撒旦的探戈 (电影)

開場八分鐘的推軌鏡頭,已道出此片的史詩氣魄.牛群從牛棚湧出,攝影機隔 着 一列破舊的農居追蹤,有趣的是牠們一路盲目前衝,一路還試圖交配.塔可夫斯基式的畫面,卻是教人屏息的典型塔爾風格,妙筆一揮預告一個集體農場如何走向滅亡.故事始於傳聞已死的騙子重臨村子,他要騙走農場收入,卻給村民認定是大救星.接 着 上演一個悲劇,然後是一個諷刺故事.全片十二章的結構正如 Krashnahorkai 的原著,啟發自六步踏前,六步退後的探戈舞,不同視角有時重複同一劇情.農場最終的命運暗喻九十年代初共產主義的破產,同時也是人類共同命運的觀照.
全片最精采兩段,一是擔當敘事者的醫生偷偷記錄村民活動,他蹣跚買醉的跟鏡,成為最感人的觀影存在體驗.另一段女孩虐貓,亦寫下影史上有數的傷感時刻.沒有故弄玄虛,一種交代故事的坦率,讓演員在真實時間存在,讓觀眾隨他們的情態同步呼吸,箇中有導演對電影最大的深情與敬意.七個半小時的每個鏡頭,個個都是不朽──沒有想當然的靜止,而是自有一種有機的內在節奏.像小津和德萊葉,塔爾深諳長鏡頭的真諦.這是必須去經歷的,一生難逢的觀影經驗.
片長七小時卻每一分鐘皆雷霆萬鈞,引人入勝.但願在我有生之年,年年都重看一遍."
-蘇珊‧桑塔格
"A magnum opus to end all magna opera," proclaimed Derek Elley of Variety. This landmark film, the second collaboration with Krasznahorkai, stands as one of the most important and powerful piece of cinema since The Decalogue. Its effect upon filmmaking is unquestionable, having influenced critics such as Susan Sontag to filmmakers such as Gus van Sant (Elephant) and Benedek Fliegauf (Dealer). The opening alone, a single ten-minute shot of cows filing themselves out of a seemingly abandoned village, is extraordinarily sublime. Channelling pitch-black humour, Chris tian allegory and the political reality of post-socialist Hungary, this is a challenging, intellectually rigorous yet transcendent cinematic experience.
"Devastating, enthralling for every minute of its seven hours. I'd be glad to see it every year for the rest of my life."
- Susan Sontag on Sátántangó
"I had this inspirational moment while I was watching Bela Tarr's Sátántangó. I started to feel like I was watching something that was made before D.W. Griffith."
- Gus van Sant, director of Elephant and Good Will Huntin