Rating: 
Summary: A disgraceful propaganda against the Greek-Cypriots.
Review: As a Greek-Cyrpiot who lost his home to the Turks in 1974, I was hoping that this film would show the atrocities and crimes conducted by the Turkish army when they invated Cyprus. After all it is a film by a "well-known" (so he claims) Greek Cypriot director. Boy, was I fooled. This is a disgusting, shameless propaganda in favour of the communists and Makarios (who was probably the one to blame for most of Cyprus' problems in the 60s and 70s). This communist propaganda tool doesn't even bother with the facts or the actual invasion. The Turkish onslaught on Cyprus, the crimes of the Turkish army against the Greeks and the loss of life and property get only a few minutes on film. The rest of the film is a gloryfication of Makarios and his megalomania and selfimportance that destroyed the island. The filmmaker's shameless obsession to disparage all Nationalists and their fight for Union with Greece, is frigthening to almost a criminnal point. It is scary to think that another Greek actually promotes these opinions. Any Greek should be angry and feel insulted and infuriated by people like Cacoyiannis and this film. No wonder the Turks are winning the international war of words on Cyprus, and the Aegean sea. We can thank the likes of the director for that. The nationalists who fought the British for the union with Greece are portrayed as deranged criminals who destroyed Cyprus. No mention is given to the fact that the communists colaborated with the Turks and the Brits against the Greeks Nationalists in the 50s, causing the death of hundreds of Greek freedom fighters. Grivas, the man who succesfully fought the Brits, is portrayed as an imperialist who was losing his mind in the fight for the Union with Greece. Throughout the "interviews", light and camera angles are used to convey the directors feelings towards Makarios and the communists (he worships them), and against the nationalists. At some points the film feels as staged and acted as an Oliver Stone conspiracy-theory production.The director uses standard Hollywood overdubs and well staged shots to ensure that the viewer is convinced that all nationalists were out to kill the innocent masses. Just watch the crowd delirium scene at the rally where one person is shot and the following well staged interviews with the victim's family. If you want to find out about the beautiful island of Cyprus and its thousand years old Greek history, as well as the 1974 invasion by Turkey and the crimes that followed, THIS IS NOT THE RIGHT MEDIUM. This is simply a one sided point of view by a person who just happened to have the access to the film equipment at the right time. I am not even sure if this film was sponsered by any Greek resources since it almost justifies the Turkish invasion. SHAME SHAME SHAME.
Rating: 
Summary: Tragedy with dignity
Review: ÒMichael Cacoyannis turned his cameras away from ancient Greek tragedy and Zorba to events happening on his own island, Cyprus. He worked with a small camera and no actors. The chorus, as we have known in Electra, Iphigenia or the Trojan Women, are the tragic figures of the tragedy of Cyprus, of Cacoyannis¢ own people. These people were betrayed by the Greek military junta of Athens and then invaded and raped by what was considered the best army in Europe, the Turkish army. These were, in the words of the British Foreign Secretary, James Callaghan, refugees in their own land.
Michael Cacoyannis is not afraid to castigate the major powers and the Greeks for the disaster they brought down on this small Mediterranean island, which still today remains divided with the problem unsolved.
Attila ¡74 is reality. That is why in reviews in these pages, Greeks and Turks wrote against it. I am a Cypriot and I say bravo to the honesty of Michael Cacoyannis.Ó
Rating:
Summary: one sided tragedy???
Review: blame it on the Turks not the Greek junta? still hatefull? still racist?? the documentary fails to reflect the torment of both nations and focuses on only one. shame on all that follow this path. shame on you and your humanity.
Rating: 
Summary: Good!
Review: I have to admit that the producer did a wonderful job in describing the 1974 events in Cyprus. He provided the details of the coup organized by Greece and its aftermath along with Turkey's intervention. This shows that he is not trying to blame Turkey for everything happenned in Cyprus. His work involves interviews with real people who went through real events. I was moved by his interview with Greek Cypriots who lost their relatives or houses right after the Turkish intervention. This movie helped me a lot to understand the sufferrings of Greek Cypriots and every Turkish Cypriot should watch it in order to understand that we are not the only ones who sufferred in Cyprus. The only critism I have is that the producer never mentioned the period between 1963-1974 and Turkish Cypriot sufferrings and acted as if Turkey intervened Cyprus just because of Greek organized coup, which is not true. He should have explained the events (mainly EOKA attacks against Turkish Cypriots) that led to Turkish intervention. A Turkish Cypriot movie showing the sufferrings of Turkish Cypriots during 1963-1974 will be a perfect complement to this movie.
