The Round-Up
"The Round-Up" (1965) is an obscure Hungarian film critically-acclaimed for its stark, minimalist style and political overtones. In this grim, realistic drama set in 1868, Austro-Hungarian soldiers imprison a group of peasants and subject them to mental and physical torment to make them reveal information about an insurrectionist conspiracy.
This clip (sorry about the poor quality) is the best filmed example of "running the gauntlet", once a common form of military corporal punishment in the 19th Century. It was also practiced by some Indian tribes in North America. Here, director Miklos Jancso almost seems to be going for a bit of titillating exploitation by having such a beautiful young girl run naked between two lines of soldiers armed with switch-rods. However, it's filmed in a matter-of-fact manner.
Audio/Visual: sound, color
Keywords: political; history; military; prison; army; hungary; corporal punishment; caning
Chat rooms • What links here • Copyright info • Contact information • Category:Root