History Animation / HeroicTimes

''Heroic Times'' (original title: ''Daliás idők'') is an obscure, experimental 1984[[note]]Originally screened in '83 on the Portuguese Espinho Animation Film Festival, though some sources also give '82 as the release date[[/note]] Hungarian animated historical drama. A production of Creator/PannoniaFilmStudio, it was animated almost entirely with elaborate oil paintings by a mere ten artists under the direction of József Gémes. It is also notable for having only a single first person CharacterNarrator, a musical score with little to no sound effects, a strong reliance on still, picturesque images, and no named characters.

The film has been remastered in 2023 and is set for a US release by the company Deaf Crocodile.

The film was sadly a huge critical and financial failure as audiences in Hungary rejected its unusual style. Internationally, though, it received acclaim by animation historians, claiming the "Best Feature Film" award at the 1985 Annecy Animation Festival. A different animated ''Toldi'' adaptation was proposed in 2014, to be rejected due to its absurd production costs. Another animated project, this time a series rather than a film, one which only adapts the original ''Toldi'' book, was released in 2021, helmed by former Pannonia Film Studio giant Creator/MarcellJankovics.

* GrievousHarmWithABody: In one of the story's {{signature scene}}s, Toldi batters a couple of jackals defending their cub to death with each other, to save his own life.

* CruelToBeKind: Toldi once poses as a different knight he feels sorry for to win him a tournament, only to fall in love with the princess whose hand was the prize. The unworthy knight takes the woman and turns on him. Toldi's attempt to clear the truth eventually spirals into chaos and [[spoiler:leads to the deaths of the other man and he never gets the princess]].

The film was sadly a huge critical and financial failure as audiences in Hungary rejected its unusual style. Internationally, though, it received acclaim by animation historians, claiming the "Best Feature Film" award at the 1985 Annecy Animation Festival. A different animated ''Toldi'' adaptation was proposed in 2014, to be rejected due to its absurd production costs. Another animated project, this time a series rather than a film, one which only adapts the original ''Toldi'' book, is set to be released in 2021, helmed by former Pannonia Film Studio giant Creator/MarcellJankovics.

''Heroic Times'' (original title: ''Daliás idők'') is an obscure, experimental 1984[[note]]Originally screened in '83 on the Portuguese Espinho Animation Film Festival, though some sources also give '82 as the release date[[/note]] Hungarian animated historical drama. A production of Creator/PannoniaFilmStudio, it was animated almost entirely with elaborate oil paintings by a mere ten artists under the direction of József Gémes. It is also notable for having only a single first person {{narrator}}, a musical score with little to no sound effects, a strong reliance on still, picturesque images, and no named characters.

* TheNarrator: The entire film is Toldi poetically reminiscing on his life. Actually a late addition, the director would have wanted no voice acting at all. The film was therefor released abroad without it.

* TheJester: When a new age of prosperity sets in and sparring matches go out of fashion, jesters entertain the now peaceful masses by spoofing the rites and knightly habits of Toldi's time. [[spoiler:They meet a sorry end when the elderly Toldi sees their show too.]]

'''''Heroic Times''''' (original title: ''Daliás idők'') is an obscure, experimental 1984[[note]]Originally screened in '83 on the Portuguese Espinho Animation Film Festival, though some sources also give '82 as the release date[[/note]] Hungarian animated historical drama. A production of Creator/PannoniaFilmStudio, it was animated almost entirely with elaborate oil paintings by a mere ten artists under the direction of József Gémes. It is also notable for having only a single first person {{narrator}}, a musical score with little to no sound effects, a strong reliance on still, picturesque images, and no named characters.

!!Features examples of:

* ActorAllusion: Having already utilized his knack for folklore-based storytelling, dramatic delivery and playing seasoned, wise old men [[Animation/MagyarNepmesek quite]] [[Animation/SonOfTheWhiteHorse a]] [[Animation/VukTheLittleFox few]] [[Animation/HaryJanos times]], Gyula Szabó lends his talents to yet another Pannonia film, this time as the sole voice actor.

The film was sadly a huge critical and financial failure as audiences in Hungary rejected its unusual style. Internationally, though, it received acclaim by animation historians, claiming the "Best Feature Film" award at the 1985 Annecy Animation Festival. A different animated ''Toldi'' adaptation was proposed in 2014, to be rejected due to its absurd production costs. Another animated project, this time a series rather than a film, one which only adapts the original ''Toldi'' book, is set to be released in 2020, helmed by former Pannonia Film Studio giant Creator/MarcellJankovics.

The film was sadly a huge critical and financial failure as audiences in Hungary rejected its unusual style. Internationally, though, it received acclaim by animation historians, claiming the "Best Feature Film" award at the 1985 Annecy Animation Festival. A different animated ''Toldi'' adaptation was proposed in 2014, to be rejected due to its absurd production costs. Another animated project, this time a series rather than a film, one which only adapts the original ''Toldi'' book, is set to be released in 2020, helmed by former Pannonia Film Studio giant Marcell Jankovics.

