Sometimes the scariest things are not what make for many a horror fans night. Be they a lurking monster or the deep and enveloping night and what that may bring. Instead some of the most evil and horrific things happen in the daylight and with mass acknowledgment. Whether this is in a fascist state or a Marxist utopia, sometimes it is the menace of doubt in yourself. The policeman of the mind. You cant do what is right, say what is wrong or pass a single breath. The menace of the everyday in these places is simply getting up and getting on, without those around you stopping you in your tracks. Obviously we are talking about oppression.
24 – THE FIFTH HORSEMAN IS FEAR (SECOND RUN)
WHATS IT ABOUT?
A Jewish physician is living in Nazi-occupied Prague. His life is spent cataloguing the homes and possessions of his Jewish neighbours as they are moved from ghettos to camps. One night he is asked to help an injured resistance fighter. He does but this begins to force him into difficult positions. Should he do what a doctor must? Would it be better to not help? Should he try to escape? These moral and ethical questions, plunge him head first into a nightmare.
WHY SHOULD WE WATCH IT FOR HALLOWEEN?
THE FIFTH HORSEMAN IS FEAR is a morality tale and one that was current then and now. It asks the question, how far should you go to do what is right? This leads to some difficult questions on personal and professional obligations. The framing of the question is also interesting. For a Jewish doctor to be so exposed, chased and harrassed but still bound to do no harm, he is a hero for his participation but the horrors he faces and the final act of the film, will stay with you long after the end.
WHAT SHOULD WE LOOK OUT FOR?
Well three things stuck out for me. Two ‘lost’ sequences add little notes to the film but I think will persuade some of the films, Dante journey vibes. The brothel espically feels like a lurid fever dream and one that heightens the nightmare. Žalm (1966) is a disturbing short that is passive yet leaves the viewer dangling on the edge of a most tragic history. Finally, read Owens writing on the film. It places it perfectly and might bolster a second watch.
BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION CONTENTS
- The Fifth Horseman is Fear (…a pátý jezdec je Strach, 1964) presented from a new HD transfer from original materials by the Czech National Film Archive.
- A newly-recorded Projection Booth audio commentary with Kat Ellinger, Jonathan Owen and Mike White.
- Two ‘lost’ sequences: the Italian Prologue, and the notorious Nazi brothel sequence that appeared in the 1968 American and Italian release versions of the film.
- Žalm (1966) – a short film by the renowned Czech filmmaker Evald Schorm to commemorate the tragic destiny of the Jewish people.
- 20-page booklet with new writing on the film by Jonathan Owen.
- New English subtitle translation.
- World premiere release on Blu-ray.
BUY IT NOW
https://store.hmv.com/store/film-tv/blu-ray/the-fifth-horseman-is-fear
