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Movie Info & Details
Release Year1998
Runtime1h 42m
LanguageSlovak
CertificationNR
GenresComedy, Drama
Votes5
DirectorVladimír Balco
WritersPeter Pišťanek, Vladimír Balco, Marian Urban
TypeFeature Film
Rating4.5 out of 10
Cast10 credited
Also Known AsRivers of Babylon
About Rivers of Babylon
Dark satire about bare-knuckled capitalism in the immediate post-Cold War era. Set just as the Communist government is collapsing, the film focuses on the brutish Racz, the handyman in a Bratislava hotel. Knowing that his job is insured for life, Racz turns off the building's heat and demands food, money, and sex to have it restored. The film is narrated by a pimp named Urban who explains that people in the former Czechoslovakia were so used to being abused that they simply put up with Racz's corruption. By the end of the film, Racz's fortunes have changed considerably. Instead of being a lowly worker, he is now a ruthless and wealthy businessman, unafraid to kill or kidnap those who get in his way.
Directed by Vladimír Balco, Rivers of Babylon leans on a strong ensemble — Andrej Hryc, Diana Mórová, Ady Hajdu — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.
The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about comedy titles of 1998.
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