The Complete Story of Sátántangó

The film opens with rain falling on a desolate Hungarian village in the early 1990s, in the aftermath of communism's collapse. The camera glides through mud-soaked streets in a prolonged ten-minute tracking shot, following a herd of cows wandering aimlessly through the abandoned collective farm. The cows break into dilapidated buildings, knock over objects, and trample through the decay. This is not merely an establishing shot--it is a visual manifesto of entropy, the breakdown of order, and the death of the collective dream. The sound design consists only of rain, hoofbeats, and the ambient noise of abandonment. There is no music, no dialogue, only the relentless patter of water on concrete and earth.

The opening narration, delivered by the Doctor in a voice that seems to come from beyond the frame, sets the philosophical tone: "It is raining. The rain is falling on the earth. The earth is wet. The earth is cold. The earth is dead." These words establish the film's bleak worldview--not as commentary, but as simple observation of a world draining of meaning and life.

The Village Awakens to Chaos

We are introduced to the inhabitants of this dying collective through scenes of mundane desperation. Futaki, played by Székely Miklós, awakens in a dilapidated house to the sound of the cows and immediately begins complaining about the mess and the lack of order. He is resentful and lazy, a man whose bitterness has calcified into his very being. Beside him lies Mrs. Schmidt, Lili Monori, his lover, equally cynical and self-serving. They exist in a state of mutual contempt barely masked by physical proximity.

The village itself is a character--a sprawling, mud-caked Hungarian settlement surrounded by fields and forests that emphasize the inhabitants' entrapment. The collective farm has collapsed, leaving the villagers without work or purpose. They are waiting for a cash payment promised in the wake of the factory's closure, a final disbursement that represents their last hope for escape or survival. The village contains a tavern that serves as the social hub where gossip spreads like infection, a church in ruins, the Doctor's isolated house on the outskirts, and various other structures in various states of decay.

Mrs. Halics, played by Júlia Dányi, is the village gossip and information broker. She is the first to receive and spread news of the most significant event in the film's narrative: Irimiás is returning. This man, thought to be dead for years, is coming back to the village. The news spreads through the community like a shock wave, disrupting the fragile equilibrium of despair that the villagers have established.

The Schemes and the Underbelly

The villagers are not passive victims of circumstance. They are actively scheming, each pursuing their own morally dubious goals. Mr. Schmidt, played by László Lugossy, conspires with another co-worker named Kráner to steal the villagers' money and flee to another part of the country. Futaki and Mrs. Schmidt have their own plans for betrayal. From adultery to theft to boozing to animal torture, the farmers' myriad schemes are united by a sincere hunger for control over their bitter lives. They are drowning, and they are willing to pull others under to stay afloat.

The Doctor, played by Peter Berling, observes all of this from his isolated house on the village's edge. He is a man of detachment, recording his observations in a journal, drinking fruit brandy to numb himself to the reality around him. He is one of the few characters who maintains some distance from the schemes and betrayals, though his distance is born not of morality but of profound alienation.

Estike, played by Erika Bók, is introduced as a young, neglected girl wandering the village. She is perhaps nine or ten years old, and she is invisible to the adults around her. Her father has hanged himself, and she has been institutionalized. She is a child abandoned by a world that has no use for her, searching desperately for ways to exert some power in her forlorn reality.

The Return of Irimiás

Irimiás arrives in the village like a resurrection. He is played by Mihály Vig, and his presence is magnetic, towering over the other characters whenever he appears on screen. The villagers are shocked to see him alive. Unbeknownst to them, Irimiás is a police informant, and his return is part of a scheme to manipulate the villagers. He is a con man in the messiah's disguise, a figure of preternatural hold over the community who manipulates them seemingly at his will.

Irimiás has been working with a young man named Sanyi Horgos, played by András Bodnár, to orchestrate his return. They had made a deal where Sanyi would spread word among the villagers that Irimiás and another man had died, creating the illusion of Irimiás's death. Now, with Irimiás's resurrection, the stage is set for manipulation.

The Tavern and the Dance of Despair

One of the most unsettling and pivotal scenes in the film occurs at the tavern. The adults of the village have gathered to drink and dance to accordion music, their movements becoming increasingly frenzied and desperate as alcohol loosens their inhibitions. They dance in a kind of collective hysteria, their bodies moving in patterns that suggest both celebration and damnation. The scene is filmed with long, continuous takes in real-time, the camera observing without judgment.

