The cinematography by Fred Kelemen deserves a special mention here,
since it is another important part of the narrative. I would say that
"The Man from London" is one of those cinematic achievments where
cinematography alone can drive the story forward without any additional
means of cinematic storytelling. The takes are very long and the camera
tracking is extremely slow. The camera is not just a tool here - it is a
silent observer of the happenings, as if it was a life person, a silent
witness incognito. One will not see too many cuts in a movie - takes
are several minutes long, which is good, I think, since it allows us to
seize the moment, to become witnesses of the story along with the
camera. Black and white images are a trademark of Tarr's genius, but in
"The Man from London" the combination of b/w visuals with strong
light-shadow contrast reminds us of Film Noir era.
Béla Tarr's film 'The Man from London' is based on the novel of the same title by Georges Simenon. I have not personally read the original novel, but I should say that somewhere in the middle of the film I realized that it was not an original script, and was most likely derived from a short story or a novel. I sometimes separate films into two categories: ones that are (based on) true stories and those that are born from fictional scripts or novels. How is it reflected in the film? It is just that the characters and locations of 'The Man from London' seem to be somewhat too literary for a realistic story, too limited and locked inside the plot, as if they would not work outside the context of the story.
Content Source: Bukisa - "the Man From London" (2007) by Béla Tarr And ágnes Hranitzky
"the Man From London" (2007) by Béla Tarr And ágnes Hranitzky
The following article is my personal analysis of 'The Man from London,' directed by a great Hungarian director Béla Tarr and co-directed/edited by Ágnes Hranitzky. This is a totally unbiased view on the film, so everything written here is not to be taken for the only truth. I recommend to watch the film before drawing any further conclusions.Béla Tarr's film 'The Man from London' is based on the novel of the same title by Georges Simenon. I have not personally read the original novel, but I should say that somewhere in the middle of the film I realized that it was not an original script, and was most likely derived from a short story or a novel. I sometimes separate films into two categories: ones that are (based on) true stories and those that are born from fictional scripts or novels. How is it reflected in the film? It is just that the characters and locations of 'The Man from London' seem to be somewhat too literary for a realistic story, too limited and locked inside the plot, as if they would not work outside the context of the story.
Content Source: Bukisa - "the Man From London" (2007) by Béla Tarr And ágnes Hranitzky