Released in 1990, Twilight is a crime drama from Hungary that would fit perfectly in today’s cinematic world of true crime stories and brutal murders. The story follows the deaths of three young girls who have all been killed in the same way. The suspect, a young man accused of being a pedophile, commits suicide during the investigation. A policeman becomes obsessed with the case.
The story moves at a slow uncomfortable pace. These types of stories are filled with twists and turns and fast action. Even those with a more relaxed pace have big reveals. Twilight is presented in a stark black and white that draws audiences into a word of hopelessness. The film almost separates itself from the thriller genre and transforms into something far more terrifying.
Twilight is filled with long camera shots that add to the cold and detached feel. At times, it almost feels like Director Gyorgy Feher is more interested in presenting a mood than telling a story. This will end up turning some off since one of the big appeals of crime dramas is giving people something tangible to latch on to.
That being said, there is a narrative to follow here. The crimes are grisly and the investigations leads to deadly results. The central story is a familiar one of a detective who becomes too involved with a case. As Twilight progresses, his search for the truth leads to surprising revelations.
Much like the rest of the film, things often become very bleak. The film never wants anyone watching to get too comfortable. In the end, the great camerawork and engaging story take a backseat to the dark mood Twilight succeeds in conveying. Unfortunately, the same thing that makes it unlike anything else in the genre, will prevent people from enjoying it.
Twilight gets its first ever U.S release at Film at Lincoln Center on April 21
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