The Tragedy of Man: Standard Edition – Deaf Crocodile (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Hungary, 2011
Director: Marcell Jankovics
Writer: Marcell Jankovics
Cast: Ágnes Bertalan, Péter Blaskó, Ferenc Borbiczky, János Bácskai, László Csurka, Iván Dengyel, Andrea Fullajtár, Barbara Hegyi, István Koncz, Péter Korbuly, Adam Lux, Tünde Majsai-Nyilas, Piroska Molnar, Ervin Nagy, Éva Pap, Janka Solecki, Norbert Straub, Éva Szabó, László Szacsvay, Tibor Szilágyi, Tamás Széles, László Ujréti, Mátyás Usztics, Ferenc Végh 

Release Date: August 12th, 2025
Approximate Running Time: 166 Minutes 20 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 Aspect Ratio / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Stereo Hungarian
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $29.95

"Out of the galactic void at the beginning of the story emerges Lucifer the Devil, the Great Winged Bat, Anubis, the antagonist who adopts many faces and forms as it guides and manipulates the characters of Adam and Eve throughout history, searching for the purpose of human existence—if there is one." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5

The Tragedy of Man comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 45.9 GB

Feature: 37.1 GB

Fidelity In Motion delivers a solid encode; the source looks excellent. Colors are nicely saturated, image clarity, black levels, and compression are solid, and the image retains an organic look.

Audio: 5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD stereo mix in Hungarian with removable English subtitles. The audio sounds excellent; dialogue comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced and robust when it should.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a 2025 release trailer (1 minute 27 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Hungarian with non-removable English subtitles), an interview with György Ráduly, director of the National Film Institute (NFI)—Film Archive, on the history of Hungarian animation and the career of Marcell Jankovics, moderated by Dennis Bartok (56 minutes, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with key animator Piroska Martsa and background artist István Orosz, moderated by Dennis Bartok of Deaf Crocodile (83 minutes 15 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English and Hungarian with a translator for Hungarian). A video essay by film historian Evan Chester titled Time and Transformation: Marcell Jankovics The Tragedy of Man (23 minutes 19 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English with non-removable English subtitles for Hungarian film clips) and an audio commentary with animation producer and podcaster Adam Rackoff, podcaster and film critic James Hancock, and filmmaker and podcaster Martin Kessler.

Summary:

The Tragedy of Man was written and directed by Marcell Jankovics; he’s most known for Son of the White Mare. Although The Tragedy of Man began production in 1988, its completion took 23 years. Due to financial issues, Marcell Jankovics filmed each of the 15 segments one at a time. Although these segments link together to form one cohesive narrative, he employed a different visual style for each segment.

The Tragedy of Man is an adaptation of a Hungarian play written in 1861 by Imre Madách. The narrative is set in multiple eras, from the creation of the universe to a distant future. Each segment features Lucifer, who is joined by Adam after offering him and Eve the forbidden fruit. Expelled from the Garden of Eden, Adam turns his back on God and lets temptation overtake him. Throughout his journey with Lucifer, Adam and Eve assume various forms; specifically, Eve transforms into the woman he desires.

At its heart, The Tragedy of Man is an exploration of humanity, notably its darker side. The narrative is filled with cultural and historical references, and its visuals are overflowing with imagination; together these two things create an enthralling cinematic experience. When it comes to subject matter, The Tragedy of Man is a film that is clearly meant for adults. At 166 minutes in length, The Tragedy of Man is one of the longest animated films ever made, and there is so much to absorb that multiple viewings are recommended.

Deaf Crocodile gives The Tragedy of Man a definitive release, highly recommended.

Note: There is a deluxe release of The Tragedy of Man that comes in a slipcase and a 60-page book with an essay by PEN Award-winning historian and esoteric author Mitch Horowitz and an essay by film critic Walter Chaw (Film Freak Central).

 

Written by Michael Den Boer