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Product Description
Four years in the making, the new film from the acclaimed Hungarian filmmaker Béla Tarr is an adaptation of a novel by thriller writer Georges Simenon. Maloin (Miroslav Krobot) leads a simple life as a railway signalman, barely registering the world around him. His life takes a sudden turn when he becomes a witness to a murder and he is forced to confront issues of morality, sin, punishment and the line between innocence and complicity. Exploring themes of desire, greed and man s indestructible longing for freedom, this hypnotic film bears the distinctive trademarks of Tarr s universe fluid and stunning monochrome photography, pared-down dialogue and performances (with a striking appearance by Tilda Swinton), and a hauntingly beautiful score by long-time Tarr collaborator Mihály Víg. Special Features: Interview with Béla Tarr, Theatrical trailer
Product Description
United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital 2.0 ), French ( Dolby Digital 2.0 ), English ( Subtitles ), WIDESCREEN (1.78:1), SPECIAL FEATURES: Black & White, Cast/Crew Interview(s), Interactive Menu, Scene Access, SYNOPSIS: ***WARNING***ENGLISH SUBTITLES ARE ONLY IN SOME PARTS OF THE MOVIE*** THE REST OF THE FILM HAS ENGLISH AUDIO. Four years in the making, the new film from the acclaimed Hungarian filmmaker Béla Tarr is an adaptation of a novel by thriller writer Georges Simenon. Maloin (Miroslav Krobot) leads a simple life as a railway signalman, barely registering the world around him. His life takes a sudden turn when he becomes a witness to a murder and he is forced to confront issues of morality, sin, punishment and the line between innocence and complicity. Exploring themes of desire, greed and man's indestructible longing for freedom, this hypnotic film bears the distinctive trademarks of Tarr's universe - fluid and stunning monochrome photography, pared-down dialogue and performances (with a striking appearance by Tilda Swinton), and a hauntingly beautiful score by long-time Tarr collaborator Mihály Víg. SCREENED/AWARDED AT: Cannes Film Festival, ...The Man from London ( A Londoni Ferfi ) ( L'homme de Londres )
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
16 of 18 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
I'm a great fan of Bela Tarr's works and I rate "Satantango" as one of the most remarkable films that I have ever seen. His latest film "The Man from London" is recognisably Tarresque; it is shot in monochrome and features typically heavy set, morose middle aged men living isolated and monotonous lives in a wintery landscape although this time the backdrop is a French fishing village rather than some forgotten part of Hungarian Ruritania.The film is slow moving and has little dialogue.The plot is simple ; a railway signalman witnesses a murder following the recovery of a mysterious suitcase (which turns out to have been stuffed with money) that was tossed from a moored boat and an English police inspector is despatched to recover the money and solve the murder.The signalman fishes the suitcase out of the sea and hides the money , but the Man from London soon closes in on the murderer and the signalman. "The Man from London" is beautifully filmed and well paced , but I still would place the excellent "Werckmeister Harmonies" and "Damnation" ahead of it on the grounds of their excellent imagery and sheer other worldliness.
13 of 15 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
The fact that this film is long and slow is not a problem. That's the unique vision of Bela Tarr
and those already familiar with his style should rejoice that this film ever made it to completion.
Is it just me, or do the shadows cast over the troubled production, somehow continue on screen?
The only issue I have with this film is the use of overdubs. I see no reason for this and it distracts and detracts from the sound and viewing experience. In the films mentioned below, I almost think the sound is better than the beauty of the photography. I have seen a short clip of this film without the overdubs and it works so much better. I hope it wasn't to try and reach a wider audience and indeed hope any future release will provide an audio option to play with subtitles only. Also, I feel Mihaly Vig's score is overused to the point of intrusion.
If you're new to Bela Tarr, check out the 'Werckmeister Harmonies' and 'Satantango' first.
and those already familiar with his style should rejoice that this film ever made it to completion.
Is it just me, or do the shadows cast over the troubled production, somehow continue on screen?
The only issue I have with this film is the use of overdubs. I see no reason for this and it distracts and detracts from the sound and viewing experience. In the films mentioned below, I almost think the sound is better than the beauty of the photography. I have seen a short clip of this film without the overdubs and it works so much better. I hope it wasn't to try and reach a wider audience and indeed hope any future release will provide an audio option to play with subtitles only. Also, I feel Mihaly Vig's score is overused to the point of intrusion.
If you're new to Bela Tarr, check out the 'Werckmeister Harmonies' and 'Satantango' first.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Great Art House director Bela Tarr's, The Man from London, tells the story of railway signalman Maloin (Miroslav Krobot), who hardly registers what is going on around him. Suddenly his life takes a turn, when he witnesses a murder and becomes mixed up with a English police inspector (István Lénárt), in matters that are completely foreign to him, forcing him to face morality and the thin line between innocence and complicity.
