The man from London - 32nd HKIFF

Béla Tarr latest work, The man from London, has this film noir style with brilliantly shot B&W cinematography. Every shot and every long take was composed so well that editing was almost kept at minimal (in fact the whole film (2 hours) only has about 15 to 20 cut). The first take, which the camera moving through a glasshouse at pier, allows the audiences to witness the act of crime from an unobstructed angle; was fantastic piece of cinematography. The main character, benefiting himself as the witness of the crime by grabbing the treasure remained, was eventually become haunted by his own action and decided to make thing right. The film deals with issues of existence amid the sin we commit, the punishment we suffer and the redemption/relief that we get. It is a slow pace film as the camera swinging from one angle to the next, but audience’s patience will be rewarded in the end by such a masterful piece of work.

A trailer can be found here.