Film [Rating:3.5] DVD [Rating:3]
“The Outsider” is the second feature film from Hungarian director Bela Tarr (“Werckmeister Harmonies”). The story is set in a small provincial town and it follows the tribulations of Andras Szabo, a young violin player and heavy drinker that has no control of his own life; he has been kicked out of most of the jobs he has held. The film opens with Andras working as a nurse in a mental hospital, from where he is later discharged because he is found drunk with a patient. The film revolves around Andreas’ marriage to his wife. She is after security; a regular life. Andreas, however, is unable to provide that certainty and stability.
The topic of “The Outsider”, like Tarr’s other films shot during this period, revolve around the relationship problems of the Hungarian working class. The film employs a semi-documentary style with real life actors and locations. Tarr also uses a realist aesthetic in his feature: a 16mm camera, grainy look, natural light sources, long takes and an elliptic narrative. It provides us with a reality that is more human than political. Andreas struggles between conformity and artistry, since he does not fully grasp either. Tarr’s major strength as a director is in the way he painfully exposes the problematic sides of a reality he loves. The film shows real characters and their stories. By the same token, the narrative gives us characters caught in an anachronistic political reality. The film’s intimate dialogue and large choral scenes are exceptional in their documentary style. On the other end, there are moments when playing the reality game using casual points of view reveals instead how much the film is constructed, especially when the camera is purposely hidden behind some structure. The scope of the narrative loses its focus on the characters towards the end of the film. Tarr has some problems closing the film’s open structure.
The DVD by Facets Cinenotes is fairly basic with a good transfer and no extras on video. To introduce Bela Tarr there is a booklet containing the essay entitled “The melancholy of Resistance: The films of Bela Tarr” by Peter Hames, followed by an interview with Tarr and a brief biography.
The Outsider (Szabadgyalog)
Hungary, 150 min., 1981
Dir. Bela Tarr
with Andras Szabo (Andras), Jolan Fodor (Kata), Imre Donko (Csotesz), Istvan Bolla (Balázs), Ferenc Jánossy (Festõmüvész), Imre Vass (Egy munkás)
DVD:
Facet Video (Usa),
Language Magyar, English Subtitles
Extra: Booklet with an essay by Peter Hames and an interview to Tarr
Films of Bela Tarr 3-pack Set (The Outsider / Prefab People / Family Nest)
Popularity: 6% [?]
