Hadjimanuel


Format: Colour, 16 mm, episodes of 30 min.
Director: Iannis Smaragdis
Script: Iannis Smaragdis - M. Ganas
Music: Christodoulos Halaris
Cinematography: George Arvanitis
Editing: Aristidis Karydis-Fuchs
Sets and costumes: George Patsas
Cast: Katia Dandoulaki, Yannis Mortzos, George Michalakopoulos, Danis Katranidis, Aleka Paizi, Vassilis Diamantopoulos
Production date: 1985

SUMMARY
Hadzimanuel is a member of the rising middle class of Constantinople in the early twentieth century - a period of considerable turmoil. As a character, he is like a dog howling on the edge of a storm. He falls prey to a fate that goes beyond his powers and in the end, he is punished: he has gone beyond his own limits, and history itself has forgotten him.

REVIEWS
In Hadzimanouel, we saw the decisive role played by Iannis Smaragdis, the director. Not only did he make the right choices: more importantly, he blended them together to produce a series as easy on the ear as it is on the eye.
Tasos Papadopoulos, Mesimvrini, 15 February 1984

The décor, the exteriors and the sets were all of the highest quality and aesthetics. Each shot had a beauty of its own. The series was truly enjoyable. [...] Hadzimanuel had atmosphere, good performances, and without question unparalleled quality.
Leia Papaefstratiou

The director Iannis Smaragdis has established a new and high aesthetics in Greek television, and has demonstrated that state television\'s money can produce results if properly used.
Tachydromos, 9 February 1984

Hadzimanuel opens up a new way forward for Greek television, one which bears no resemblance to the low costs and low cunning of the past. This series shakes Greek TV out of the attitude of "Never mind, who's going to notice?" which kept it chained to the wretchedness of cut-price productions. Even if it achieves nothing more, that alone is enough to deserve our congratulations and our hope to see more of the same.
Lilanda Lykiardopoulou, Ichos kai Hi-Fi, March 1984



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