Satantango 4K 1994 Ultra HD 2160p

Story Movie

An old farm, living out its final days. Several residents decide to leave, having stolen the money earned by all members of the commune. However, their plans are disrupted by rumors of the arrival of the eloquent and charismatic Irimiaš, who disappeared a year and a half ago and was presumed dead.

Review 4K Movie

What can one say about a film in which two hours of screen time sometimes corresponds to two hours of a character’s life? And in which seven and a half hours depict the events of less than two full days? If the concept of “alternative cinema” has any right to exist, then "Satantango" is the apotheosis of alternative cinema. Gus Van Sant cubed, Jim Jarmusch to the tenth power, and Antonioni multiplied by 666—that’s what "Satantango" is. This film reaches the limit beyond which there can be nothing but Malevich’s Black Square of cinema.

What unfolds on screen resembles a hypnosis session. Instead of a pendulum—endless rain. Instead of a hypnotist—the desolate landscapes of a farm. The entire soundtrack consists of a mournful accordion, occasionally breaking the oppressive silence and the sound of the rain. All of this plunges you into a kind of trance, and your consciousness ceases to function. Perception shifts to the subconscious level. The old man—the doctor—has given himself an injection and silently stares out the window. The camera stares out the window with him for 15 minutes. With a heavy gait, he walks to the storage shed for a drink—the camera stumbles along behind him for half an hour. Hour after hour, you watch cows grazing in the meadow, wild boars lapping water from a trough, dogs running through the mud, and people drinking nonstop and plotting against one another. And somewhere nearby, in this godforsaken land, amid an atmosphere of complete stagnation and hopelessness, Satan dances his tango.

Surprisingly, the film is relatively easy to watch—as easy as a 7-hour black-and-white arthouse film can be. You’re unlikely to digest all of this in one sitting, but two sittings should do the trick. Recommended for fans of exotic cinema.