Now operating somewhere between Andrei Tarkovsky, Roy Andersson and
David Lynch, Hungarian auteur Tarr has had several phases. His early
films are compared to John Cassavetes' brand of naturalism, but it's
his mature work - Damnation, the 7-hour Satantango, Werckmeister
Harmonies - that excites critics like Susan Sontag. Sombre and
enigmatic, it can be extremely frustrating while you're watching.
Tarr makes few concessions to the audience, proceeding at his own pace
in ultra-long takes. It's definitely difficult viewing, but some of
his scenes - like the destruction of the asylum in Werckmeister - linger
strongly in the memory, mapping out a blasted apocalyptic terrain all
his own.
