First off, a warning to Anglophone Orson Welles fans who might be tempted to watch this movie simply for the man: it opens in Croatian sans subtitles, and schizophrenically jerks at times between tongues. However, Orson's appearances in this movie are all in English. Whew.
This movie is a melodramatic exploration of Nikolai Tesla's life and works. Without being overly spiritualistic, it accomplishes a sort of Lovecraftian horror(the elderly crackpot Tesla conversing with the deceased Westinghouse and Morgan). Flashing between nationalist Croatian nostalgia for Tesla's hometown, and unadulterated awe for the movie's real protagonist(alternating current), the film flips without warning into Croatian scenes and back to English.
One wonders how in the world the great Orson Welles found his way into this flick. Think Bela Lugosi in "Plan 9 from Outer Space". Perhaps because of the Croatian passion for a hometown boy who made good, though, most of the cast at least tries to transcend the film's heavy soap-opera mediocrity. Especially Welles, with an uncannily convincing portrayal of the overweight, suffering conniver JP Morgan.
If you can make it that far, be sure to watch for the scene in which Samuel Clemens visits a party and is introduced as "Mark Twain". Also watch for the scene in which a young and enthusiastic Marconi breathlessly accosts Tesla and announces his undying admiration. Tesla's arrival in America, and the carefully staged "scientific" demonstrations are also worthy nuggets. A pan shot of Los Angeles blanketed in smog: "LOS ANGELES U SMOGU".
This film is recommended for: anyone who enjoys Croatian art films; anyone who thinks Croatia is merely a staging-ground for genocide; Tesla devotees; electronics students; Orson Welles fans; and beginning filmmakers who wish to avoid making this film's boo-boos(stilted emotions, overmuch adulation for Tesla's private life).
Historically accurate? Not entirely. But the effort is there.
This movie is a melodramatic exploration of Nikolai Tesla's life and works. Without being overly spiritualistic, it accomplishes a sort of Lovecraftian horror(the elderly crackpot Tesla conversing with the deceased Westinghouse and Morgan). Flashing between nationalist Croatian nostalgia for Tesla's hometown, and unadulterated awe for the movie's real protagonist(alternating current), the film flips without warning into Croatian scenes and back to English.
One wonders how in the world the great Orson Welles found his way into this flick. Think Bela Lugosi in "Plan 9 from Outer Space". Perhaps because of the Croatian passion for a hometown boy who made good, though, most of the cast at least tries to transcend the film's heavy soap-opera mediocrity. Especially Welles, with an uncannily convincing portrayal of the overweight, suffering conniver JP Morgan.
If you can make it that far, be sure to watch for the scene in which Samuel Clemens visits a party and is introduced as "Mark Twain". Also watch for the scene in which a young and enthusiastic Marconi breathlessly accosts Tesla and announces his undying admiration. Tesla's arrival in America, and the carefully staged "scientific" demonstrations are also worthy nuggets. A pan shot of Los Angeles blanketed in smog: "LOS ANGELES U SMOGU".
This film is recommended for: anyone who enjoys Croatian art films; anyone who thinks Croatia is merely a staging-ground for genocide; Tesla devotees; electronics students; Orson Welles fans; and beginning filmmakers who wish to avoid making this film's boo-boos(stilted emotions, overmuch adulation for Tesla's private life).
Historically accurate? Not entirely. But the effort is there.