quietearth [Celluloid 03.19.09] movie news drama



I've been eagerly awaiting any stills or footage on Tarr's latest, but to date have only found project details and some set construction photos so I'm going to share what I do have. Shot last December, I'm assuming the project is in post now and it's supposed to be more "low-key" then his last production, The Man From London (which was awesome). The film stars Czech actor Miroslav Krobot and Hungarian actress Erika Bók, both of whom appeared in The Man From London along with Volker Spengler. This is being called Tarr's last film which I hope isn't true, and makes no sense as he already has another project listed in IDMB (but as co-producer). The film is inspired by Nietzsche who, weeping, flung his his arms around an exhausted and ill-treated carriage horse, then lost consciousness. This marked the end of his career. I'm betting it'll have it's premier at Cannes.

In “The Turin Horse,” a carter and his daughter live out their lives on their farmstead, subsisting on hard work: their only source of income is their horse and cart. The father takes on carting jobs while his daughter takes care of the household. It’s a very meager life and infinitely monotonous. Their horse, now old and in very poor condition, is no longer able to carry out its tasks and pulling the loaded cart proves more and more difficult. Even the whip can’t force it to achieve beyond its strength. All that the horse wants is peace and an untroubled death.

The dying of the horse shapes the story of a film, which is framed by the gale sweeping all before it, whose function is to make true order in the world, at the same time giving the final tribute of respect to innocence and defenselessness. The film speaks about death, and the deep pain that comes with it, felt by all of us as a universal law.

While it may sound like a touching family story to those who don't know Tarr's style, I'm sure it will be filled with long periods of silence showing the action, and more importantly, that "in between time", all caught by a slowly sweeping camera.

You can check some small set construction photos after the break.

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Rainer (13 years ago) Reply

Read this:

http://unspokencinema.blogspot.com/2008/11/tarr-bla-quits-cinema.html

John (12 years ago) Reply

and this:
http://www.wercwerkworks.com/Turin_Horse_Film.pdf
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Turin_Horse
http://www.swissfilms.ch/en/film_search/filmdetails/-/id_film/2146535178
http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/archives/bela_tarrs_the_turin_horse_margin_call_unknown_more_join_berlin_film_fest_l/

the movie is originally named as:
A Torinói Ló

here is the interview:
http://storytellertrailers.blogspot.com/2011/02/torinoi-lo-turin-horse.html
http://www.screendaily.com/bela-tarr-to-start-the-turin-horse-next-month-with-werc-werk-works/4041601.article

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