‘Werckmeister Harmonies’ inhabits communist Hungary

Directors Béla Tarr and Ágnes Hranitzky (also Tarr’s spouse, production designer, and editor) took as their inspiration László Krasznahorkai 1989 novel “The Melancholy of Resistance” and created a masterpiece, “Werckmeister Harmonies.” Characteristic of Tarr, the camera relies on extended takes, a total of only thirty-nine shots in this two hour twenty-five minute film, the opening shot alone over ten minutes.

János Valuska anchors the narrative, a young newspaper delivery man who visits uncles, aunts, and others in an unidentified town in Communist Hungary. During one of János’ early stops the title is clarified as Uncle György explains his objections to Andreas Werckmeister’s harmonic principles, a critique that reverberates through subsequent, tragic events. The pivotal catalyst of disruption is the arrival of a huge truck containing a stuffed whale and a mysterious person known only as “The Prince.” Rumors of the disruptive force and mob madness provoked by this ‘circus’ worries and then inflames the town’s citizens with dire consequences.

Released in the U.S. in 2002, a new, 4K restoration presents the original, gorgeous, dreamlike black-and-white images, their aesthetic appeal thoroughly captivating. The visuals are utterly seductive, presenting a world easy in which to lose oneself. In effect, as János moves through streets and buildings, alone or in crowded spaces, Tarr creates places viewers virtually inhabit as participants more than as objective observers. Tarr and Hranitzky maintain this grip on their invented village through the superb performance of Lars Rudolph as János, known also for “Run Lola Run.” All the supporting actors are equally effective, but it is Rudolph’s inscrutable, often uncomprehending gaze that goes beyond sublime.

Shot over three years, with six cinematographers, dare I say, the film feels too short for us to absorb this astonishing experience of what is described as a ‘tragicomic vision of humanity, in all its cruelty and compassion.” In Hungarian with English subtitles, the mesmerizing, haunting, deeply moving “Werckmeister Harmonies” screens at Webster University’s Winifred Moore auditorium Friday, June 30. through Sunday, July 2, at 7:30 each of those evenings. For more information, you may visit the film series website at: Webster.edu/filmseries.