Review of The Turin Horse (2011) by John A — 04 Jun 2012
"The Turin Horse" is my first glance at Bela Tarr; it is also his last work, since he has (surprisingly) retired from filmmaking. It opens with a narration that tells us about a horse in Turin who is whipped by his master, and is rumored to have caused a mental breakdown of the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche.
We never encounter Nietzsche's character in the film. I am guessing the film shows the aftermath. Tarr's film is a minimalist work with spectacular cinematography. I believe after the narration is over (other narrations spring up throughout the film); the first dialogue is said after twenty minutes into the movie.
The second dialogue might have been said at the end of the first hour. The whole film is simply a showcase of the dull lives of the horse, its carriage driver, and the driver's daughter. The time looks to be somewhere in the late 1800s where the father and daughter are living in a remote area with only their house surrounded by a gale storm.
At times it feels Tarr is practicing Bresson, but is not nearly as effective. The film could have been shorter too, Tarr seems to be stuck on creating brilliant (and lengthy) shots, but doesn't present much depth or meaning behind them.
As the film went on, I began to somewhat understand why the director is showing repetitive chores of the father and daughter, yet it was still frustrating to see. Shot in black & white, it has one of the finest opening sequences you'll ever see, along with a number of other gorgeous shots, which is the main reason to see it.
Even with its failures, "The Turin Horse" is uncanny and authentic.
This review of The Turin Horse (2011) was written by John A on 04 Jun 2012.
The Turin Horse has generally received very positive reviews.
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