he is one of the best ever. think about saragoossa as a true postmodern cinema and it was made in 1965 in communist poland. "simultaneously horrific, erotic and funny … this is one mother of a film” said david lynch about one of the greatest european art movie and he was 100% right. “hourglass sanatorium” is just stunningly beautiful and j.nowicki’s performance is speechless, pure joy to watch. and my third fave of has – “farewells” – is just a subtle glory. wojciech jerzy has is a true master, period.
between 56 and 89 polish cinematography was one of the best in the world. i’d even say it was the best along with the french one.
names that ought to be checked:
jerzy skolimowski (my favourite one)
wojciech jerzy has
andrzej zulawski
agnieszka holland
andrzej munk
janusz morgenstern
roman polanski
krzysztof zanussi
tadeusz konwicki
piotr szulkin
witold leszczynski
kazimierz kutz
marek koterski
not mentioning the obvious choices of kieslowski, wajda, polanski
first 4 polish movies by jerzy skolimowski (his best)
first 4 polish movies by agnieszka holland (her best)
wojciech has masterpieces
films by krzysztof zanussi: illumination, spirala & struktura krysztalu
terence davies movies
“pan tadeusz” and “zemsta” are both 100% adaptation of polish literature (saying 100% i mean you can not find a single word that is not present in a book)
pan tadeusz is an epic poem by the Polish poet, writer and philosopher Adam Mickiewicz. The book was first published in June 1834 in Paris, and is considered by many to be the last great epic poem in European literature (thanks wikipedia). mickiweicz is one of the best from polish school of romanticism.
“zemsta” is a gem of comedy written in 1838 by aleksander fredro. A bit similar to a “tartuffe” by molier
both are masterpieces of literature and are unique in therms of language, the rhythm of it, the style but i guess after translation all of that is just simply lost. so imo only poles can relate to and appreciate them.
best of wajda for me:
ashes and diamonds
a generation
innocent sorcerers
everything for sale
hunting flies
roly poly
the wedding (adaptation to the core, so stay away from it :>)
and my no 1:
the promised land from 1974
“Poland’s uninteresting- they’ve got sausages and stupid people and that’s it.” strange, i thought “the stupid people stereotype” definitely refers to americans.
anyway, few things about polish cinema. in my view totally underrated as for me 4 best cinematographies during (let’s say) the period 55-89 are french, italian, polish and czechoslovakian. i guess 45 years of the iron curtain took a heavy toll on polish cinema and that’s why it is pretty unknown outside poland apart from the obvious choices of kieslowski, polanski and wajda (his best-known are not his best!). (its probably the same with the cinema of czechoslovakia).
so, apart from those choices i’d recommend:
jerzy has (my favourite one)
jerzy kawalerowicz
andrzej munk
adrzej zulawski
krzysztof zanussi
agnieszka holland
jerzy skolimowski (my favourite one 2)
janusz morgenstern
kazimierz kutz
tadeusz konwicki
piotr szulkin
wojciech marczewski
walerian borowczyk
filip bajon
radosław piwowarski
funny thing about polish cinematography during communism (i guess filmmakers from czechoslovakia can also relate to that) is that that business at that time wasn’t that much about the money. if the censorship agreed on starting a movie the artistic value of it was a key factor and the costs weren’t that much of an issue while the movie was “sponsored” by the party/government/nation. the whole process didn’t have to be that much cost-effective as i suppose it had to be in western countries. perhaps that’s why so many “art-house movies” were made during that period.
plus (you’re right brady!) those mind-blowing posters. to people who might be interested:
http://freedomonthefence.com/
What if I say Wojciech Has? over 2 years ago
he is one of the best ever. think about saragoossa as a true postmodern cinema and it was made in 1965 in communist poland. "simultaneously horrific, erotic and funny … this is one mother of a film” said david lynch about one of the greatest european art movie and he was 100% right. “hourglass sanatorium” is just stunningly beautiful and j.nowicki’s performance is speechless, pure joy to watch. and my third fave of has – “farewells” – is just a subtle glory. wojciech jerzy has is a true master, period.
