I am thinking of going up to Huntington, NY to see this at a theatre. It is a short train ride outside of the city, which is no big deal, but is it really worth spending a whole Sunday (during footaball season nonetheless) watching? I am very open to new films and have experienced a wide range of cinema, but 7.5 hours?
Like recent Gus van Sant?
If so, then yes.
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Shoot first, ask questions later.
Well the thing is, I was intrigued by Gerry, but really felt like it was missing something. I don't know, substance maybe. Then, all the critical reviews I read about it said it was like Bela Tarr without the substance. So now I am really considering seeing this movie because I know that at 7.5 hours I am at least getting my moneys worth. I don't mind long takes, but I do expect something behind, a theme at least, something to think about. Gerry just left me kind of cold. I never did see Elephant or Last Days.
shareSatantango is more like Last Days than Gerry, but that doesn't help you. It is very substantive, and the best film of its kind. If you are looking for something like Gerry, but more full (emotionally, intellectually, narrative-ly), then you have come to the right film. I suggest you see Last Days, and if you like that a lot, Satantango is probably for you.
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Shoot first, ask questions later.
If he hasn't seen Elephant, then that's the first movie I'd suggest since the technique for recording was directly inspired by Satantango. As for Satantango, if you're not used to watching slow-paced features, then I'd pace them myself by watching a segment a day to get a "feel" for the movie. Most people I know who have seen it had their patience tried by trying to watch the whole thing in one sitting. First off, you gotta have the spare 7.5 hours to spend in the movie, so you can't watch it on a work day. That only leaves you with the week-end, OR you can watch a 1.5 hour segment each day and get accustomed to the movie, so that on the week-end you can watch the entire movie without getting antsy. Elephant will look fast-paced compared to this movie and you'll be able to laugh at the viewers who complained about that movie's "slow" pace (which isn't slow at all). My only complaint about Elephant is its major goof - getting a high-power assault rifle reflects nothing about our society since mailing weapons is a real bitch and could never be done as portrayed in the movie. If Van Sant meant to say how easy weapons are to obtain, then he should've chosen another way to tell this. All in all, it's a decent movie with a very intense ending - almost as intense as "71 Fragments..." by Michael Haneke.
Do The Mussolini! Headkick!
Elephant seemed too ameteurish to be compared to satantango, or at least I thought so. That's not a complaint, but the acting, the way it was shot, and the confidence the film carries are all a very different feeling than Tarr's film. Last Days feels much more on the same wavelength, especially stuff like the long dolly shot.
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Shoot first, ask questions later.
I will check those films out. I'm pretty sure I am going to see Santantango regardless. It's showing on a Sunday, and I don't mind spending the whole day in a theatre. I can't not see it after how much I've heard about it.
shareGod yes.
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Van Sants work is good, but he is no Bela Tarr.
Whether you like Van Sants work or not should have nothing to do with this film. Tarr does it all much much better.
You should absolutly go see it. I would have loved to had the experience of seeing it on a big screen. Its 7.5 hypnotic hours that are very very easy to sit through if you truly do love the art of cinema.
I'm preparing to watch this movie for a half a year i think haha. i love so called 'slow paced' movies. for example one of my favorite movies of all are Seventh Contintent, or Stalker...I don't know how to start, 3 hoursthen 3.5 hours? I think i will chose that approach.
shareThe movie has two intended breaks. If you watch it at home you could just take a break when they usually have the breaks in the cinema.
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