Damnation, also known as Karhozat in Hungarian, is a 1988 Hungarian film directed by Bela Tarr. The movie is a bleak and moody portrait of a man named Karrer, played by Miklos Szekely, who is a middle-aged intellectual living in a decaying town in Hungary. The story takes place in the 1980s, during the final years of communist rule in Hungary.
Karrer is a man of few words who spends his days working at a machinist factory and his evenings at the Titanik Bar, where he listens to the melancholic songs of the bar's singer, Eve, played by Vali Kerekes. Despite being married, Eve becomes the object of Karrer's obsessive desire, and he becomes determined to break up her marriage in order to be with her.
The film is a slow, deliberate study of Karrer's isolation and desperation. Bela Tarr's signature long takes and tracking shots are used to great effect, creating a sense of bleakness and despair in every frame. The film's cinematography is black and white, adding to its stark and haunting beauty.
Damnation is a dark and moody film that explores themes of loneliness, love, and loss. It is a masterpiece of Hungarian cinema and a must-see for fans of art-house cinema.