The film is actually a [[CompressedAdaptation drastically compressed]] and [[PragmaticAdaptation somewhat re-imagined]] [[AnimatedAdaptation adaptation]] of 19th century poet János Arany's ''Toldi Trilogy'', a series of stories about legendary folk hero Miklós Toldi, based on a real historical figure from the 14th century -- though heavily fictionalized and embellished. Toldi is a poor rural man deprived of his noble heritage's benefits, has superhuman strength and a fierce code of honor but a volatile temper, and is plagued by constant hardships. Running away from home after killing a man in anger, fate leads him through a whirlwind of knighthood, war, murder, betrayal, hope, tragedy and disillusionment, as he witnesses the degradation of the honorable life of glory he had always sought but only ever achieved for a few fleeting moments throughout his bitter existence.

The film was sadly a huge critical and financial failure as audiences in Hungary rejected its unusual style. Internationally, though, it received acclaim by animation historians, claiming the "Best Feature Film" award at the 1985 Annecy Animation Festival. A different animated ''Toldi'' adaptation was proposed in 2014, to be rejected due to its absurd production costs. Another animated project, this time a series rather than a film which only adapts the original ''Toldi'' book, is set to be released in 2020, helmed by former Pannonia Film Studio giant Marcell Jankovics.

'''''Heroic Times''''' (original title: ''Daliás idők'') is an obscure, experimental 1984[[note]]Originally screened in '83 on the Portuguese Espinho Animation Film Festival, though some sources also give '82 as the release date[[/note]] Hungarian animated historical drama. A production of Creator/PannoniaFilmStudio, it was animated almost entirely with elaborate oil paintings by a mere ten artists. It is also notable for having only a single first person {{narrator}}, a musical score with little to no sound effects, a strong reliance on still, picturesque images, and no named characters.

The film was sadly a huge critical and financial failure as audiences in Hungary rejected it unusual style. Internationally, though, it received acclaim by animation historians.

* CruelToBeKind: Toldi once poses as a different knight to win a tournament after feeling sorry for him, only to fall in love with the princess whose hand was the prize. The unworthy knight takes the woman and turns on him. Toldi's attempt to clear the truth eventually spirals into chaos and [[spoiler:leads to the deaths of the other man and he never gets the princess]].

* PragmaticAdaptation: Follow the beats of the original epic poems, but rushes through or simplifies things due to the running time, leaving out characters and combining scenes.

The film is actually a [[CompressedAdaptation drastically compressed]] and [[PragmaticAdaptation somewhat re-imagined]] [[AnimatedAdaptation adaptation]] of 19th century poet János Arany's ''Toldy Trilogy'', a series of stories about legendary folk hero Miklós Toldi, based on a real historical figure from the 14th century -- though heavily fictionalized and embellished. Toldi is a poor rural man deprived of his noble heritage's benefits, has superhuman strength and a fierce code of honor but a volatile temper, and is plagued by constant hardships. Running away from home after killing a man in anger, fate leads him through a whirlwind of knighthood, war, murder, betrayal, hope, tragedy and disillusionment, as he witnesses the degradation of the honorable life of glory he had always sought but only ever achieved for a few fleeting moments throughout his bitter existence.

'''''Heroic Times''''' (original title: ''Daliás idők'') is an obscure, experimental 1984 Hungarian animated historical drama. A production of Creator/PannoniaFilmStudio, it was animated almost entirely with elaborate oil paintings by a mere ten artists. It is also notable for having only a single first person {{narrator}}, a musical score with little to no sound effects, a strong reliance on still, picturesque images, and no named characters.

* CompressedAdaptation: Three book's worth of poetry crammed into a ~80 minute film. The entire last book is stuffed into the last few minutes.

* KickTheDog: Toldi is troubled enough as-is and his anger issues are common knowledge, yet his well-off brother and his gang uses the poor sap as target practice.

* TheNarrator: The entire film is Toldi poetically reminiscing on his life.

* KnightInshiningArmor: What Toldi wishes to be, only to keep discovering the "heroic times" he has imagined are fleeting at best. The story partially [[{{Deconstruction}} deconstructs]] this trope.

* {{Badass}}: Miklós Toldi, though his psyche shows signs of frailness.

'''''Heroic Times''''' (original title: ''Daliás idők'') is an obscure, experimental 1984 Hungarian animated historical drama. A production of Creator/PannoniaFilmStudio, it was animated almost entirely with elaborate oil paintings by a mere ten artists. It is also notable for having only a single first person {{narrator}}, a musical score with little to no sound effects, a strong reliance on still images and repeated sequences, and no named characters.

* BitterSweetEnding: [[spoiler:Certainly not from the perspective of the hero and his ideals, but the ending shows the country around him is on a prosperous path.]]

* TheDogBitesBack: When the torment of his brother's men pushes him over the edge, Toldi hauls a massive millstone amidst the group and crushes one of them.