Outside the tavern, in the rain, stands Estike. She presses her face against the window, watching her mother and the other adults dance themselves into a stupor while she remains trapped outside in the cold and wet. The moment is crushing--we feel as trapped and rejected as she is. The adults are oblivious to the child watching them, lost in their own desperate attempts to forget their circumstances. This scene encapsulates the film's central tragedy: the adults are so consumed with their own survival and pleasure that they have abandoned the children who depend on them.

The Confrontation and the Speech

The next morning, when Irimiás is late to meet the villagers, they decide that they have been duped. Schmidt and Kráner accuse Futaki of having led them into a trap and demand that he return their money. As they beat him up, Irimiás arrives, and the scene shifts entirely. He scolds them for their squabbling and tells them that his plan to establish a new farm has been delayed by the authorities. He promises them that their only hope is to scatter around the country for an unspecified amount of time, and that he will lead them to a new commune where they can start fresh.

Irimiás then gives his speech, perhaps the most important moment in the film. This speech is filmed as a single, impossibly long take, the camera fixed on Irimiás as he towers over the villagers, his words flowing with hypnotic power. In this speech, Irimiás reveals himself as a figure of false hope, a manipulator who understands the villagers' desperation and exploits it. He speaks of salvation, of new beginnings, of escape from their current misery. The villagers, broken and desperate, believe him. They give him their money.

Estike's Descent into Darkness

Parallel to these events, Estike's story reaches its tragic climax. The girl, neglected and abused by the adults around her, begins to torment her cat--the only being over which she can assert power. In one of the most unsettling moments in the entirety of cinema, Estike poisons her cat with a substance she has obtained. She watches as the animal dies, then carries the dead cat with her as she wanders through the village.

Estike's actions are not random cruelty but a desperate attempt to control something in a world where she has no control. She is a victim of betrayal, searching for ways to exert power in her forlorn reality. After poisoning the cat, Estike samples the poison herself. She dies, alone, in an abandoned ruin, with the feeling that every movement of the world is preordained. Her death is not a suicide of protest but a surrender to the inevitability of her suffering. She has internalized the message that the world has sent her: she does not matter, and her suffering is meaningless.

The Funeral and the Departure

The long stillness of Estike's funeral overshadows the long-feared arrival of Irimiás to the town. The villagers gather to bury the child, and in this moment of collective grief, Irimiás's hold over them is cemented. He uses their sorrow to manipulate them further, telling them that the only way to honor Estike's memory is to follow him to the new commune, to escape this place of death and despair.

The villagers, now completely under Irimiás's spell, agree to leave the village. They gather what few possessions they have and prepare to depart. The film shows them walking through the mud and rain, their silhouettes small against the vast, empty landscape. They are marching toward a promise of salvation, but they are marching toward nothing.

The Dilapidated House and the Revelation

After an impossibly long journey, the villagers arrive at the location Irimiás has promised--a dilapidated house in ruins. The structure is barely standing, its walls crumbling, its roof partially collapsed. There is no new commune, no fresh start, no salvation. There is only decay and abandonment, a physical manifestation of the false hope that Irimiás has sold them.

The villagers realize, in this moment, that they have been deceived. Irimiás has disappeared with their money. They are left with nothing--no money, no home, no future. The dilapidated shell of the building is indicative of Hungary after the breakdown of Communist power in the region: crumbling, ruinous, and seeking a new savior in whatever form, only to find that the savior was a con man all along.

The Scattering

The film does not show a dramatic confrontation or a violent reckoning. Instead, it shows the slow dissolution of the group. The villagers, realizing they have been betrayed, begin to scatter. Some attempt to return to the village. Others simply disappear into the landscape, becoming part of the vast emptiness that surrounds them. The film captures this dispersal with long, static shots of the abandoned house and the empty fields, emphasizing the characters' isolation and the futility of their hopes.

The Doctor's Escape and Return

The Doctor is one of two characters who escapes the fate of the other villagers. He has remained in the village, observing from afar, recording his observations in his journal. As the other villagers follow Irimiás, the Doctor stays behind, maintaining his distance from the collective delusion.

After an unspecified amount of time--the film suggests approximately thirteen days--the Doctor returns to the village to find it entirely abandoned. The place is desolate, devoid of human presence. The Doctor walks through the empty streets, reflecting on everything he has possibly missed and the wholly derelict nature of the place now that nobody lives there anymore.

The Doctor attempts to enter the local tavern to purchase his brandy, but he is unable to find the courage to enter. He is accosted by Estike, but this is a phantom, a memory or a hallucination. The girl he encounters retreats into an abandoned ruin, and the Doctor is left alone with his thoughts.

