JOURNEY ON THE PLAIN (Utazás az Alföldön) (1995) - ♦♦♦

Directed by - Béla Tarr

Written by - Sandor Petofi

Starring - Mihaly Vig

"JOURNEY ON THE PLAIN is an interesting experiment by BELA TARR, which seems to have been made all too easily, but also conceals all the excitement of the journey which the title evokes. 

The whole film, in fact, could well be a journey that the filmmaker undertook with his usual collaborators FRED KELEMEN, on camera once again, his usual composer MIHALY VIG, who appears in front of the camera, and Hungarian poet SANDOR PETOFI, whose works are quoted and referenced throughout the film. VIG also appears playing music in front of the camera, therefore contributing to the film in his usual role as composer as well as its central figure. 

All these elements come together to create a cohesive film that places the works of the Hungarian poet in certain settings and situations, widely unexplained, and all connect with the viewer in a truly organic way. 

Its nature, however, doesn't truly allow much more than that, which makes this one of the less fulfilling works by TARR as a whole. It is still worth checking out, also because of the inspiring and impulsive cinematic language, enhanced by the amateurish technology with which it was shot, that it uses and represents."

Drama, Hungary