The film was beautifully shot in black and white by cinematographer Fred Kelemen (who recently did Tarr's new film The Turin Horse) and the acting of Miroslav Krobot and Tilda Swinton was excellent. With brilliant Mise-en-scène from Tarr, masterful long takes by Kelemen and atmospheric composition from his long time collaborator Mihaly Vig, this film could easily have been a masterpiece, like his previous films Satantango and Werckmeister Harmonies.
However, there are small problems, which there could have been without. The over the top Britishness of the inspector was very stereotypical, sounding and acting like something out of a 1940's Ealing Studios film. Another thing was that István Lénárt, must had been well over seventy, which makes this quite unrealistic. These details lessened the film, making it an outstanding to watch, but failing to reach it's full potential.
Compared to most films you see being made now days, this is an excellent film, besides it's shortcomings. Although it is not one of the best of Tarr's work, it is still worth purchasing, for it's breathtaking cinematography and the impeccable acting of Krobot and Swinton. If you are new to Bela Tarr, get Werckmeister Harmonies, which I believe to be his best released on DVD and one of the greatest films of the last decade. If you already have Tarr's other films then you should definitely add The Man From London to your collection as it is still a great film which should not be missed.
Special Features: Interview with Bela Tarr
Language: Mostly French with a small amount of English
Subtitles: English
Certificate: 12
Dolby Digital 2.0
Black and White
Region Code: 2
Running time: 90 mins
The film was beautifully shot in black and white by cinematographer Fred Kelemen (who recently did Tarr's new film The Turin Horse) and the acting of Miroslav Krobot and Tilda Swinton was excellent. With brilliant Mise-en-scène from Tarr, masterful long takes by Kelemen and atmospheric composition from his long time collaborator Mihaly Vig, this film could easily have been a masterpiece, like his previous films Satantango and Werckmeister Harmonies.
However, there are small problems, which there could have been without. The over the top Britishness of the inspector was very stereotypical, sounding and acting like something out of a 1940's Ealing Studios film. Another thing was that István Lénárt, must had been well over seventy, which makes this quite unrealistic. These details lessened the film, making it an outstanding to watch, but failing to reach it's full potential.
Compared to most films you see being made now days, this is an excellent film, besides it's shortcomings. Although it is not one of the best of Tarr's work, it is still worth purchasing, for it's breathtaking cinematography and the impeccable acting of Krobot and Swinton. If you are new to Bela Tarr, get Werckmeister Harmonies, which I believe to be his best released on DVD and one of the greatest films of the last decade. If you already have Tarr's other films then you should definitely add The Man From London to your collection as it is still a great film which should not be missed.
Special Features: Interview with Bela Tarr
Language: Mostly French with a small amount of English
Subtitles: English
Certificate: 12
Dolby Digital 2.0
Black and White
Region Code: 2
Running time: 90 mins
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Not without merit but
The DVD case says 90mins aprox, but actually this is 130mins, so be aware when you sit down to watch it that its a long film. Read more
Published 1 month ago by S J Buck
this is not the hungarian soundtrack
this 10th january 2012 Kimstim release does not give a hungarian soundtrack as written both on the box itself and in the amazon product details - there is only one french and... Read more
Published 3 months ago by hyphenate
Disappointing
There were just far too many long scenes where nothing much happens. Cut at least half an hour from this film and it might help to quicken the pace and add some tension. Read more
Published 3 months ago by David Atkinson
Too much
This movie is too long and too tedious. Too much shouting. Too much trudging around. The sound and overdubbing is irritating. Read more
Published 10 months ago by Robert L. Russell
Oh my goodness...
This film is simply terrible. Often those reviewing this movie disparagingly are often accused of doing so on the grounds that they only can enjoy films like Transformers or can't... Read more
Published 21 months ago by Richard Mcallister
Absolute tripe
Satantango & Werckmeister Harmonies are Four Star films that made me a Bela Tarr fan but he's over-stepped the mark with this tedious & affected offering which is bogged down by... Read more
Published on 27 Jan 2010 by Darren Cook
Half hearted
I had read bad critics about this movie, but I had a hard time believing that the man who gave us Satantango and the Werckmeister Harmonies could come up with a lemon. Read more
Published on 15 Oct 2009 by Un francais en angleterre
Trance
This was my 1st Bela Tarr movie and I confess to being totally mesmerised. Not being a big fan of the poignant "longeur", this was a revelation. Read more
Published on 23 Jun 2009 by H. Edwards
too much of a challenge!
I saw this at the Sarajevo Film Festival 2007, and, ok, i knew this wasn't 'Die Hard' but I wasn't prepared for the over long, self-indulgent story-telling. Read more
Published on 30 May 2009 by Simon Mears
Good, But VERY Slow!
This is the first movie I have seen by Béla Tarr - so I wasn't really prepared for the slow shots, lingering scenes and just generally the speed of his films, this one does... Read more
Published on 18 May 2009 by DL Productions UK
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