Benedikt Erlingsson debut film reinforces my belief that
there is no point to any beast unless they serve a legitimate purpose. Written as well as directed by Erlingsson
this Icelandic black comedy is, to say the least, a strange affair, not an
unenjoyably one, just strange! Of Horses and Men (201,3) is beautifully shoot in the bleak
rural Icelandic countryside by Bergsteinn Bjorulfsson, it’s the story of an
isolated community who are smallholders and horse breeders that have a weird
kinship with the Icelandic ponies that seem to inhabit their part of the
country in great numbers. There is an underlying sexuality, a constant threat
of death or injury and where its community imbibe very large quantities of
alcohol seemingly to null the pain of their lives.
Strange goings on in Iceland! |
We first meet Kolbeinn (Ingvar Eggert Sigurossen who played
the police officer in the wonderful Jar
City in 2006) who after saddling up a small white pony, that he’s obviously
a little too fond of, is seen riding across the valley to court the passionate widow
Solveig (Charlotte Boving). Joined by
her mother and young son - tea and cake are served. On leaving to return home
Solveig’s frisky black mare rises to the occasion and mounts the wee white mare
with Kolbeinn still astride! The valley
looks on with the aid of binoculars and Kolbeinn’s embarrassment is resolved
when he tearfully shoots his pony - dead. Another of the local male population is
seen riding a horse into the ice-cold sea to intercept a Russian trawler to
allow him to collect some very strong alcohol, ignoring the warning the
crewmembers give him - tragedy follows. A dispute over a barbwire boundary
fence also ends in disaster producing a second widow and another man loosing
the sight in one eye. This incident is followed by a Spanish visitor getting
stranded at night in below zero temperatures with one of the ponies and is
forced to take an action that I promise you will make you look away.
....nor is alcohol! |
As you can see a film that’s somewhat different, but none
the less enthralling with an excellent soundtrack by David Thor Jonsson that
consists of choral sounds and primal drumming underscoring the power of its
deadpan humour. And just remember that if you take off your rain pants it’s
bound to rain!
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