tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6279678409089205149.post4157896651306269018..comments2024-03-15T10:14:21.997+05:30Comments on A Potpourri of Vestiges: The Turin Horse (2011): Hungarian Master Filmmaker Béla Tarr’s Swan SongMurtaza Ali Khanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09747183316188241022noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6279678409089205149.post-70887055688014495542012-10-11T07:53:01.252+05:302012-10-11T07:53:01.252+05:30Thanks a lot for offering such an elaborate explan...Thanks a lot for offering such an elaborate explanation... it has indeed helped me a great deal in understanding Bela Tarr's cinema!Murtaza Alihttp://www.apotpourriofvestiges.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6279678409089205149.post-9057572731430519112012-10-10T10:41:00.851+05:302012-10-10T10:41:00.851+05:30there are no films like Bela Tarr's, though th...there are no films like Bela Tarr's, though the reviewer was right to note the films of Bresson and Tarkovsky as similar. For me, Bresson's cinema verite and Tarkovsky's magic realism and hypnotic pacing in particular. What distinguishes Tarr from the others is in the way he uses mesmerizing music that sounds wounded and suffering, always on the verge of losing the rhythm, and brings out the voices of character and environment as if they are inextricable. <br /><br /><br />the apparently monotonous action in the mise en scene is not painful to watch because it is boring but because it shows a reality we all dread, without the rituals of distraction we perform religiously, not the reality we inhabit as actors unaware that we're acting, but the austere zone where our thoughts call out to the void in our unbearable solitude and bring on an avalanche that overtakes us unawares, slowly and silently from behind. <br /><br /><br />but Tarr always provides an unexpected distraction, something spontaneous that breaks the spell of gloom from its hopeless dread. Suddenly dance music, as in my favorite, Satantango. A man in the most desolate of cafes picks up an accordion and plays so a few locals can dance. It's jubilant and comes on like a Spring thaw after an unbearably long, cold winter. There is human contact and joy and so hope. But then, the dance sequence goes on too long because the accordion player is relentless in playing the same melody ad nauseam and so what you hoped was a distraction from the gloom becomes another aspect of it for which you also wish distraction. You find yourself wishing for a close up of one of Tarr's troubled faces, so you can look into the eyes and read the mind and thereby free your own mind from the tyranny of the noise and rhythm and monotonous joy of the music.<br /><br /><br />Tarr's frequent collaborators are composer Mihály Vig and author Laszlo Krasznahourkai and both are essential to realizing his vision. i've mentioned the music but the stories by Krasznahourkai are obviously also crucial. It's interesting how Tarr translates the verbose prose of Krasznahourkai into an almost wordless script and through the use of music, winds, rains and human silences builds up to a similar fervor that Krasznahourkai achieves through words alone. And, for me, it's in this creeping, hysterical fervor where the music is on the verge of losing its rhythm, where Tarr resembles Bergman.fadistahttp://twitter.com/fadista1noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6279678409089205149.post-34011600214068354572012-07-12T16:46:44.966+05:302012-07-12T16:46:44.966+05:30Well, you are right in your observation... Bela Ta...Well, you are right in your observation... Bela Tarr and team succeeded in achieving exactly what they wanted to achieve in the first place. The movie's plot is straightforward and use of dialogue is minimal even for a Tarr movie. I haven't had the privilege of watching Werkmeister Harmonies yet, but I look forward to watching it soon :-)Murtaza Alihttp://www.apotpourriofvestiges.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6279678409089205149.post-88849623830267495292012-07-12T16:39:08.755+05:302012-07-12T16:39:08.755+05:30I definitely admired the acting and cinematography...I definitely admired the acting and cinematography. Sadly I found the story too bleak, and so little dialogue tedious, which is not really the filmmakers fault, because that was what they were aiming for. I guess The Turin Horse (2011) is not for everyone. I prefer Werckmeister Harmonies (2000).365 moviesandsongs365noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6279678409089205149.post-7746734830192602012012-07-08T21:52:40.418+05:302012-07-08T21:52:40.418+05:30I am glad you liked the review... Thanks a ton :-)...I am glad you liked the review... Thanks a ton :-)Murtaza Alihttp://www.apotpourriofvestiges.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6279678409089205149.post-36522253556332282402012-07-08T21:11:05.101+05:302012-07-08T21:11:05.101+05:30Great review! Loved reading this!!Great review! Loved reading this!!Aakankshanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6279678409089205149.post-72963767869151174532012-07-08T19:01:24.457+05:302012-07-08T19:01:24.457+05:30I am glad that you liked my review... I would love...I am glad that you liked my review... I would love to hear from you once you have watched The Turin Horse. Btw, I am yet to watch Satantango... I am sure it would serve to be an equally sublime experience :-)Murtaza Alihttp://www.apotpourriofvestiges.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6279678409089205149.post-86899424125990158292012-07-08T18:12:00.284+05:302012-07-08T18:12:00.284+05:30I've just downloaded this film :) Great review...I've just downloaded this film :) Great review and I love your analysis of the film in particular. I watched Satantango a while ago and loved it to the core. Will watch this movie and come back with my comment :)Harinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6279678409089205149.post-69617640231643095872012-07-08T13:15:10.277+05:302012-07-08T13:15:10.277+05:30Thanks a ton, Arun! The Turin Horse is a must watc...Thanks a ton, Arun! The Turin Horse is a must watch for anyone who is passionate about cinema. Btw, I haven't had the privilege of watching Bela Tarr's Werckmeister Harmonies yet but will try to get my hands on it soon. I will love to hear from you once you have watched The Turin Horse :-)Murtaza Alihttp://www.apotpourriofvestiges.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6279678409089205149.post-86079822265564482442012-07-08T13:11:48.204+05:302012-07-08T13:11:48.204+05:30Thanks mate... I just can't differ from your o...Thanks mate... I just can't differ from your opinion on The Turin Horse. As daunting as it may be, I will surely try to savor Tarr's previous works asap... but first let me continue my tryst with the French New Wave, especially <br />Jean-Pierre Melville which (thanks to your recommendation) started with Le Samourai and has grown more and more intimate since then :-)Murtaza Alihttp://www.apotpourriofvestiges.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6279678409089205149.post-67589815996004645012012-07-08T05:17:31.640+05:302012-07-08T05:17:31.640+05:30Well done. The Turin Horse is a mesmerizing cinema...Well done. The Turin Horse is a mesmerizing cinematic experience of the highest order. I strongly recommend watching Tarr's previous 4 features as well.Bonjour Tristessehttp://www.bonjourtristesse.net/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6279678409089205149.post-25655391468933591942012-07-08T03:47:01.359+05:302012-07-08T03:47:01.359+05:30Wonderful review. Haven't heard about this mov...Wonderful review. Haven't heard about this movie before, although i have watched Bela Tarr's Werckmeister Harmonies. Will watch it soon, and be back with a comment.arun kumarnoreply@blogger.com