Oh God, who elevates the most evil ones and puts the
whip into their hands
The film starts with a quote from the Book of
Revelation: «The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and
fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part
of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up» (Revelation 8:7). In
the first few minutes of a film, the fourth angel sounded and the Earth turned
to the ashes, and there is no sun or moon, but merely the grey sky.
The world is the Anteinferno to which people are taken
by trucks. The occupying forces are arriving abruptly in order to bring new
souls to Hell or grant the highest mercy – to kill. A young man Michal narrowly
escapes the massacre in which his family is annihilated and he tries to become
a part of the Resistance. After evading capture, Michal meets a pregnant young
woman who closely resembles his dead wife…
As in Possession, Andrzej Zulawski uses the theme of doppelganger.
In «The Third Part of the Night» Marta – the doppelganger of a late wife of
Michal, - symbolizes one of the people, who has the seal of God. Because of
that, Marta is capable of the Miracle of childbirth. After witnessing the
Miracle, Michal gets a chance to atone for the past sins. But does it gives him
the seal of God?
In an absence of the occupying forces, the lice is
destroying soul and bodies of humans. But the lice is the only way to provide
for a new family and Michal volunteers to a typhus center as a donor. The lice
resembles locusts in Revelation 9:3. The lice doesn’t give a privilege of quick
death.
But what is this film about? Is it a parable on
Occupation? Is it a hallucination of sick Michal? Andrzej Zulawski doesn’t give
the straight answer and invites you to find it by yourself.
Very intriguing premise.
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