It is a very powerful documentary because it is so real and everyone with slight interest in Cyprus history should watch it.
Rating:
Summary: Shows the Naked Truth About This Tragedy
Review: I purchased this so that I could watch what occured. My family is one of the 200,000 displaced greek cypriots from Famagusta. I brought this DVD home and my mother started crying immedietly when I showed it to her and told me to throw it away. I couldn't watch it after seeing her react like that, then I showed it to my father and he said "I can't watch that" I feel so horrible for having purchased this and brining it into my parents house. I watched the DVD finally by myself and the parts that showed the aftermath of Turkey's invasion was extremly difficult to watch. To say the least it made me cry and was quite traumatic for me, but then again, it's very personal for me and my family.
Rating:
Summary: Painful to watch
Review: I purchased this so that I could watch what occured. My family is one of the 200,000 displaced greek cypriots from Famagusta. I brought this DVD home and my mother started crying immedietly when I showed it to her and told me to throw it away. I couldn't watch it after seeing her react like that, then I showed it to my father and he said "I can't watch that" I feel so horrible for having purchased this and brining it into my parents house. I watched the DVD finally by myself and the parts that showed the aftermath of Turkey's invasion was extremly difficult to watch. To say the least it made me cry and was quite traumatic for me, but then again, it's very personal for me and my family.
Rating:
Summary: Interesting yet not objective
Review: It is a mildly interesting work but it lacks objectivity. I would prefer a more objective piece of documentary due to the violent nature of relations between the Greeks and the Turks.
Rating:
Summary: Truth hurts
Review: It is a really hard thing to watch this film. Cacoyanis, the only greek director to receive an academy award along with Costas Gavras, is speaking the truth about the situation in Cyprus after the Coup d'Etat against Makarios and the turkish invasion of the island, through a series of interviews with politicians and common people. I am also surprised to see that there are still some people that call themselves Greek-Cypriot. I mean, whenever you want you are the first and whenever it suits you, you are the second. Friendly.
Rating:
Summary: Typical Hateful Propaganda
Review: It seems funny to me that The events of 1974 seem to be the only talking point from a greek Cypriot perspective. And it seems a mystery to me why the events of the 10 years before the Turkish intervention never seem to be documented. Killings murders and attampted genocide of the Turkish Cypriot population by the Greek Cypriots seems so un-important. Not forgetting the many Greek Cypriots killed by other Greek Cypriots from opposing factions. What is the point of this film ? it is a sob story made by a one eyed director. Unfortunately this sort of propaganda is all too readily availobale from all greek Cypriot sources. I ask all believers in the validity of this documentary : describe the events between 1960 to 1974. Then we might consider changing the name of this film to somthing like'Rescue from Genocide !!!'
Rating:
Summary: yes the truth hurts
Review: Lets get this straight my grandmother was one of the last to be murdered by Turkish forces so I can compare the movie to facts. The Greeks of Greece did nothing to stop the coup because of their generals instigating the coup, the so called nationalists Eoka B carried it out, Cyprus was an independant state why should of it been united with another country Greece which had rejected it on numerous occassions in the past Makarios led an independant state trying to keep it non alligned there is nothing wrong with that. Had we of united with Greece then the Turkish minority would of had the right to expect the same. Cyprus was free for the first time in 9000,
years all 3 guarrentor countries failed miserably the Greeks, Turks,British and right wing nationalist factions on both sides betrayed the people of Cyprus.This film tells it how it was lets leave it in the past and move onto peace both sides are guilty in the past let both sides be brave and move on. Like it or not Makarios was a great leader and strong which is why some wanted rid of him. And believe it or not not only was my grandmother killed, but my stepmother is Makarios cousin and he most definatly was not communist he just moved on and tried to do the best for his country and people who he loved and who loved him back. This film depicts that the truth but shows what a disaster can be cuased by nationalism and facism. The Turks can never justify the invasion or the brutal murder of men women and children or the raping and pillaging going on this is the only fault of the film not showing the world more of what Turkish troops did.It most definatly is not a propaganda movie.
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