Satantango (1994)
"Sátántangó" (original title)

In a small dilapidated village in 1990s Hungary, life has come to a virtual standstill. The autumn rains have started. The villagers expect to receive a large cash payment that evening, and... See full summary »

Director:

Béla Tarr

Writers:

László Krasznahorkai (novel), Mihály Vig (story),

Stars:

Mihály Vig, Putyi Horváth, László feLugossy

1 win.

Cast

Credited cast:
Mihály Vig	...	Irimiás
Putyi Horváth	...	Petrina
László feLugossy	...	Schmidt
Éva Almássy Albert	...	Schmidtné
János Derzsi	...	Kráner
Irén Szajki	...	Kránerné
Alfréd Járai	...	Halics
Miklós Székely B.	...	Futaki
Erzsébet Gaál	...	Halicsné
Erika Bók	...	Estike
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
György Barkó	...	Iskolaigazgató
Peter Berling	...	Orvos
András Bodnár	...	Horgos Sanyi
Ilona Bojár	...	Horgosné
Péter Dobai	...	Százados

Storyline

In a small dilapidated village in 1990s Hungary, life has come to a virtual standstill. The autumn rains have started. The villagers expect to receive a large cash payment that evening, and then plan to leave. Some want to abscond earlier with more than their fair share of the money. However they hear that the smooth talking Irimias, whom they thought had died, is coming back. They are apprehensive that he will take all their money in one of his grandiose schemes to keep the community going.

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Plot Keywords:

1990s | rain | hungary | pub | writer | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Details

Country:

Hungary Germany Switzerland

Language:

Hungarian

Release Date:

28 April 1994 (Hungary)

Also Known As:

Satantango

Company Credits

Production Co:

Mozgókép Innovációs Társulás és Alapítvány, Von Vietinghoff Filmproduktion (VVF), Vega Film

Technical Specs

Runtime:

450 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The movie was shot between 1990 and 1994.

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Quotes

Captain: Not that human life was so highly valued. Keeping order appears to be the business of the authorities, but in fact it's the business of all. Order. Freedom, however, has nothing human. It's something divine, something... our lives are too short for us to know properly. If you're looking for a link, think of Pericles, order and freedom are linked by passion. We have to believe in both, we suffer from both. Both from order and freedom. But human life is meaningful, rich, beautiful and filthy. It ...

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Connections

Featured in The Story of Film: An Odyssey: Episode #1.5 (2011)

User Reviews

It grows!

I saw SATANTANGO about ten years ago. At that time, I found it impressive, but quite an ordeal to sit through. But then, years later, I realized I kept thinking back to the images and rhythms of this film. It grows. I also saw other very long movies with very long takes, like TAIGA by Ulrike Ottinger (8 hours) and FROST by Tarr's student Fred Kelemen (4 hours); they didn't work. SATANTANGO stayed with me, like two other films by Tarr, DAMNATION and WERCKMEISTER HARMONIES. Today I consider it as one of the greatest movie experiences I ever had. I do not know how Tarr pulls this off; his most effective takes often seem simple and straightforward. It must be magic. By the way, Gus Van Sant's ELEPHANT uses similar techniques at times (long shots of people walking), and Van Sant acknowledged Tarr's influence.