A peaceful, frightened little man is mistakenly identified as “the dragon,” a notorious criminal on the run. He briefly and reluctantly rules the underworld until they realize their mistake.
While it is now considered one of the best Greek films, director Nikos Koundouros’ 1956 film “The Ogre of Athens” was originally a box office bomb. Its reputation has grown in the intervening decades, even though it still remains unseen outside cinephile circles. Radiance Films looks to change that with their Blu-ray release of the film’s 4K restoration.
Blending elements of film noir, comedy, and Hitchcock-like suspense, the film follows timid bank clerk Thomas (Dinos Iliopoulos), whose resemblance to the notorious criminal ‘The Ogre’ leads to a case of mistaken identity on New Year’s Eve. Swept into the nightlife by the mistake, he attracts the attention of women and local toughs who expect him to lead a planned crime. What price will Thomas have to pay for going along with this misconception?
Although the film was made in the mid-50s, it feels like it’s from an earlier era. The pacing is languid, with long stretches where narrative momentum stalls in favor of musical interludes that contribute little to the story. The plot is thin and drags on longer than it needs to, making it difficult to stay invested in Thomas’s predicament.
That’s not to say the film is without merit. Iliopoulos delivers a fantastic performance that grounds the film. At times, there’s a physicality to his performance that rivals the likes of Charlie Chaplin and Harold Lloyd. The film’s occasional lack of sound effects makes it feel more like a silent-era work.
Taking a look at the disc itself, the film’s transfer is serviceable but noticeably imperfect. The image shows frequent damage, including streaking and a sequence with fluctuating brightness that persists as the camera moves. The audio track features a persistent hiss, apparently a problem since the film’s initial release, and one scene surges with harsh high frequencies severe enough to make me concerned my speakers had blown. While entirely watchable, this isn’t one of Radiance’s best presentations.
On disc supplements include an introduction by Jonathan Franzen, an interview with Christina Newland, and an interview with Dimitris Papanikolaou. The limited edition also includes a booklet with an essay by Andréas Giannopoulos and an excerpt from Franzen’s novel ‘Freedom.’ Together, these features offer historical context for the movie and its evolving reputation.
While neither the film nor its presentation entirely won me over, “The Ogre of Athens” may appeal to viewers interested in exploring world cinema or the development of Greek filmmaking. For them, Radiance’s release offers a worthwhile way to experience an overlooked title despite its imperfections.
Now available on a Limited Edition Blu-ray
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