There are some film directors, who we all know and love, or at least respect. And there are auteurs, the true visionaries, whose influence on cinema cannot be overestimated. Michael Haneke is definately one of the best among the latter. His films are considered groundbreaking, but also very hard to watch. And know I know why...
"The Seventh Continent" is an Austrian film released in 1989 and directed by Michael Haneke. This is his first full-length feature film aimed at relseasing in cinemas, but he already can be seen as a master craftman. The film tells a story of a family - a man, a woman and their child, who decide to change everything and move to the mysterious seventh continent. The movie shows three days of their life, from the start to beggining. Haneke directed the movie as a real auteur, so he had the creative freedom to do whatever he wants. And oh boi, whatever he wants he did.
The movie is just brutal, depressing and very disturbing. I knew it before I started watching it, so I wasn't surprised at all, but it hit me anyway. From the start, to the finish, Haneke is slowly, but methodologically building an atmosphere of emptiness. Main character's life is being destroyed by their daily routines and boredom - Haneke not only let's us see that, but also feel with the characters. When they finally decide to make the change, we feel relieved - only to become more and more depressed and terryfied as we realise the consequences of their choice. The last 30 minutes of the film are truly haunting and I never want to see them again. Never. And I mean that!
If most of the films are light-hearted, then "The Seventh Continent" is complitly opposite. This is the kind of movie that shatters any hope. And I really liked it! For me it wasn't really a film, but rather an audiovisual experience. And while I think that most of the people should not really watch this, if you are interested in a film history and want to delve into a real auter's vision, then you should definately give it a try.
I give "The Seventh Continent" a 9/10 score. It's haunting. It's great. It's almost a masterpiece, but don't watch it, if you're not ready. Haneke might break you. I hope he won't, but he might.