Cellat, the Turkish version of Death Wish, sticks fairly close plot wise to the template of the American film, with some scenes and bits of dialogue being almost identical. However, it also deviates from its inspiration at times and is at its most interesting and valuable in these little moments, providing lurid snapshots of a place and a culture.
Cinematography
Istanbul locations that accidentally document a vanished city.
Production
Budget so low the vigilante weapon upgrades feel aspirational.
Acting
Serdar Gökhan's simmering intensity outpaces the material.
Director
Memduh Ün
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Turkey's Yeşilçam studio system pumped out hundreds of unauthorized remakes in the 70s, often shooting without scripts and releasing within weeks of Hollywood originals.
Director Memduh Ün allegedly made Cellat after seeing Death Wish on a trip to Italy; he didn't secure rights and reportedly never saw the original again before shooting.
TR
