Key.

A: Corpus. A definitive part of the corpus which embodies both the aesthetic style of Slow Cinema and the conceptual element of my thesis.

B: Influence on Corpus. A film which has either directly or in-directly influenced a film or filmmaker which contributes to my corpus.

C: Peripheral Corpus. A film which has neither been an influence of the corpus nor contains the key aesthetical requirements to be a part of the corpus, yet can fairly be labelled as capturing the spirit of Slow Cinema.

D: Non Corpus. A film made by a filmmaker who is either part of the corpus or has been an influence on the corpus, or even influenced by the corpus yet doesn’t meet enough of the aesthetic requirements to be a part of the previous three groups.

Sátántangó



Directed by Bela Tarr
Released in 1994
Running Time 450 mins
Country of Origin Germany/Switzerland/Austria
Reasons for watching: The film's mammoth length combined with the status of Bela Tarr and his influence on Slow Cinema makes Satantango an important minimalist film. In Flanagan's (2008) 'Towards an Aesthetic of Slow in Contemporary Cinema.' Sátántangó is within the canon of films used to demonstrate just what a cinema of slowness is.
Usefulness: The film, much like Tarr's previous work, uses extremely slow pans which reveal the geography of the village and characterises the way of life of the villagers inhabitants. Within the film the recurring use of tracking shots following characters walking through the village advances the plot by showing how, and more importantly when they interact. This provides an overview of what has happened over the course of the day that much of the film takes place in. For example in one scene we follow a doctor walk to a public house where he bumps into a young girl walking towards the same pub holding a dead cat. This scene is repeated a few hours later when the story of why the girl is heading to the pub and why she is holding cat is revealed. The role of the long drawn out tracking shots and their overall lack of speed reflects the length of time individual acts take in this village and forces the viewer to experience the pace that the village operates at.

Verdict: B

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