Review of Autumn Almanac (1984) by Jason C — 22 Jul 2009

I saw Bela Tarr's 2001 film Werckmeister Harmonies this past year at school and loved it. Since then I've gone back and started watching his earlier works, only to discover that they have a entirely different aesthetic. Instead of the long takes that populate his later works, his early pieces use, almost exclusively, intense close ups. This film appears to be the bridge between the two styles. There are still a great many closeups, but the long takes do begin to creep in.

The acting in this film is very good and the theme of suffering is handled well. I would rate the film higher but I found the ending a bit confusing. One other quip is on the stylistic side; there are an inordinate number of shots taken from outside of door frames, obscurred by objects in the foreground, under tables, or various other obstructed views. These were cleary meant to give a sense of eaves dropping on these characters and for the first couple times, it's very effective. However, by the tenth time it feels like Tarr is just beating the audience over the head with this idea. It's a small complaint but enough to lesson the overall impact of the film for me. Still, if you are interested in films that try and tackle the reality of this existential life, Tarr's work is a must. Reservations about this film aside, I still plan to continue my journey through his work.