Satantango (1994)

Directed by: Bela Tarr | 439 minutes | drama | Actors: Mihály Vig, Putyi Horváth, Miklós Széleky B., Erika Bók, László feLugossy, Alfréd Járai, János Derzsi, Irén Szajki, Éva Almássy Albert, Erzsébet Gaál, Peter Berling

Director Béla Tarr’s magnum opus, which lasts almost seven and a half hours, requires a whole day. ‘Sátántangó’ is a colossus. Maybe also a battle of attrition, but one that gives enormous satisfaction. Béla Tarr’s film impressively shows the life of a poor village in Hungary after the fall of communism. Every resident left behind wants the best for themselves, but soon finds out that they need each other to survive in harsh conditions.

To properly absorb ‘Sátántangó’, it is recommended to watch the film in one day. The film then really comes to life and creates a hypnotic trance. The inhabitants of a desolate working-class village are central. They have worked hard for a year and want to build a new life. The two men Kráner (János Derzsi) and Schmidt (László feLugossy) want to steal the money they have earned and flee. A spanner in the works when the charismatic Irimiás (Mihály Vig) suddenly shows up in the village. Irimiás was pronounced dead and has big plans with the workers’ leftover money. A traumatic event ensures that the residents join forces and want to create a better future together.

The entire film is in black and white. The lack of color suits the atmosphere very well. There is virtually no joy and the future for the Hungarian village is hopeless. The houses look dilapidated, in winter the roads are impassable and people live in isolation. The only form of entertainment is drinking till you drop, so that the depressive conditions are gone for a while.

Béla Tarr is a master of setting a tone. The long shots with flat meadows and little sign of life create a melancholic feeling. The film is structured in twelve chapters. The first few sections focus on a different character each time. Where one chapter begins, the next ends. The film flows back and forth between different perspectives, just like the well-known dance de tango. Tarr calmly takes the time to introduce each character and provide a background. For example, there is Schmidt, who secretly forges plans while his wife Schmidtné (Éva Almássy Albert) goes to bed with half the village. The ‘Doctor’ (Peter Berling) keeps a close eye on everything from his easy chair. He has a file on everyone in which he takes notes as he fills himself with pálinka (a popular strong drink in Hungary).

Despite the fact that the film uses long scenes in which little happens, ‘Sátántangó’ keeps the attention by developing each character. The residents gather halfway through the film. The viewer knows everything about everyone’s motives, while they themselves do not know about each other. Tension arises, especially when the mysterious Irimiás makes more noise. He’s in control. The villagers see it as the return of the devil.

Brilliantly, Béla Tarr keeps a film of unbelievably long duration gripping. In the first hour Tarr lets the viewer get used to his style. He rewards patience with intriguing passages about betrayal, hope and loss. The film ends with the chapter ‘The Circle Closes’. The spider web of storylines of each character is round. In many ways there is no film comparable to ‘Sátántangó’. Not only because of the length of the film, but also because of the many storylines that come together and are concluded in a grandiose way.