Movie spotlight
His Master's Voice
Basque Country, Spain, 1980s. In Bilbao, a gray city dominated by political corruption and nationalist terrorism, Charli works as a chauffeur for Oliveira, a businessman engaged in shady deals. Alarmed by a series of threats and attacks, Oliveira decides to entrust Charli with the protection of his daughter Marta.
Insights
Plot Summary
A lonely, middle-aged zookeeper, who believes he is the heir to the British throne, embarks on a bizarre and increasingly unsettling quest to find proof of his royal lineage. His journey takes him through a series of strange encounters and disturbing revelations about his past and family. The film blurs the lines between reality and delusion as he navigates a world that seems to conspire against his grand ambitions.
Critical Reception
His Master's Voice is a highly divisive film, celebrated by some for its surreal and darkly humorous exploration of identity and delusion, while others found it to be gratuitously disturbing and opaque. Its unique, unsettling style garnered attention at festivals but didn't achieve widespread mainstream appeal.
What Reviewers Say
Praised for its audacious and original surrealism.
Criticized for its bleakness and challenging narrative.
Noted for its disturbing yet darkly humorous tone.
Google audience: Information on Google user reviews is not readily available for this title.
Awards & Accolades
Screened at the Toronto International Film Festival.
Fun Fact
Director Gyorgy Pálfi's debut feature, His Master's Voice, was noted for its bold, uncompromising vision that set the stage for his subsequent, equally distinctive films.
AI-generated overview · Verify ratings on official sources