An Elephant Sitting Still is the swan song of Hu Bo, a four-hour film that explores the lives of several individuals who seem to have lost faith in life, all of them connected by a strange phenomenon known as the Elephant sitting still.
As many may know, this film was Hu Bo's final work before his suicide—an irreversible decision that sadly took away a great person. This was his first film, which is surprising given that few are able to create a work so long without it collapsing under its own weight.
This film reminds me a lot of Tarr, and especially Werckmeister Harmonies. Both are slow burns, revolving around societies doomed to collapse, following people trying to survive in a cruel environment, and most importantly, they both center around a “Beast” or “phenomenon.” In Werckmeister Harmonies, it’s the whale. Here, it’s the elephant. And while their meanings may not be exactly the same, I find this parallel fascinating. Beyond that, there are similarities in the cinematography—handheld camera work, frequent use of extreme close-ups, and long takes. The only thing that completely differentiates Tarr and Hubo in this comparison is that this film is not a satirical comedy.
The performances from the lead actors are sublime. They’re neither first-timers nor professionals, yet their acting stands on par with Hollywood stars. It was tremendous—just like the soundtrack, which has easily become one of my favorite scores composed for film. The composers truly captured the soul of the film—bleak and hopeless.
An Elephant Sitting Still is one of the greatest works of this century. And without a doubt, everyone should watch it—though perhaps it’s not a film for everyone due to its unique storytelling approach.
Thank you for reading, and may God bless you.
97/100
An Elephant Sitting Still is the swan song of Hu Bo, a four-hour film that explores the lives of several individuals who seem to have lost faith in life, all of them connected by a strange phenomenon known as the Elephant sitting still.
As many may know, this film was Hu Bo's final work before his suicide—an irreversible decision that sadly took away a great person. This was his first film, which is surprising given that few are able to create a work so long without it collapsing under its own weight.
This film reminds me a lot of Tarr, and especially Werckmeister Harmonies. Both are slow burns, revolving around societies doomed to collapse, following people trying to survive in a cruel environment, and most importantly, they both center around a “Beast” or “phenomenon.” In Werckmeister Harmonies, it’s the whale. Here, it’s the elephant. And while their meanings may not be exactly the same, I find this parallel fascinating. Beyond that, there are similarities in the cinematography—handheld camera work, frequent use of extreme close-ups, and long takes. The only thing that completely differentiates Tarr and Hubo in this comparison is that this film is not a satirical comedy.
The performances from the lead actors are sublime. They’re neither first-timers nor professionals, yet their acting stands on par with Hollywood stars. It was tremendous—just like the soundtrack, which has easily become one of my favorite scores composed for film. The composers truly captured the soul of the film—bleak and hopeless.
An Elephant Sitting Still is one of the greatest works of this century. And without a doubt, everyone should watch it—though perhaps it’s not a film for everyone due to its unique storytelling approach.
Thank you for reading, and may God bless you.
97/100
