In contrast, almost opposed to the most common uses of modern cinematography, which pursues an accumulation, an acceleration in the forms of presentation (speed images in sequence, in the dialogues...) to activate the viewer's attention, Bela Tarr's cinema adds to the current contemplative, slow, flat-sequence, minimalist (though i don't like the expression) in more than one direction, the filmmak... read more
Description:One night Maloin, a switchman at a seaside railway station situated by a ferry harbour, witnesses a terrible event. He is just watching the arrival of the last ferry at night from his control room on top of a high iron traverse from where he can see the whole bay. Suddenly he notices that the first of the disembarking passengers, a taOne night Maloin, a switchman at a seaside railway station situated by a ferry harbour, witnesses a terrible event. He is just watching the arrival of the last ferry at night from his control room on top of a high iron traverse from where he can see the whole bay. Suddenly he notices that the first of the disembarking passengers, a tall thin figure (a certain Brown as it will turn out later) leaves the harbour, but not on the usual route: after getting through customs, he goes around the dock and then withdraws into a dark corner, waiting. Opposite him, in front of the ship, another man soon appears and throws a suitcase towards the man on the shore. He goes and picks it up, then waits in an even darker corner for the other man to join him. When he arrives, however, they begin to quarrel and finally, in the course of the vehement fight, due to a hit that turns out to be fatal, the shorter one falls in the water and sinks, clutching the suitcase in his hand. Maloin is watching the scene, astonished. Finally, in a state of fear and shock, he opens the door of his control room, but the sharp and loud creaking sound disturbs and frightens away the murderer. Brown is forced to flee before being able to fish out the suitcase from the water. After the murderer disappears down one of the streets behind the harbour, Maloin cautiously climbs down from his cabin to the shore. When he realises that there is nothing he can do for the victim, he dredges up the suitcase. He takes it up to his control room and opens it: it is packed with money. He is dazzled. He does not go either to call the police or fetch the murderer; he just stares at the pile of money. He simply cannot believe his eyes. Then, after meticulously drying and counting the banknotes, he hides the suitcase in his closet and locks it. At dawn, when his colleague arrives, he acts as if nothing had happened. He returns home on his usual route. Nevertheless, this path is not the same anymore.... (more)(less)
"Watched at the cinema on March 6th.
The Man From London is certainly not meant to 'entertain' its audience. On the contrary, it is a very demanding film that requires an immersion within its dense atmosphere and its languid and static rhythm. It displays a rigorous aesthetic that is both uncompromising and purposeful. The use of long takes and very little dialogue points to its primary focus of creating a rich audio-visual landscape that is centered upon temporality. From an aesthetic point of "
“In contrast, almost opposed to the most common uses of modern cinematography, which pursues an accumulation, an acceleration in the forms of presentation (speed images in sequence, in the dialogues...) to activate the viewer's attention, Bela Tarr's cinema adds to the current contemplative, slow, flat-sequence, minimalist (though i don't like the expression) in more than one direction, the filmmakers called "cult" as Angelopoulos, Sokurov, Kiarostami, Bartas... The latter is a kind of language hardly supports the indifference or impartiality of the spectator, it can cause so much attraction and rejection, depending on the profile and tastes of the observer.
I having said that and being the first movie see Tarr, i stand at one of the rare "intermediate" in terms of positioning. I” read more
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