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ANY THOUGHTS ABOUT POLISH CINEMA? over 2 years ago
between 56 and 89 polish cinematography was one of the best in the world. i’d even say it was the best along with the french one.
names that ought to be checked:
jerzy skolimowski (my favourite one)
wojciech jerzy has
andrzej zulawski
agnieszka holland
andrzej munk
janusz morgenstern
roman polanski
krzysztof zanussi
tadeusz konwicki
piotr szulkin
witold leszczynski
kazimierz kutz
marek koterski
not mentioning the obvious choices of kieslowski, wajda, polanski
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Movies That Should Be In the Criterion Collection over 2 years ago
first 4 polish movies by jerzy skolimowski (his best)
first 4 polish movies by agnieszka holland (her best)
wojciech has masterpieces
films by krzysztof zanussi: illumination, spirala & struktura krysztalu
terence davies movies
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Movies That Should Be In the Criterion Collection over 2 years ago
+
“third part of the night” and “the devil” by andrzej zulawski
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andrzej wajda and his films over 2 years ago
just in to say:
“pan tadeusz” and “zemsta” are both 100% adaptation of polish literature (saying 100% i mean you can not find a single word that is not present in a book)
pan tadeusz is an epic poem by the Polish poet, writer and philosopher Adam Mickiewicz. The book was first published in June 1834 in Paris, and is considered by many to be the last great epic poem in European literature (thanks wikipedia). mickiweicz is one of the best from polish school of romanticism.
“zemsta” is a gem of comedy written in 1838 by aleksander fredro. A bit similar to a “tartuffe” by molier
both are masterpieces of literature and are unique in therms of language, the rhythm of it, the style but i guess after translation all of that is just simply lost. so imo only poles can relate to and appreciate them.
best of wajda for me:
ashes and diamonds
a generation
innocent sorcerers
everything for sale
hunting flies
roly poly
the wedding (adaptation to the core, so stay away from it :>)
and my no 1:
the promised land from 1974
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What if I say Wojciech Has? over 2 years ago
and there’s still not a single page devoted to has on this site which is rubbish
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Polish Cinema, the Polish Masters and how the Polish tie their shoes (they do it in a very inconvenient way) over 1 year ago
“Poland’s uninteresting- they’ve got sausages and stupid people and that’s it.” strange, i thought “the stupid people stereotype” definitely refers to americans.
anyway, few things about polish cinema. in my view totally underrated as for me 4 best cinematographies during (let’s say) the period 55-89 are french, italian, polish and czechoslovakian. i guess 45 years of the iron curtain took a heavy toll on polish cinema and that’s why it is pretty unknown outside poland apart from the obvious choices of kieslowski, polanski and wajda (his best-known are not his best!). (its probably the same with the cinema of czechoslovakia).
so, apart from those choices i’d recommend:
jerzy has (my favourite one)
jerzy kawalerowicz
andrzej munk
adrzej zulawski
krzysztof zanussi
agnieszka holland
jerzy skolimowski (my favourite one 2)
janusz morgenstern
kazimierz kutz
tadeusz konwicki
piotr szulkin
wojciech marczewski
walerian borowczyk
filip bajon
radosław piwowarski
funny thing about polish cinematography during communism (i guess filmmakers from czechoslovakia can also relate to that) is that that business at that time wasn’t that much about the money. if the censorship agreed on starting a movie the artistic value of it was a key factor and the costs weren’t that much of an issue while the movie was “sponsored” by the party/government/nation. the whole process didn’t have to be that much cost-effective as i suppose it had to be in western countries. perhaps that’s why so many “art-house movies” were made during that period.
plus (you’re right brady!) those mind-blowing posters. to people who might be interested:
http://freedomonthefence.com/
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Post a song you are currently listening to over 1 year ago
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Movies That Should Be In the Criterion Collection 9 months ago
The Serpent’s Way by Bo Widerberg & Agnieszka Holland’s polish catalogue
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Movies That Should Be In the Criterion Collection 9 months ago
sorry, just spotted agnieszka’s full catalogue on mubi, those movies are there
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