The Final Boarding Up

The Doctor returns to his house and begins to board up the windows, cutting himself off from the world. He seals himself inside, blocking out the light and the rain and the vast emptiness that surrounds him. This act of boarding up is not a temporary measure but a final withdrawal from the world. The Doctor has given up on the possibility of connection or meaning. He has accepted that the world is dead, and he is simply waiting for his own death to follow.

The Circular Ending

In the final scene, the Doctor sits in his sealed house and begins to write in his journal. He writes the opening narration of the film: "It is raining. The rain is falling on the earth. The earth is wet. The earth is cold. The earth is dead." The film ends with this circular structure, suggesting that the cycle of despair and decay will continue indefinitely. The Doctor's act of writing the opening narration creates a temporal loop--the ending becomes the beginning, and the beginning becomes the ending.

The final shot shows the Doctor's house completely sealed off from the outside world, a tomb of isolation and resignation. The bells of the church ring in the distance, a sound that echoes through the empty village, a reminder of faith that no longer exists and hope that has been definitively extinguished.

The Meaning of the Tango

The film is structured as twelve episodic movements, the twelve steps of a tango. The tango is a dance of seduction and betrayal, of two partners moving in patterns that suggest both intimacy and conflict. The "Satan's Tango" is a dance that never ends, a cycle of hope and despair, of manipulation and surrender, of promises made and broken. The villagers are the dancers, and Irimiás is the seducer who leads them through the steps of a dance that ends not in triumph or resolution but in abandonment and death.

The film presents the devil's tango as "plodding, plodding, plodding" like a hysterical, whimsical apocalypse homing in on the dying breaths of Hungarian communism. It is a dance that moves slowly, inexorably, toward a conclusion that is both inevitable and meaningless. The characters are caught in this dance, unable to escape, unable to change the steps, unable to do anything but continue moving until they collapse.

The Enduring Despair

Sátántangó is not a film that offers redemption or catharsis. It is a film that presents despair as the fundamental condition of human existence, particularly in the context of post-communist Hungary. The characters are not pursuing dreams as much as they are constantly running from their fears, their lives constantly defined by indefinite misery, poverty, and apathy. They are assaulted from all sides--by the unforgiving elements, by the harsh betrayals of other people, by the maddeningly slow passage of time.

The film ends not with resolution but with the acceptance of futility. The Doctor, the only character who maintains some semblance of consciousness about the world around him, responds to this futility by sealing himself away, by writing the same words that opened the film, by accepting that nothing changes, that the cycle continues, that the rain will keep falling on the dead earth forever.

Irimiás appeared and disrupted the balance, with false promises and tempting lies, conning them all. But the con was not unique to Irimiás--it was simply a more explicit version of the con that life itself perpetrates on all of us, the con that suggests that change is possible, that escape is achievable, that meaning can be found. The villagers believed in this con because they had to believe in it to survive. And when the con was revealed, they had nothing left but the rain, the mud, and the slow, inexorable march toward death.

In the ending of "Satantango," the characters find themselves in a cycle of despair and betrayal. The film concludes with the return of Irimias, who manipulates the villagers once more, leading to a sense of hopelessness. The final scenes depict the characters trapped in their own choices, with a haunting sense of inevitability.

As the film approaches its conclusion, the narrative unfolds in a series of poignant scenes that encapsulate the fates of the main characters.

The first significant moment occurs when Irimias returns to the village, having been presumed dead. His arrival stirs a mix of emotions among the villagers, who are both drawn to his charisma and wary of his manipulative nature. The villagers, desperate for hope and leadership, quickly rally around him, despite their previous experiences with his deceit.

Next, we see the character of Estike, who has been deeply affected by the events that have transpired. He is portrayed as a figure of despair, wandering through the desolate landscape, reflecting on his choices and the futility of his existence. His internal struggle is palpable as he grapples with the realization that he has been complicit in the cycle of betrayal that defines their lives.

As Irimias begins to exert his influence over the villagers, he orchestrates a gathering where he promises a new beginning. The villagers, hungry for change, listen intently, their faces a mixture of hope and skepticism. However, it becomes clear that Irimias's intentions are self-serving. He manipulates their emotions, promising them a brighter future while simultaneously tightening his grip on their lives.

The tension escalates when the villagers, led by Irimias, decide to abandon their old lives and embark on a journey to a new place. This journey is fraught with uncertainty, and the villagers' motivations are layered with desperation and a longing for redemption. As they travel, the landscape reflects their inner turmoil--bleak and desolate, mirroring their emotional states.

