Werckmeister Harmonies
- Lars Rudolph: János Valuska
- Peter Fitz: György Eszter
- Hanna Schygulla: Tunde Eszter
- János Derzs: Man in Wool Coat
- Đoko Rosić: Man in cowboy boots
- Tamás Wichmann: Man with captain's hat
- Ferenc Kállai: Director
- Mihály Kormos: factotum
- Iren Szajki: Woman Harrer
- Alfréd Jarai: Lajos Harrer
- Gyula Pauer: Mr. Hagel Meyer
The Werckmeister Harmonies ( Original title: Werckmeister harmóniák ). , Is an internationally co-produced film by Hungarian director Béla Tarr 's 2000 Literary template was the novel The Melancholy of Resistance of the author László Krasznahorkai. The film depicts events in a remote Hungarian village, happened in the ominous events.
Action
The main character is the naïve János Valuska which, newspapers discharges and wandering in the unnamed village where deepest cold prevails. In the first scene he can adjust from visitors to the village pub, the movements in the solar system to explain an approaching solar eclipse with the movements of the heavenly bodies.
A " Circus " arrives in the village, which advertises the attraction of a huge Walkadavers and the "Duke ". Even before the arrival there are rumors that the circus will bring evil. János visited fascinated the carcass, which is located in a trailer on the marketplace, where gathered a crowd.
The reclusive music theorist György Eszter, János help in the household, is blackmailed by his wife Tunde. This will establish, together with the chief of police of the place an organization on the "cleaning " of the village and the maintenance of order. György to take care of the organization and its prestigious name accept for the presidency, which he does reluctantly.
Tunde orders János, just to see what happens in the marketplace. There, the crowd has now ignited fire. János would once again see the whale and sneaks into the trailer. There he listened to a dispute of the ringmaster with the interpreter of the " Duke " and this itself; by Herzog here only his shadow on the wall can be seen. The director has enough of it that the Duke with his seditious speeches incites people to unrest. Then the Duke begins with exactly one such speech. János flees, while apparently a mob starts with crimes. So breaking a crowd in a hospital, and abused the patient but keeps a finally at the sight of a naked old man and makes versa.
János finds the body of a friendly shoemaker and is informed by his wife that he is wanted by the authorities. On the run he is captured. Eszter visited him and reported that the police chief and Tunde have billeted in his house while he got a small room to live. He promises János that even this had been able to get there, if he comes out again.
In the last shot Eszter goes over the deserted village square, where lies between remnants of the riots nor the whale carcass. He looks at it for the first time and then goes on.
Background
The film is held in the typical late Tarr's works style: He is a black and white film and is at a length of 145 minutes, only 39 settings.
The leading roles are played by German actors who were Hungarian synchronized. Valuska is spoken by Tamás Bolba, Mr. Eszter by Péter Haumann and Mrs. Eszter by Marianna Moór. The voice of the " Duke " who speaks Slovak, is that of Attila Kaszás.
The title refers to the system of Werckmeister (after the Baroque musician Andreas Werckmeister ). The figure Eszter keeps the film a monologue about the fact that the entire Western music had fallen on the wrong path with the ideas Werckmeister and you should return to the rather Pythagorean.