Werkmeister Harmonies is one of my top-five favorite movies. I loved the (approximately) first half of Sarantango but could not stomach the cat scene and walked out midway.
I believe Bela Tarr that the cat was not tortured, clearly sound effects were doing a lot. But I cannot convince myself that I was seeing footage of an animal being well-treated. It's hard for me to reconcile that with a filmmaker whose work I've otherwise loved.
I will second the vote for Werkmeister Harmonies. I maybe don't like it as much as ZEd75, but it's very good, absolutely indelible in certain parts, and fairly accessible (by Tarr's standards, anyway.)
I've been lucky enough to see the film three times theatrically with enthusiastic audiences: once at the old Fine Arts (theater #2) during the Chicago International Film Festival in 1994, and twice in later years at Facets. It think it really says something that at the CIFF screening Tarr was present, and most of the audience stuck around another hour for a Q&A.
It's been way too long, that's for sure! (I've been lurking on The Reveal for about a year now, but haven't made too many comments.) I know I saw you once very briefly at the Music Box when you and Keith were presenting LOST HIGHWAY a decade and a half ago. But before that? Maybe my wedding!?!
In addition to the ones mentioned, I’ve also seen DAMNATION (which clocks in at a slim 116 minutes) and Tarr’s hour-long MACBETH, which unfolds in just two takes, one of which is epic in a way few big-budget films dare to be.
Damnation was intriguing to me. I haven't seen any other Tarr (yet) but the description of the tavern scene sounded familiar given the one that appears in Damnation.
part of my brain wants to see this movie very badly, but a significant part thinks I'll end up in Keith's camp, unable to view the cat section with any remove. I read what Scott writes about that section, and it's sounds beautiful and central to the film as a whole.... but there's a difference between reading about it and seeing it happen with a real animal, and I worry it would either mar the experience for me, or I'd be tempted to skip that section and miss a very important part.
but I'm very glad I have people like you two to tell me about the experience!
I saw this at Lincoln Center in that weird, quiet time of year between Christmas and New Years in a theater that was a little less than half full. The couple in front of me made it through both intermissions but, with only about 40 minutes left, finally decided that they had enough and bailed. In my mind, it is the scene where we watch Irimias eat a whole bowl of soup?
What a picture! I hope Criterion adds it back to the channel sometime soon.
Werkmeister Harmonies is one of my top-five favorite movies. I loved the (approximately) first half of Sarantango but could not stomach the cat scene and walked out midway.
I believe Bela Tarr that the cat was not tortured, clearly sound effects were doing a lot. But I cannot convince myself that I was seeing footage of an animal being well-treated. It's hard for me to reconcile that with a filmmaker whose work I've otherwise loved.
FWIW, to our readers who have not seen WERCKMEISTER HARMONIES (including me), it's currently up on Criterion Channel.
I will second the vote for Werkmeister Harmonies. I maybe don't like it as much as ZEd75, but it's very good, absolutely indelible in certain parts, and fairly accessible (by Tarr's standards, anyway.)
I've been lucky enough to see the film three times theatrically with enthusiastic audiences: once at the old Fine Arts (theater #2) during the Chicago International Film Festival in 1994, and twice in later years at Facets. It think it really says something that at the CIFF screening Tarr was present, and most of the audience stuck around another hour for a Q&A.
OMG, it's Eric C. Johnson, marathon movie-watcher and actual marathon runner. So good to see you on here, my friend!
It's been way too long, that's for sure! (I've been lurking on The Reveal for about a year now, but haven't made too many comments.) I know I saw you once very briefly at the Music Box when you and Keith were presenting LOST HIGHWAY a decade and a half ago. But before that? Maybe my wedding!?!
In addition to the ones mentioned, I’ve also seen DAMNATION (which clocks in at a slim 116 minutes) and Tarr’s hour-long MACBETH, which unfolds in just two takes, one of which is epic in a way few big-budget films dare to be.
Damnation was intriguing to me. I haven't seen any other Tarr (yet) but the description of the tavern scene sounded familiar given the one that appears in Damnation.
part of my brain wants to see this movie very badly, but a significant part thinks I'll end up in Keith's camp, unable to view the cat section with any remove. I read what Scott writes about that section, and it's sounds beautiful and central to the film as a whole.... but there's a difference between reading about it and seeing it happen with a real animal, and I worry it would either mar the experience for me, or I'd be tempted to skip that section and miss a very important part.
but I'm very glad I have people like you two to tell me about the experience!
I saw this at Lincoln Center in that weird, quiet time of year between Christmas and New Years in a theater that was a little less than half full. The couple in front of me made it through both intermissions but, with only about 40 minutes left, finally decided that they had enough and bailed. In my mind, it is the scene where we watch Irimias eat a whole bowl of soup?
What a picture! I hope Criterion adds it back to the channel sometime soon.
Jeez. Puts the time I saw someone walk out on the "I drink your milkshake" scene in There Will Be Blood to shame. You made it so far!