When a new traveling attraction arrives in a quiet, frostbitten town on the Hungarian plain, the locals are fascinated. They are also disturbed by the outsiders arriving to catch a glimpse of the giant, stuffed whale exhibit being promised by The Prince, the circus’ mysterious master of ceremonies. Soon the townsfolk are rising up, with local figurehead Gyorgy called upon to restore the peace, and Janos (German actor Lars Rudolph, dubbed into Hungarian) acting as witness to the chaos.
Captured in Tarr’s trademark, high contrast black and white and consisting of a mere 39 shots, Werckmeister Harmonies is a work of glacial pace, gallows humour and spectral atmosphere. Evoking a community on the brink of collapse, it is a vital work by one of cinema’s greats.