Strangled

A brutal murder in provincial Hungary in 1957 is only the prelude to further horror in this macabre thriller, in which an elusive serial killer preys on local women for years while an innocent man rots in jail. Based on the real-life case of the Monster of Martfu, director Arpud Sopsit's police procedural is a gruelling experience that's not for the faint-hearted, with the murderer's necrophiliac urges plunging the viewer into disturbingly dark psychosexual territory. However, the twists and turns that arise, as a disillusioned cop (Zsolt Anger) and an eager young prosecutor (Peter Barnai) try to overcome their mutual enmity to identify the perpetrator of increasingly vicious attacks, ensure it's also enthralling. In addition, the historical backdrop of Hungary after the communist takeover adds an intriguing political element (as seen in films like Child 44 and biopics about Russian serial killer Chikatilo), in which the wheels of justice are obstructed by authorities refusing to believe such monsters could exist in their socialist nirvana. It may lack the depth and characterisation of the best serial-killer thrillers but Gabor Szabo's crisp, atmospheric cinematography at least leavens the grimness of the tale.