Monday, February 18, 2008

A great tale of ancient Turkish traditions ! ! ! !


Hazal (1979) directed by Ali Ozgenturk

Hazal is a sad tale of a young village beauty who is married to a 12 year old young boy after the death of her husband.This unholy alliance is not at all acceptable to this village lass who has her own life ahead of her with her inherent desires.Things take a turn for the worse when Hazal falls in love with a young stranger with disastrous results. The film depicts in equal proportions the tragic fate of all the players involved.There is a bitter portrait of an old woman who is Hazal's mother in law.Although she is a woman,she does not make any efforts to understand young Hazal's sentiments.The young kid's mawkish yet innocuous portrayal will bring many a laugh on viewers' faces. There is also a minor hint of his sexual maturity as he boasts of his young wife's beauty to other children of his age.The stranger's character is the strangest of all as he is depicted more of a shadow man unwilling to engage in talks with Hazal to understand her feelings. It is not only Turkan Soray's beauty but also Ali Ozgenturk's direction which will make serious viewers appreciate Turkish film Hazal.It is one of the few Turkish films in which ancient traditions are challenged.

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