“Twilight” is an adaptation of a 1958 detective story by Friedrich Dürrenmatt. It is the story of a retired police chief who returns to work to find a child murderer. In György Fehér’s adaptation – released internationally in 1990, but now showing for the first time in the United States – the unnamed detective’s investigation begins when a young girl is found dead near a statue of an eagle wielding a sword. holds. This image is of a Turul, a long-held symbol of Hungarian national strength. Like this gripping image, “Twilight” imposes a uniquely Hungarian perspective on what would otherwise have been plain pulp material.
Fehér’s adaptation places the story squarely in the Hungarian countryside. It is light on specific details, such as the year of the events or the names and history of the main figures. The emphasis on atmosphere over evidence lends the film a fabulous quality. Even the main suspect is only known to the detective (Péter Haumann) as a giant. Fehér constructs his nightmare using visual techniques reminiscent of his compatriot and sometimes collaborator, Hungarian filmmaker Béla Tarr, who is best known for his formally and philosophically challenging epics. (Fehér produced “Sátántangó” by Tarr, and Tarr is credited as a consultant on this film.)
Tarr’s Brutalist influence is evident on screen, present in the film’s stark black-and-white cinematography, long takes, and Fehér’s elaborate, painterly camera setups. The images give the impression of a gloomy landscape, a Hungary where past, present and future seem to be empty not only of color, but also of hope itself. Fehér’s actors offer muted, naturalistic performances, and Fehér limits the number of camera positions and cuts down on extraneous dialogue. Its lavish limitations make simple elements like cut-outs to close-ups or the detective plot play like great indulgences. It’s a style so minimalist it approaches maximalism – and this combination of pulp and precision creates a gripping and unique work of film noir.
Dusk
Not judged. In Hungarian, with subtitles. Running time: 1 hour 45 minutes. In theatres.