 (Yugoslavia)
    • Country of origin
      • Yugoslavia
    • Language
      • Serbo-Croatian
    • Also known as
      • Đại Dịch Đậu Mùa
    • Production companies
      • Art Film 80
      • Croatia Film
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 50m(110 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono

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