"Slow cinema" is a relatively new concept that was proposed by film critics in France and the United States in the 2000s. Of course, when we say "slow," we don't mean a film that is shot entirely in slow motion, even if the film itself gives that impression.
Rather, the term was likely coined in response to the recent slow movement, like slow food versus fast food. It is an antithesis to Hollywood movies, which are packed with information and have dizzying plots. This is one of the reasons why slow cinema has developed mainly in Europe and Asia.
One of the characteristics of slow cinema is the small number of cuts. In the past, it was said that a two-hour Hollywood film had an average of 1,000 cuts, but nowadays there are an increasing number of films with 2,000 to 3,000 cuts. In contrast, Béla Tarr's Sátántango, a prime example of slow cinema, is well over seven hours long, yet it only has around 150 cuts. This means that each cut lasts a long time.
Yes, slow cinema is full of long takes. As a result, these works are naturally long. Of course, even in the days of film, there were long films like "Sátantango," but whereas film only lasted about 10 minutes per take, digital photography makes it theoretically possible to continue shooting indefinitely. Since the 2000s, directors like Lav Diaz have begun to make multiple films with a leisurely narrative that last over eight hours.
Slow cinema also tends to favor low-stimulation, minimalist works as a counter to the information-heavy, overstimulating nature of Hollywood films. For example, the colors are black and white, there is little dialogue, and there isn't much music. The camera movements are also less flashy, and even though they use the same long takes, there is an increasing number of works shot with a fixed camera, like early silent films. This may be due in part to the influence of experimental films like Andy Warhol's "Sleep," which simply films a sleeping man for eight hours.
Chantal Akerman's Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai de Commerce, 1080 Brussels, which recently premiered in Japan and garnered much attention, is interesting in that it turns this extremely boring cinematography to its advantage in a way. Akerman uses a fixed-point observation of "housework," a detail that Hollywood films have omitted in order to tell their stories more efficiently.
The film inevitably puts viewers to sleep, but it also exposes the monotony and mental toll that housework, which until then had been primarily the work of women, can take, and succeeds in bringing the modern theme of feminism into the film. This same theme is also present in American films, such as the works of Kelly Reichardt, an indie filmmaker.
Does slow cinema bring a dreamy feeling or a feeling of intoxication?
On the other hand, even in slow cinema, the camera does move, at a gentle pace close to walking speed, as in Andrei Tarkovsky's Stalker, or more recently in Bi Ngan's Long Day's Journey Towards the End of Night.
The camera's slow capture of the images becomes one with the protagonists' vision, and as they wander through a world that is neither dream nor reality, the audience unwittingly becomes one with them, becoming deeply immersed in the world of the film. This intoxicating feeling can sometimes bring on sleepiness, and despite our resistance, we are lulled into a comfortable slumber. Is it possible to ever be given such a moment of introspection and meditation while watching a Hollywood film?
As you can see, there are many different types of slow cinema. However, they all have one thing in common: they make you sleepy. If we take this to our advantage, perhaps slow cinema is the perfect solution for those sleepless nights?
Point 1: Immersion
It's not just the story that immerses the audience in a film. As we watch the slow movements of the camera, we too can find ourselves deeply immersed in the world of the film. This half-awake, half-asleep state can be described as the ultimate cinematic experience.
"Stalker"
This is a sci-fi masterpiece by Andrei Tarkovsky, but even the biggest fans lament that they fell asleep and couldn't watch it to the end, making it a soporific film. The magical camera movements as the three men enter "the zone" lure you in, and before you know it, you're immersed in the world of the film. 1979 Soviet.
"Flowers of Shanghai"
Hou Hsiao-hsien, a leader in Taiwanese slow cinema, depicts a love-hate drama between a man and a woman set in a high-end brothel at the end of the Qing dynasty. Master director Li Ping-bin's elegant and intoxicating camerawork captures images of purple smoke drifting through the air, transporting us far away to the opium dens of late 19th-century China. '98 = Japan.
"The Woman Who Left"
This black-and-white film, just under four hours long, by Lav Diaz, the king of full-length films, is still considered quite short. It depicts, in super-long takes, the journey of a woman seeking revenge as she searches for the man who framed her for murder. But what do we see at the end, as we identify with the woman's perspective? '16 Philippines.
Point 2: Minimalism
Films that are black and white, with a static camera, few lines or music, and no professional actors - the complete opposite of Hollywood films, films that are like ink paintings and lack extravagance, can still give us an exciting cinematic experience.
"Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai de Commerce, 1080 Brussels"
Influenced by American experimental films, Chantal Akerman depicts the daily life of a housewife - her housework - in a steady, persistent, long take, making this a monumental feminist film that visualizes the mental toll that women who are tasked with housework take on every day. 1976, France/Belgium.
"Ten Skies"
James Benning, a leading figure in American experimental film, is receiving a renewed acclaim, with a special feature being made in Japan in 2023. This film is composed of 10 shots, each lasting 10 minutes, with the camera pointed at the sky and clouds, but it is a masterpiece that clearly stands out from ordinary sky footage. 2004 US.
"Where is Balthazar going?"
Robert Bresson, a solitary filmmaker who thoroughly stripped away the clichés of film direction over the course of his career, has reached the far north. His sharp, sharp shots and sounds can sometimes feel almost brutal. 1966 France = Sweden.
Point3: Slow
The secret of slow cinema is, as the name suggests, slowness. To eyes accustomed to the fast-paced tempo and editing of Hollywood films, it may seem sluggish and even boring. However, slowness can even challenge us to change our awareness of how we perceive time.
"Satantango"
This black-and-white film by Tarr Béla was the catalyst for the boom in full-length films, clocking in at over seven hours. Many viewers fell asleep within the first ten minutes, which consisted of a slow-paced scene of cows emerging from a shed. Still, it's a devilishly addictive film that tempts you to keep watching. 1994 Hungary-Germany-Switzerland.
Records of a Traveling Entertainer
A landmark film in cinema history that made Theo Angelopoulos' name known to the world. A nearly four-hour long film, it depicts, in an astonishingly long take, a troupe of traveling entertainers plodding through the Greek countryside, performing classical plays, during the period of occupation and oppression between 1939 and 1952. Released in Greece in 1975.
Meek's Cutoff
Kelly Reichardt's road movie is set in Oregon during the pioneering days, depicting the hardships of a journey for three families. By using cramped shots and freezing the camera, Reichardt visually conveys a sense of slowness and stagnation in the journey.
photo：Aflo / Janus Films / Photofest / Zeta Image
