Mandragora (1997)

Two gay teenage runaways thrown out of their repressive homes try to survive on the streets of Prague. Hunger and desperation forces them into a life of prostitution, drugs, and teen-porn.

Director:

Wiktor Grodecki

Writers:

Wiktor Grodecki, David Svec

Stars:

Miroslav Caslavka, David Svec, Pavel Skrípal

2 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Miroslav Caslavka	...	Marek
David Svec	...	David
Pavel Skrípal	...	Honza
Kostas Zerdolaglu	...	Krysa
Miroslav Breu	...	Libor
Jirí Kodes	...	Father
Karel Polisenský	...	Sascha
Richard Toth	...	George
Jiri Pachman	...	Pan Franta
Pavel Kocí	...	Rudy
Jitka Smutná	...	Krysa's Wife
Jirí Kaftan
Bretislav Farský
Michell Turchetti
Tomas Petrak

Storyline

Two gay teenage runaways thrown out of their repressive homes try to survive on the streets of Prague. Hunger and desperation forces them into a life of prostitution, drugs, and teen-porn.

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Plot Keywords:

exploitation | male objectification | sexploitation | gay teenager | gay | 

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Taglines:

He was 15 - an innocent from a small village, soon to be trapped in the erotic underworld of Prague.

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

Unrated

Details

Country:

Czech Republic

Language:

Czech

Release Date:

23 October 1997 (Czech Republic)

Also Known As:

Мандрагора

Filming Locations:

Prague, Czech Republic

Company Credits

Production Co:

Foundation Czech Film, Hamilton Productions, Prague Film Enterprises

Technical Specs

Runtime:

126 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

User Reviews

The Black World of Self-Destruction

Wiktor Grodecki's masterful film entitled "Mandragora" is by any standard, a stirring and gut wrenching example of poverty gone amok. The torrid film depicts the story of Marek, superbly played by Miroslav Caslavka, a troubled boy of fifteen who, bored with the juvenile pranks and idle antics in an average town, seeks the glitz and glitter of the city of Prague. Once there, he quickly realizes the needs of life in the big city come with a price, one which he cannot afford and thus succumbs to the hungry appetite of the predatory elements surrounding him. Beginning with the alluring promise of quick cash for services rendered, Marek, quickly realizes this means his 'innocence' which is taken after being drugged and raped. Escaping the inattentive and uncaring pimp, he descends into the depths of sexual perversions when he encounters and befriends a more 'experienced' partner who trades him to a dark, sadistic pair, leaving him broken and violated. The decent into the perverted practices continues when, after a brief respite, he finds himself beaten, left for dead and in the hands of a vicious pornographer. With his father searching for him, the boy having survived an appalling apprenticeship, delves into the illusionary and dead end world of drugs where father and son unfortunately miss each other by inches. All in all, a truly revealing film for anyone wishing to have a worm's eye view in the slow death of male prostitutes. *****