The Omnibus Entertainment division of indie film god Film Movement notably contributes to the its-scary-because-it-could-happen-here dystopian lore of the 21st century with the December 5, 2017 DVD and VOD releases of the 2016 Jonathan Pryce drama "The White King." The immersive totalitarian state vibe begins with the Frank Miller graphic novel with a twist of Soviet propaganda style of the opening credits that show how the Homeland comes to power.
The next portion of the narrative shows 12 year-old Djata enjoying a blissfully ignorant existence in this 30 year-old dictatorship (complete with omnipresent security cameras) with his loving parents Peter and Hannah. The real-world crashes in when the authorities show up asserting a desire to bring Peter in for questioning, but that man and his wife know that he is about to take a one-way trip to a gulag.
Some of the strongest symbolism occurs early in the film when Djata and his friends are happily playing with a beloved soccer ball until two much larger brothers with highly symbolic names roar up in a "Mad Max" style ATV and horrifically brutalize the boys before taking off with the ball and daring Djata to come after it. The significance of this encounter extends beyond the all-powerful state imposing its will on the weaker members of society to illustrating how the actual government branding Peter a traitor throws Djata to the wolves.
Jonathan Pryce of two many timeless classics to mention enters the picture in the role of paternal grandfather/(retired) Colonel Fitz. His primary scenes revolve around Djata having an informal Bar Mitzvah on his birthday. The rituals include a too horrific to watch shooting lesson, hearing about how Peter pays several high prices for choosing Hannah over a phenomenal military career, and even more symbolically being charged with restoring the family honor.
One of the most wonderfully odd scenes in "King" has Hannah using a false pretense to meet with General Maude (veteran character actor Greta Scacchi) to solicit her assistance. Djata wandering the home of this military leader evokes a very strong sense of falling down the rabbit hole.
A scene that seems like straight out of "The Lord of the Flies" has Djata once again facing off against the brothers who delight in tormenting him. These older boys literally adopt a scorched earth policy to assert their dominance.
Yet another iconic tale comes into play as Djata travels to the mythical founder of the new society only to discover the true nature of the fabled amassed property behind the curtain. This triggers the final events of the film that provide some hope for the future while showing that any real improvement is far off.
Borrowing time-tested elements of real and reel-life gives "King" much of the power that makes it a "must-see" cautionary tale for our times. Propaganda is king and opposing sides seem to focus on crushing the opposition to first obtain and then maintain power.
If these comments warrant dragging your not-so-humble reviewer off in the middle of the night, the two requests are that "Kitty" comes along and that we are brought to The Village where "The Prisoner" lives; having a gorgeous villa with free maid and food service is not a bad life for a vocal malcontent.
Anyone with questions or comments regarding "King" is strongly encouraged either to email me or to connect on Twitter via @tvdvdguy.
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