Satantango Budget
Updated
Synopsis
In a small, dilapidated village in 1990s Hungary, life has come to a virtual stand-still. The autumn rains have started. A few of the villagers expect to receive a large cash payment that evening, and then plan to leave. Some want to abscond earlier with more than their fair share of the money. However, they hear that the smooth-talking Irimias, who they thought had died, is returning. They are apprehensive that he will take all their money in one of his grandiose schemes to keep the community going.
What is the budget of Satantango?
"Satantango," a drama released in 1994, was directed by Béla Tarr and stars Mihály Víg, Putyi Horváth. The production budget was $1,500,000, placing it in the micro-budget range for drama productions of the 1990s.
Key Budget Allocation Categories
While specific budget breakdowns are not publicly available, typical cost drivers for a drama production like this include:
- Above-the-Line Talent: Drama films live or die on the strength of their performances.
- Location Filming & Period Production Design: Authentic locations , whether contemporary or historical , require scouting, permits, travel, lodging, and often significant dressing to match the story's time period.
- Post-Production, Color Grading & Score: The editorial process for dramas is typically longer than genre films, with careful attention to pacing and tone.
What were the major cost factors in Satantango?
Several factors contributed to the overall production costs of "Satantango."
- Above-the-Line Talent: Above-the-Line Talent is one of the primary cost drivers in drama productions of this scale.
- Location Filming: Location Filming & Period Production Design is one of the primary cost drivers in drama productions of this scale.
- Post-Production: Post-Production, Color Grading & Score is one of the primary cost drivers in drama productions of this scale.
How Does Satantango's Budget Compare to Similar Films?
At $1,500,000, Satantango sits in the micro-budget range. Here is how it compares to productions with a similar budget:
- City Lights (1931): Budget $1,500,000, Worldwide Gross $4,250,000
- Tampopo (1985): Budget $1,500,000
- Modern Times (1936): Budget $1,500,000, Worldwide Gross $1,800,000
- Roman Holiday (1953): Budget $1,500,000, Worldwide Gross $12,000,000
- Rope (1948): Budget $1,500,000, Worldwide Gross $2,200,000
The median budget for wide-release drama films in the era ranges from $30 to 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles.
Awards and Recognition
3 wins & 1 nomination total
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did it cost to make Satantango (1994)?
The production budget was $1,500,000, covering principal photography, cast and crew salaries, locations, sets, post-production, and music. Marketing and distribution (P&A) costs are estimated at an additional $750,000 - $1,200,000, bringing the total studio investment to approximately $2,250,000 - $2,700,000.
How much did Satantango (1994) earn at the box office?
Box office figures are not publicly available.
Was Satantango (1994) profitable?
Insufficient data for a profitability assessment.
What were the biggest costs in producing Satantango?
The primary cost drivers were above-the-line talent (Mihály Víg, Putyi Horváth, Székely B. Miklós); talent compensation, authentic period production design, and meticulous post-production; international production across Germany, Hungary, Switzerland.
How does Satantango's budget compare to similar drama films?
At $1,500,000, Satantango is classified as a micro-budget production. The median budget for wide-release drama films in the era ranges from $30 - 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles. Comparable budgets: City Lights (1931, $1,500,000); Tampopo (1985, $1,500,000); Modern Times (1936, $1,500,000).
Did Satantango (1994) go over budget?
There are no widely reported accounts of significant budget overruns for this production. However, studios rarely disclose precise budget overrun figures publicly. The reported production budget reflects the final estimated cost.
What awards did Satantango (1994) win?
3 wins & 1 nomination total.
Who directed Satantango and who were the key crew members?
Directed by Béla Tarr, written by Béla Tarr, László Krasznahorkai, Mihály Víg, Péter Dobai, shot by Gábor Medvigy, with music by Mihály Víg, edited by Ágnes Hranitzky.
Where was Satantango filmed?
Satantango was filmed in Germany, Hungary, Switzerland. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Filmmakers
Satantango
Official Trailer
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