Balada o siedmi obesenych

Impressive, funereal, b/w historical reconstruction (produced by Czechoslovak TV Bratislava) of the late 19th century execution of a collection of Russian offenders, who comprise a horse thief and a mixed group of 'terrorists' (one an army officer). It follows their trial and imprisonment and provides significant flashbacks to explain the crimes/social standing of the condemned. The film's theme of awful predestination, its dominating basso profundo choric score and the general doomladen atmosphere are marshalled by Holly into a premonitory vision of coming disaster. (From the novel by Leonid Andrejev.