An incredible 23 years in the making, THE TRAGEDY OF MAN is the legendary Hungarian animator Marcell Jankovics’s (SON OF THE WHITE MARE) sprawling, kaleidoscopic masterwork: a seemingly-endless animated scroll of gorgon-like demons, cave paintings that spring to life, barbarian warriors, bejeweled pharaohs, knights and martyrs and prophets bleeding together — one brutal age dissolving into another and another, all of human history passing like pages in a flipbook. Adapted from the dramatic poem by 19th century author Imre Madách that’s often compared to Goethe’s Faust and Milton’s Paradise Lost, THE TRAGEDY OF MAN is no children’s cartoon: it’s one of the most visually stunning and wildly ambitious animated epics ever made (and then some).

Out of the galactic void at the beginning of the story emerges Lucifer the Devil, the Great Winged Bat, Anubis, the antagonist who adopts many faces and forms as it guides and manipulates the characters of Adam and Eve throughout history, searching for the purpose of human existence — if there is one. Broken into 15 different episodes (the segments were produced one at a time by Jankovics as he cobbled together funding), each section has a different visual style, incorporating a mindblowing tapestry of world art, cultures, symbols, and rituals. In ancient Egypt, the bodies of slaves become the literal building blocks of the pyramids – in ancient Greece, the background shatters like broken pottery – in Rome, mosaics of gladiators come to life, slashing at each other – in the Middle Ages, arguing zealots are transformed into Orthodox churches, clashing against one another as they crumble. The sum total of Jankovics’s cosmic vision of human “progress” is utterly surreal, psychedelic, operatic and Wagnerian: a breathtaking Hieronymus Bosch-like triptych of Hell on Earth, with brief glimpses of Grace and Love which may offer hope for the future. As Adam, in the guise of the German astronomer Johannes Kepler, whispers: “In this world I have need of nothing except the night and shining stars, the secret harmony of the spheres.” In Hungarian with English subtitles.

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Video Quality

The Tragedy of Man debuts on Blu-Ray in its original 1.33:1 aspect ratio with a 1080p transfer derived from an HD master that brings together all of the variable elements completed over a 23-year span that includes an array of different animation techniques made up of 35mm film and digital animation technology. This means that there is not a stark consistency from scene to scene, but Deaf Crocodile and the folks at Mozinet Films in Hungary have made every effort to keep this film as close to how it was made as possible. Outside of some flicker reduction and some necessary clean-up of the film-based scenes, there was not much to be done outside of maintaining the authenticity of the source. Deaf Crocodile is one of the crusaders of animated oddities around the world, and you could not ask for a better steward.

The filmic elements maintain their texture instead of becoming a smoothed-over distraction, while the digital elements go for a rather crisp look that is inherent to the source. This story is very fluid and dexterous in form, but every artistic choice is carefully preserved and allowed to look natural. The exceptional character designs are finely delineated without becoming a visual mess. The striking splashes of color present in this transfer are sumptuous with each hue achieving a degree of complexity to be admired. Black levels are sturdy with no major issues with banding or compression issues. The feature has inherent limitations due to how it was made, but this Blu-Ray is a marvelous experience that treats this title with the utmost care. Deaf Crocodile is one of the best in the business.

Audio Quality

This Blu-Ray comes with the original DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio stereo track in the original Hungarian (with optional English subtitles) which flows through without issue. The track processes atmospheric effects without anything feeling jumbled or buried. Any music fills the room with a respectable presence and clear fidelity. Dialogue comes through crisp and clear without environmental effects or the score overpowering important information. The journey deploys distinct sound effects that are given precise placement within the mix. There are no pops, crackles, or signs of wear and tear here. The audio track delivers on all fronts.

Special Features

The Deluxe Edition Blu-Ray of The Tragedy of Man arrives in a hard slipcase package that is a beauty in person. The release also includes a 60-page bound book featuring essays by PEN Award-winning historian and esoteric author Mitch Horowitz and film critic Walter Chaw. This provides great insight into the film, the themes, the creatives, and the behind-the-scenes details in a thoughtfully written style. The on-disc special features are as follows:

Audio Commentary: Animation producer and podcaster Adam Rackoff, podcaster and film critic James Hancock, and filmmaker and podcaster Martin Kessler deliver a lively and informative commentary track in which they discuss the ambitious nature of the project, the style of the animation, the work of director Marcell Jankovics, the deeper thematic content of the story, and much more.

Time and Transformation – Marcell Jankovics’s The Tragedy of Man: A 23-minute visual essay from Evan Chester that explores some of the lore explored in The Tragedy Of Man, storylines that were created for this text, how various figures are depicted on screen, how the artistic style works with the period being explored, and more.

Discussion with György Ráduly: A 56-minute conversation with György Ráduly, director of the National Film Institute (NFI) – Film Archive, moderated by Dennis Bartok from Deaf Crocodile that delves into the history of Hungarian animation and the career of Marcell Jankovics.

Discussion with Animator Piroska Martsa and background artist István Orosz: An 83-minute conversation with two artists from the production moderated by Dennis Bartok from Deaf Crocodile in which they delve into their backgrounds, life and animation in Hungary, the process of bringing The Tragedy Of Man to life, other notable projects they worked on, and so much more that is very enlightening.

2025 Trailer (1:27)

Final Thoughts

The Tragedy of Man is a stunning, nearly three-hour animated epic that spans from the creation of man to its inevitable end. Each pseudo-vignette is its own unique journey that is quite compelling, but if you happen not to be enjoying a certain segment, it won’t be long before you are on to the next step in the march of time. The variety in the animation offers another layer of wonder to this artistic odyssey. Marcell Jankovics uses the medium of animation to connect to the culture depicted on a deeper level, creating a work that is both timeless and absolutely vital. It is a daunting undertaking, but cinephiles will find a lot to love here. Deaf Crocodile has released a Blu-Ray which sports a grand A/V presentation and a valuable assortment of special features. Recommended

The Tragedy of Man is currently available to purchase on Standard Edition Blu-Ray or with a Deluxe Edition Slipcase exclusively through Deaf Crocodile and DiabolikDVD.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Deaf Crocodile has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.