Discussions of film duration usually dwell on the time period an audience can possibly spend watching moving images. This has been accentuated with issues of blockbusters and event films with longer-than-usual durations, although it is still a rather bold statement in relation to arthouse movies. For example, one might ask whether Tarr’s enormous films have this considerable running time because it takes time to unwrap the mystery of the universe and the ordinary life. Yet, such shortcuts seem to be outdated in the age of An Elephant Sitting Still.
Bo Hu, the director of the film, unfortunately committed suicide at 29 years of age soon after the endurance drama was completed, therefore An Elephant Sitting Still is already an important piece of modern Chinese cinema history. The 3 hour forty minute run-time of the movie sets its audience in an experienced state that is only revealed watching the film, which is currently available on the website of Filmin.
The action of the movie is situated in one of the northern cities of China which is ‘blanketed’ with a fog. The post-industrial trauma of the people is chronicled in the movie. It follows four characters, all of whom are also part of a brutal occurrence, and track their attempts to come to terms with their abusive including families and society. Seeking to prevent themselves from going further down this rabbit hole, the protagonists decide to run cross the city in order to hop on a train.
Baring an almost four-hour long engagement with such a dismal plot is fruitful only for a small number. It is appropriate to ask if the situation could have been improved if the film had, for example, been edited more tightly or had more focus, but to do so is to do a disservice to the creative premise of a director who is not afraid to portray the more depressing and heartbreaking aspects of existence.
The intent of the film An Elephant Sitting Still depicts Hu Bo’s complex patterns of depression and frustration intertwined with this notion, capturing the gory details of his characters’ lives. The film is about the lives of its protagonist who are unable to exist fully lost on almost an endless journey that is essential together with its length.
This does rank among the most fascinating films but it cannot be said that its the most suitable for all kinds of viewing. Still, its compositions and characters, deeply rooted in Tarr, are unforgettable. It remains a strong experience, perhaps on the verge of being too much, but remains so rewarding that it is hard not to remember.