In memory of Andrzej Zulawski (Diabel)

The Possessed

The first feature film of Andrzej Zulawski premiered at the Venice Film Festival, won an award on the Polish Film Festival and got a limited release in Poland. The second film was banned for nineteen years and after much-delayed release, Andrzej Zulawski was accused of blasphemy and disrespect for the history of Poland.

When Jean-Luc Godard shot and released «Bande à part», he described it as «Alice in Wonderland meets Franz Kafka». After watching Diabel, you could say the following phrase: «Hamlet meets Possession». Of course, Andrzej Zulawski shot the film in the late XVIII century Poland, instead of the Medieval Denmark, the main hero is a young Polish nobleman called Jacob and the Devil is a advisor of Jacob, instead of the Ghost.

As in the previous feature film, Andrzej Zulawski paints an apocalyptic world. The late XVIII century Poland becomes a burned place, inhabited by insane people, who are waiting for the demons to conquer them. Young Polish nobleman Jakub  is saved from imprisonment by a stranger in black clothes and is sent to his hometown…

The stranger in black clothes – the Devil, - serves as a Jacob’s guide in a wrecked Poland and serves as a nobleman’s advisor. The Devil convinces Jacob about a need for revenge and a nobleman starts the murderous rampage, which even includes his relatives. I think, that inattentive viewer might even think that the Devil is an Angel in disguise, who gives to Jacob a sword of justice.

In this film, God has left Poland and locusts is preparing to savage it. The remaining people are waiting for the Apocalypse and, while waiting, are engaging in an enormous feast in the time of plague. After studying the cinema of Zulawski, I came to a conclusion that he thought that there is no God or that God has left us long time ago. Nevertheless, Diabel was banned because of it’s political meaning.

While watching this film ask yourself one question – why Andrzej Zulawski almost never shows the occupying army? The director wanted to show us that a divided society could be easily self-annihilated and the occupying forces should just merely wait in the wings. Also, the director wanted to show how young and idealistic people easily become tools in hands of Devils and become animals afterwards. Check out the year of release and you will understand the metaphor of Andrzej Zulawski.

Diabel is a film that disgusts; it is a very tough challenge to watch it. Nevertheless, if you watch this film, you shall never forget it.