Werckmeister's Harmonies is the final story that takes place in the oasis of loneliness amidst the seemingly infinite Hungarian plains. A dimly lit atmosphere -the youth have gone, the children and elderly are closed within themselves; little is said between the men of the town, who meet each night at the local tavern and drink themselves blind. As in the geography of every human settlement, there is a seemingly motionless layer of magma simmering just below the surface. On the one hand are the problems of love, passion and jealousy that stem from personal relationships. On the other hand, greed, ambition and political antagonism lie waiting for only a small tremor in order to erupt. The plot of Werckmeister's Harmonies, which is densely woven through with symbolism, is interesting yet unimportant. The film deals with the formation of mass movements and their transformation into violent outbursts, as well as the way in which the rulling bourgeoisie and militarist structure use actions as a pretext to repress the working class. Tarr is master of a mature and original cinema language that consists of long takes, slow tracking shots, careful lighting, and dramatically stressed and detailed sound editing. Just two scenes from Werckmeister's Harmonies are enough to define it as extraordinary. Music is used perfectly in the opening tavern scene, in which a young man and some old drunkards perform the movements of the solar system and eclipses of the moon and sun. The scene in which a group of townspeople attack a hospital after a leader fails to make his expected speech is a colourless and very effective portrayal of violence. Alin Taşcıyan
