Schachnovelle = : Chess story
Vienna, 1938: Austria is occupied by the Nazis. Dr. Josef Bartok is preparing to flee to America with his wife Anna when he is arrested by the Gestapo. As a former notary to the deposed Austrian aristocracy, he is told to help the local Gestapo leader gain access to their private bank accounts to fund the Nazi regime. Refusing to cooperate, Bartok is locked in solitary confinement. Just as his mind is beginning to crack, Bartok happens upon a book of famous chess games. To withstand the torture of isolation, Bartok disappears into the world of chess, maintaining his sanity only by memorizing every move. As the action flashes forward to a transatlantic crossing on which he is a passenger, it seems as though Bartok has finally found freedom. But recounting his story to his fellow travelers, it's clear that his encounters with both the Gestapo and the royal game itself have not stopped haunting him.
Available Copies by Location
Location | |
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Victoria | Available |
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Physical Description
videodisc
1 videodisc (112 min.) : sound, color ; 4 3/4 in. - Publisher New York, NY : Film Movement, [2023]
Content descriptions
General Note: | Based on the book by Stefan Zweig. Originally released as a motion picture in 2021. Aspect ratio 2.39:1 wide screen. Special features: Introductory essay by writer and curator Larry list ; Bonus short film Der Tunnel, directed by Christoph Daniel and Marc Schmidheiny (10 min.), German with English subtitles. GMD: videodisc. |
Creation/Production Credits Note: | Cinematography, Thomas W. Kiennast ; editor, Sven Budelmann ; music, Ingo Ludwig Frenzel. |
Participant or Performer Note: | Oliver Masucci, Albrecht Schuch, Brigit Minichmayr, Andreas Lust, Samuel Finzi, Lukas Miko, Joel Basman, Rolf Lassgård. |
Target Audience Note: | Not rated by the MPAA. |
System Details Note: | DVD; NTSC; all regions; wide screen; 5.1 surround sound/2.0 stereo. |
Language Note: | German with optional English subtitles. |