Satantango (1994)
Béla Tarr's seven-hour Hungarian epic of rural collapse, false prophecy, and the slow death of collective hope.
Satantango - Movie Information
- Original Title: Sátántangó
- Release Year: 1994
- Directed by: Béla Tarr
- Type: Movie
- Genres: Drama
- Runtime: 7h 12m
- Original Language: Hungarian
- Spoken Languages: Hungarian
- Release Date (Theatrical): February 8, 1994 (Hungary), October 9, 1994 (United States), February 18, 1994 (Germany)
- Alternative Titles: 사탄탱고 (KR), Sátántangó (ES), Сатанинское танго (RU), Сатанинське танго (UA), Satan's Tango (US)
- Production Companies: Von Vietinghoff Filmproduktion, Vega Film, Mozgókép Innovációs Társulás és Alapítvány, Magyar Televízió, TSR
- Production Countries: Germany, Hungary, Switzerland
Satantango - Plot
Inhabitants of a small village in Hungary deal with the effects of the fall of Communism. The town's source of revenue, a factory, has closed, and the locals, who include a doctor and three couples, await a cash payment offered in the wake of the shuttering. Irimias, a villager thought to be dead, returns and, unbeknownst to the locals, is a police informant. In a scheme, he persuades the villagers to form a commune with him.
Satantango - Trailer
Watch the official trailer and experience Béla Tarr's haunting visual world:
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Satantango - Cast & Crew
Director(s)
- Béla Tarr
Main Cast
- Mihály Víg
- Putyi Horváth
- Székely B. Miklós
- Erika Bók
- László feLugossy
- Alfréd Járai
- János Derzsi
- Irén Szajki
- Éva Almássy Albert
- Erzsébet Gaál
Writers
- Béla Tarr
- László Krasznahorkai
- Mihály Víg
- Péter Dobai
- Barna Mihók
Producers
- György Fehér
- Joachim von Vietinghoff
- Ruth Waldburger
Satantango - FAQs
How long is Satantango and why is it so long?
Satantango runs approximately 7 hours and 12 minutes. Béla Tarr deliberately uses long, unbroken takes and slow pacing to immerse viewers in the rhythms of rural decay and existential waiting. The film's length is inseparable from its meaning — time itself becomes a subject of the work.
Is Satantango based on a novel?
Yes, Satantango is adapted from László Krasznahorkai's 1985 Hungarian novel of the same name. Krasznahorkai co-wrote the screenplay alongside Béla Tarr. The novel's circular, fragmented structure — its chapters mirroring the steps of a tango — is faithfully translated into the film's twelve-part nonlinear narrative.
Where can you stream Satantango?
You can watch Satantango on Metrograph and Eternal Family as part of their flat-rate subscriptions, or stream it for free on Kanopy, which is available through many public libraries and universities. It's worth checking your local library card to access Kanopy at no cost.
What is the nonlinear structure of Satantango?
Satantango is divided into twelve chapters that loop back and overlap in time, much like the steps of a tango — six forward, six back. The same events are revisited from different characters' perspectives, gradually revealing how each person's experience connects to and contradicts the others', creating a mosaic of collective disillusionment.
Who are the main actors in Satantango?
The cast includes Mihály Víg as the manipulative Irimiás, Putyi Horváth as his companion Petrina, Székely B. Miklós as Futaki, and Erika Bók in the haunting role of the young girl Estike. László feLugossy, János Derzsi, Alfréd Járai, and Erzsébet Gaál round out the ensemble of villagers.
What is Satantango about?
Set in post-Communist rural Hungary, Satantango follows a group of impoverished villagers waiting for a cash payout after their collective farm collapses. When Irimiás — believed to be dead — returns, he exploits their desperation to lead them toward a doomed commune. Critics regard it as a profound meditation on false hope, betrayal, and the ruins of ideology.
Is Satantango considered a masterpiece?
Widely, yes. Satantango holds a near-perfect score on Rotten Tomatoes and consistently appears on lists of the greatest films ever made. Susan Sontag famously said she would be willing to watch it every year. Its slow-cinema approach and moral depth have made it a touchstone of world cinema and art-house filmmaking.
Who directed Satantango and what is his style?
Béla Tarr directed Satantango, and his style is unmistakable — long, hypnotic tracking shots, stark black-and-white photography, and an almost geological patience. He strips cinema down to its essentials: weather, mud, faces, and time. Satantango is considered the fullest expression of his singular vision and a landmark of slow cinema.
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