Genres
Production Companies
Ateliéry Bonton Zlín
Česká televize
Markíza Slovakia
Salvo Film
Rivers of Babylon
Overview
Dark satire about bare-knuckled capitalism in the immediate post-Cold War era. Set just as the Communist government is collapsing, the film focuses on the brutish Racz, the handyman in a Bratislava hotel. Knowing that his job is insured for life, Racz turns off the building's heat and demands food, money, and sex to have it restored. The film is narrated by a pimp named Urban who explains that people in the former Czechoslovakia were so used to being abused that they simply put up with Racz's corruption. By the end of the film, Racz's fortunes have changed considerably. Instead of being a lowly worker, he is now a ruthless and wealthy businessman, unafraid to kill or kidnap those who get in his way.
Key Crew
Director: Vladimír Balco
Screenplay: Peter Pišťanek, Vladimír Balco, Marian Urban
Producer: Marian Urban