In a pivotal scene, the character of the doctor, who has been a voice of reason throughout the film, confronts Irimias. The doctor's skepticism about Irimias's promises highlights the conflict between hope and disillusionment. However, his warnings fall on deaf ears as the villagers, blinded by their desire for change, choose to follow Irimias.

The climax of the film occurs when the villagers reach a point of no return. They find themselves in a dilapidated building, a stark representation of their shattered dreams. Here, the reality of their situation becomes painfully clear. Irimias's true nature is revealed as he abandons the villagers, leaving them to face the consequences of their blind faith in him.

In the final scenes, we witness the aftermath of Irimias's betrayal. The villagers are left in a state of despair, wandering aimlessly in the ruins of their hopes. Estike, now fully aware of the futility of their situation, becomes a symbol of the cycle of despair that has engulfed them. The film closes with a haunting image of the villagers, trapped in a never-ending loop of their own making, underscoring the themes of betrayal, hopelessness, and the cyclical nature of their existence.

Ultimately, the fates of the main characters are intertwined with the film's bleak message. Irimias, the manipulator, escapes the consequences of his actions, while the villagers, including Estike and the doctor, are left to grapple with the emptiness of their choices. The ending of "Satantango" serves as a powerful reflection on the human condition, leaving the audience with a lingering sense of despair and inevitability.

The movie "Satantango," directed by Béla Tarr and released in 1994, does not have a post-credit scene. The film is known for its lengthy runtime and contemplative pacing, focusing on the lives of a group of villagers in a desolate Hungarian landscape. The narrative unfolds in a series of long takes, emphasizing the bleakness and despair of the characters' existence. After the credits roll, the film concludes without any additional scenes or epilogues, leaving the audience to reflect on the themes of decay, betrayal, and the cyclical nature of life presented throughout the film.

Irimias is a central figure in 'Satantango,' representing both a charismatic leader and a manipulative force within the community. His arrival brings a sense of hope and potential change, but it is also laced with deceit. He embodies the themes of betrayal and the cyclical nature of despair, as he exploits the villagers' vulnerabilities for his own gain.

Estike is portrayed as a deeply troubled and introspective character. Initially, he is seen as a passive observer, struggling with his own sense of purpose. As the story unfolds, his interactions with Irimias and the other villagers force him to confront his own moral dilemmas, leading to a gradual transformation where he becomes more assertive in his choices, reflecting the film's exploration of personal agency.

The setting of the desolate, rural landscape is crucial to the narrative of 'Satantango.' The bleakness of the environment mirrors the emotional and social decay of the characters. The dilapidated farm and the oppressive weather conditions create a sense of entrapment, enhancing the themes of hopelessness and stagnation that permeate the villagers' lives.

Petrina and her husband are depicted in a strained relationship marked by disillusionment and emotional distance. As the story progresses, their interactions reveal the underlying tensions and unfulfilled desires, showcasing the impact of their bleak circumstances on their marriage. Petrina's longing for connection contrasts sharply with her husband's resignation, highlighting the personal struggles within the broader context of the community's despair.

The tango dance in 'Satantango' serves as a powerful metaphor for the complex relationships and emotional entanglements among the characters. It symbolizes both connection and disconnection, as the characters engage in a dance that reflects their struggles for power, intimacy, and control. The dance sequences are visually striking and emotionally charged, encapsulating the film's exploration of human relationships amidst a backdrop of desolation.

"Satantango," directed by Béla Tarr, is not considered family-friendly due to its mature themes and content. The film contains several potentially objectionable or upsetting aspects, including:

1. Depictions of Despair and Hopelessness: The film explores themes of poverty, decay, and existential despair, which may be distressing for younger viewers or sensitive individuals.

2. Animal Cruelty: There are scenes that depict the mistreatment of animals, which can be upsetting and disturbing.

3. Violence and Intimidation: The film includes moments of violence and intimidation among characters, reflecting the harsh realities of their lives.

4. Substance Abuse: Characters are shown engaging in heavy drinking and other forms of substance abuse, which may not be suitable for children.

5. Sexual Content: There are instances of sexual situations and nudity that may be inappropriate for younger audiences.

6. Pacing and Length: The film's slow pacing and long runtime may be challenging for children to engage with, leading to potential frustration or boredom.

Overall, "Satantango" is a complex and heavy film that deals with adult themes, making it more suitable for mature audiences.