Béla Tarr’s mesmeric parable of societal collapse is an enigmatic, transcendent, philosophical, and mystical experience; coming six years after the epoch-defining work that was Sátántangó, the equally profound and plaintive Werckmeister Harmonies was immediately hailed as a masterpiece. Presented now in a stunning 4K restoration, audiences can savour the deep contrast of the black and white chiaroscuro images as originally intended. János (Lars Rudolph), a newspaper-delivery man with a cosmic worldview that sets him apart from the closed-minded residents of his village in Communist-era Hungary, is swept up in the escalating events that follow the arrival of a travelling circus, featuring a giant stuffed whale, and a shadowy figure known as The Prince. Told in Tarr’s characteristically spare style, with shots lasting many minutes, the film explores the effects of oppressive political systems on both individuals and the wider society.

Also see our Béla Tarr-focused retrospective, Will Heaven Fall Upon Us?

Notes by David O’Mahony