The Goat Horn (1972)

Instant Favorite.

Bad Acting and worse Bad Screenplay

The movie's not perfect, but it sticks the landing of its message. It was engaging - thrilling at times - and I personally thought it was a great time.

Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

No point for me to go into the plot with all the other comments. This is an exceptional film that delivers on many levels. There is a minimum of dialog and the story is told through realistic action and expression. The acting is so good you can feel what the characters are thinking with hardly a word spoken. The cinematography is at times stunning and always very appropriate for the story. There are moments of visual poetic beauty coupled with a hauntingly beautiful soundtrack. It's a story of power and oppression, of anger and revenge. The stage is set during the time of Turkish rule over Bulgaria. It has the depth of a Shakespearean drama, yet the film is a testament to simplicity.To those who have seen the film there is so much that can be said, but for newcomers it's best to let the film tell the story. The layers of meaning are forcefully and gently revealed. I rate this as one of the great film masterpieces. It is a shame that it has not received a wider international audience. It is unheard of in many parts of the West, but it has all the hallmarks of a classic. I hope that someday this film will be available at DVD sales and rental shops in Western Europe, the Americas and Asia. It deserves to be there. It deserves to be viewed in film schools, universities and art schools around the world. This film has been available in Bulgaria in a DVD limited edition.

Even if you can't see a sub-titled version, you won't miss anything; as someone has already mentioned, the dialog in this film is extremely minimal. Instead, the viewer is immersed in the story through the natural sounds of the wild Bulgarian hills, empathic and creative (but never obtrusively 'there') camera-work and the amazingly expressive and authentic performances of the two lead actors.When this film was released it was seen by three million people in Bulgaria, and the population then was only 8 1/2 million. It is sad to relate that the director, Metodi Andonov, lived only a few years after the making of this film. With so few examples existing of his craft, The Goat Horn is even more precious.An absolutely beautiful, unforgettable film.

One of outstanding Bulgarian films, One of the best screen versions of a short stories by Nikolai Haitov. This film is at once a parable and tragedy revealing by mean of lean dialogue and great dramatic tension the cruel history of Karaivan and his daughter Maria. The filmmakers - screenwriter Nikolai Haitov, director Metodi Andonov, cinematographer Dimo Kolarov, production designer Konstantin Dzhidrov,theme song written and performed by Mariya Neykova and at last, but not at least - the main actors Anton Gorcheb and Katya Paskaleva - denounce violence against human nature and defend the right to personal freedom. Katya Paskaleva played brilliantly two main female characters - this one of the mother and second one of Maria. After this film she became a great Bulgarian movie star.

"Kozijat Rog" is by far the best Bulgarian film ever made.It has all the characteristics of greatness: a story that lacks nothing of the dramatic depths of classical tragedy; a frugal style of visual narrative that is both monumental and subtle; acting that is as good as real-life; and last but not least - music that is impossible to forget."Kozijat Rog" is conducted in the ways of old - with the power and gentleness of a true master. And although color loses its saturation with the passing of time, this film will not, for it is shot in black-and-white.