MesmeroWatch list, 0 saved

Movie
Poster for Colonel Redl

Colonel Redl

1985 · 152 min

A slow, somber plunge into imperial intrigue and self-betrayal, suffused with melancholy and the quiet dread of a man undone by his own secrets.

Overview
Set during the fading glory of the Austro-Hungarian empire, the film tells of the rise and fall of Alfred Redl, an ambitious young officer who proceeds up the ladder to become head of the Secret Police only to become ensnared in political deception.

Search YouTube for the trailer

In the UKNo streaming, rental or purchase options known.
In your watch list

How it feels

Written by AI. It can be wrong.

Tone
  • melancholicstrength 3 of 3
  • tensestrength 2 of 3
  • darkstrength 2 of 3
  • earneststrength 2 of 3
Pacing
slow-burn, 1 of 4, from slow-burn to relentless
Attention
demanding, 4 of 4, from background-friendly to demanding
Themes
  • identity
  • betrayal
  • ambition
  • isolation
  • power
Places
  • big city
  • military
  • single country house
Era
period
Audience
adult
Form
  • nonlinear
  • true story
Content intensity
  • Gore mild
  • Language mild
  • Violence mild
  • Sex mild
All scales, 0 to 10
Scales, 0 to 10
ScaleValue0 to 10
Action2
Horror1
Humour1
Realism8
Romance3
Tension6
Darkness7
Complexity8
Emotional weight8

More like this

Titles like Colonel Redl

Movie

Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence

1983

A somber, meditative descent into the clash of cultures and forbidden emotions, where every gesture carries the weight of shame and honor.

Melancholic, tense, slow-burn · about identity and betrayal · nonlinear

Via
  • melancholic
  • tense
  • identity
  • betrayal
  • nonlinear
Pacing
slow-burn
Attention
demanding
Runtime
124 min
Details In your watch list
Merry Christmas, Mr. LawrenceHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

Mephisto

1981

A slow, chilling character study of moral compromise, anchored by a magnetic performance, leaving a lingering sense of unease.

Same writer: István Szabó · Melancholic, dark, slow-burn · about identity and betrayal · nonlinear

Also
Same writer: István Szabó
Via
  • melancholic
  • dark
  • identity
  • betrayal
  • nonlinear
Pacing
slow-burn
Attention
demanding
Runtime
145 min
Details In your watch list
MephistoHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

Sunshine

1999

A sweeping, sorrowful family chronicle that moves through decades of history, leaving you heavy with loss yet quietly moved by its final note of freedom.

Same director: István Szabó · Melancholic, dark, slow-burn · about identity and betrayal · nonlinear

Also
Same director: István Szabó
Via
  • melancholic
  • dark
  • identity
  • betrayal
  • nonlinear
Pacing
slow-burn
Attention
engaged
Runtime
181 min
Details In your watch list
SunshineHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

The Patriot

1928

A slow-burning, shadowy costume drama that tightens like a vise around paranoia and betrayal, with moments of grand emotion.

Melancholic, tense · about betrayal and power · nonlinear

Via
  • melancholic
  • tense
  • betrayal
  • power
  • nonlinear
Pacing
measured
Attention
engaged
Runtime
113 min
Details In your watch list
The PatriotHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

Farewell My Concubine

1993

A sweeping, sorrowful epic that moves slowly through decades of history, blending stage spectacle with quiet devastation and leaving you heavy long after it ends.

Melancholic, tense, slow-burn · about identity and betrayal · nonlinear

Via
  • melancholic
  • tense
  • identity
  • betrayal
  • nonlinear
Pacing
slow-burn
Attention
demanding
Runtime
171 min
Details In your watch list
Farewell My ConcubineHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

Barry Lyndon

1975

A stately, painterly drift through ambition and ruin, coolly narrated and gorgeous, rewarding patience with quiet devastation.

Melancholic, slow-burn · about betrayal and ambition · nonlinear

Via
  • melancholic
  • betrayal
  • ambition
  • nonlinear
Pacing
slow-burn
Attention
demanding
Runtime
188 min
Details In your watch list
Barry LyndonHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

The Lives of Others

2006

A slow-burning, emotionally intense drama that immerses you in a world of surveillance and moral awakening, leaving a lasting impact.

Melancholic, tense, slow-burn · about identity and betrayal · nonlinear

Via
  • melancholic
  • tense
  • identity
  • betrayal
  • nonlinear
Pacing
slow-burn
Attention
demanding
Runtime
137 min
Details In your watch list
The Lives of OthersHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

Kagemusha

1980

A slow, majestic tragedy that moves like a ritual, building from quiet deception to a devastating, beautifully staged battle.

Melancholic, tense, slow-burn · about identity and power · true story

Via
  • melancholic
  • tense
  • identity
  • power
  • true story
Pacing
slow-burn
Attention
engaged
Runtime
180 min
Details In your watch list
KagemushaHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

Elizabeth

1998

A sumptuous, shadowy plunge into palace intrigue, anchored by a fierce, vulnerable performance that makes the weight of power palpable.

Tense, dark · about identity and betrayal · true story

Via
  • tense
  • dark
  • identity
  • betrayal
  • true story
Pacing
measured
Attention
engaged
Runtime
123 min
Details In your watch list
ElizabethHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

Colonel Redl

1925

A slow, somber plunge into a spy's double life, steeped in silent-era gravity and quiet dread.

Melancholic, tense, slow-burn · about identity and betrayal · nonlinear

Via
  • melancholic
  • tense
  • identity
  • betrayal
  • nonlinear
Pacing
slow-burn
Attention
demanding
Runtime
112 min
Details In your watch list
Colonel RedlHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

The Promised Land

2023

A stark, slow-burning historical drama that immerses you in a harsh, unforgiving world, with moments of tenderness and brutal violence.

Melancholic, tense · about ambition and power · true story

Via
  • melancholic
  • tense
  • ambition
  • power
  • true story
Pacing
measured
Attention
engaged
Runtime
127 min
Details In your watch list
The Promised LandHidden from your suggestions.
Movie

The Story of Adèle H.

1975

A slow, suffocating descent into obsession, anchored by a raw performance that makes unrequited love feel like a quiet catastrophe.

Melancholic, tense, slow-burn · about identity and isolation · true story

Via
  • melancholic
  • tense
  • identity
  • isolation
  • true story
Pacing
slow-burn
Attention
engaged
Runtime
98 min
Details In your watch list
The Story of Adèle H.Hidden from your suggestions.

Where to watch in the UK

No UK streaming, rental or purchase options are known.

Streaming data from JustWatch.TMDB

Details

Genres
drama, history
Directed by
István Szabó
Written by
John Osborne, Péter Dobai
Starring
Klaus Maria Brandauer, Hans Christian Blech, Armin Mueller-Stahl, Gudrun Landgrebe, Jan Niklas, László Mensáros, András Bálint, László Gálffi
Music
Zdenkó Tamássy
Cinematography
Lajos Koltai
Runtime
152 min
Country
Austria, Germany, Hungary
Languages
German

TMDBIMDbLetterboxdWikipediaWikidata