The ‘Satantango’ brought out by Béla Tarr in 1994 is a film that contradicts the traditional method of film-making in both form and content. This particular film happens to be a black-and-white Hungarian epic, which is over seven hours long, and the audience is left with a world in which the rate of deterioration is slowly unwinding before them.
The story of this film, which is based on a novel of the same name published by author László Krasznahorkai in 1985, expresses the reality of Hungary after the end of communism. It also holds various other messages that are not linked to communism at all.
Béla Tarr Crafted a Transfixing Study of Morality and Despair
The setting of the film is in a poor and small village, where the people are trapped in endless cycles of hopelessness and illusions. The arrival of Irimiás, who was thought to have left the village many years ago, with his death having been celebrated by the villagers, marks the entry of the stranger, who soon turns out to be a messiah to the villagers. However, they soon forget that the stranger is actually a con man, which symbolizes the existence of false hopes. Along with Irimiás, Petrina is also deceiving people in the same manner, which symbolizes the vulnerability of the villagers. It is due to all these factors that Tarr is able to portray how people tend to follow their illusions despite the adverse implications linked with them.
A Unique Blend of Formal Audacity and Thematic Depth
One of the most arresting features of this film is its form and style. The use of tracking shots that are somewhat long, extending from seven to ten minutes, also establishes a rhythm that is entrancing and enthralling. These tracking shots glide smoothly from the muddy roads to the crumbling buildings and then to the fields drenched in the rain. There also arise moments in these tracking shots when the characters are being tracked for a fairly long period of time. This gives a cinematic experience to the viewers who have to be extremely vigilant and alert because they also need to concentrate on even the tiniest details of expression and silence. The monochromatic style of the film also allows the viewer to experience the darkness and sadness of life in the village, which is also achieved through the recurring and terrifying musical theme that represents the cycle of events. The 12-part division of this film develops and unravels in reverse, which also mirrors the rhythm of the tango, which also represents hope and sadness, action and inaction, sin and consequences. These include the sad fate of the girl and her cat, the obsessed and drunk doctor who writes prescriptions ad infinitum, and the frantic villagers scrambling for the compensation they are owed to, and all of these represent the moral ambiguity and cruelty that exist in this world that literally falls apart. However, it should be noted that Tarr is actually a filmmaker who is not afraid of discomfort but one who uses it in an attempt to increase realism and philosophical understanding of his story. The most important aspect of Satantango, however, is that it has the potential of being innovative and carrying out a comprehensive analysis of themes. Moreover, it is also a study of human nature and a commentary on the failure of social and political institutions. The constant failure, betrayal, and success of the characters can be likened to the rhythm of life, which also demands from the viewer an examination of the Sisyphean nature of human existence. It is a difficult, engaging, and unforgettable journey, as Satantango also leaves a lasting imprint on the imagination of the viewer since it is an extreme filmmaking experience that thrusts the viewer to think about the meaning of time, morality, and the endless cycles of life. The Satantango of Béla Tarr is a masterclass in long-form narrative filmmaking that demonstrates how cinema can indeed stretch time and shed light on it.
