In memory of Andrzej Zulawski (Cosmos)

The last novel of Witold Gombrowicz, the last film of Andrzej Zulawski

On the day of Andrzej Zulawski’s death I got an idea to write the series of reviews «In memory of Andrzej Zulawski». Before his death, I have written reviews on some of his films, but after some time I found their quality as not-so-satisfactory. Especially it concerns the reviews of L’important c’est d’aimer and La femme publique. I have analyzed them from only one point of view and I have not used the best language. That is why, I have taken the writing of those reviews more seriously; for example I have read the books. Before watching Cosmos I have read the original novel of Witold Gombrowicz.

In one interview, Andrzej Zulawski said that there are two traditional themes in the Polish literature – Romanticism and Surrealism. After saying that, the Director especially pointed out that Polish Surrealism, compared with Czechoslovakia, didn’t have the common concept. Andrzej Zulawski said that his Surrealism was the result of pushing the Polish Romantic tendency to excess, as with Witold Gombrowicz.

One of the main element of Surrealism is expression of the actual functioning of thought, without the thought dictate and other societal constraints. In this meaning, the turning point of the film and the novel is the invitation to «the omnipotence of dream, in the disinterested play of thought» (quoting Manifesto of Surrealism).

The original text of Cosmos is almost impossible to film because of the author’s neglect to the traditional rules of literature. For example, there are many cases when storyline is broken, there are scenes where characters disappear and the novel uses unusual language. Andrzej Zulawski perfectly understood all of this and radically changed the original test. Despite that, the Director preserved the atmosphere of the original novel.

Andrzej Zulawski was fond of saying the he made the films about what was torturing him, and a woman serves him as a medium. In his last film, the Director broke his traditional rule and a male character his «medium». The speeches of the main characters – failed lawyer and writer Witold, - includes the thoughts of Andrzej Zulawski.

Though Witold, the Director mocks the modern Internet society. He gave to one the characters (Fuchs) a useless profession – manager at a Parisian fashion company, - and made him a completely ignorant man, who doesn’t know the single name in French and international literature. Along with that, Andrzej Zulawski mocks an internet writing by making Witold a writer, who writes and speaks stereotypically. Also, I think that by giving to Witold the traits of La Femme Zulawskienne, the Director was showing the mixing of gender roles of the modern society.

As I said, Andrzej Zulawski broke the traditional rule and made the female character (Lena) the archetypical bad actress, about whom the Director said so much words in his interviews, Lena is a linguistic teacher, who doesn’t know the languages, and who desperately tries to become a good actress.

After watching Cosmos, I realized that Andrzej Zulawski had some self-irony. In one of the dialogues, the characters described the not-so-personally favored by the director film (L’important c’est d’aimer) as boring. Also the scene, where Witold enters the rocking sea, resembles the final scene of Mes nuits sont plus belles que vos jours. Despite the self-irony, the Director was still an opponent of the boring cinema. The heroes called the films of Ingmar Bergman «the factory of boredom». Nevertheless, Andrzej Zulawski paid an homage to Theorema (Pasolini) and Nosferatu (Murnau).

In the last years of Andrzej Zulawski’s life he was called an old cruel senile, who could only write and speak badly about others. Nevertheless, the terminally ill director found some strength and made his last film. The film is a slap to a stereotypical arthouse, because the film is clever, subtle and energetic.

After discovering the fact of terminal illness of Andrzej Zulawski, his choice of book for the filming is rather symbolical. If you forgive me the banality, you could say that Cosmos is a swan song of Andrzej Zulawski. 

In memory of Andrzej Zulawski (Szamanka)

A film without masks

The American DVD edition of Szamanka includes an interview with late Andrzej Zulawski. In this interview, the Director said that a lot of films wear some so called «masks». The theme of «masks» is also present in the films of Andrzej Zulawski. As example, the Director said that Diabel was a result of his reflections on the idealistic Polish youth, who were tricked by the hardliners in the Polish Communistic party. Their protests were the reason for a 1968 conservative backlash in Poland. If you remember, Diabel shows the late XVIII century Poland – the moment when Poland lost its independence. The «mask» of Diabel was worn for political purposes, because Andrzej Zulawski shot this film in the Socialistic Poland.

In the same interview, Andrzej Zulawski said that he shot Szamanka as a film without masks. The Director wanted to shoot film, which depicts the situation in the Post-Socialistic Poland. Andrzej Zulawski  especially emphasized that he did not want to add neither commentaries, neither allegories.

Very talented blogger galina_guzhvina wrote a review on Mes nuits sont plus belles que vos jours. In this review, she made a very precise point – in order to illustrate his ideas, Andrzej Zulawski added a very French chic style to the film. In case of Szamanka, Andrzej Zulawski chose the model of La Femme Publique. If in La Femme Publique Andrzej Zulawski depicted «Paris of pimps, murderers and scum» (plagiarizing one Russian summary), than in Szamanka the Director depicted a poor and hungry Poland of the 1990s.

In the words of anthropology professor Michal: «Shamanism is one of the first religions of the human kind». If you open any encyclopedia, you will read that this religion is connected with animism, magic, totems and fetish. As in «On the Silver Globe», Andrzej Zulawski used the civilization methology of Toynbee. The Director depicted the birth of a new primitive civilization – Polish capitalistic civilization.

While I was reviewing La note bleue I made the point that this film could be characterized as an anti-biography. While I was watching Szamanka, I have decided that this film could be described as anti-erotica. Returning to Mes nuits sont plus belles que vos jours, you see in this film a lot of erotic scenes, but they are full of pain, love and beauty. Szamanka is also full of explicit scenes, but you cannot find any traces of tenderness, they remind you of animalistic copulation.

Andrzej Zulawski once said: «I believe that, with few exceptions, acting is a female occupation». Szamanka is no exception to this rule. In this film, La Femme Zulawskienne is Italian the Shaman. Italian is the archetypical Shaman who «attracts flies and people and brings death». Italian is full of primitive and primeval sexual energy. I also think that Zulawski wanted to show in Italian the new Polish man, which is cruel, ignorant and consuming.

In my opinion (I could be wrong) Andrzej Zulawski did not held favorable view towards any religion. The Catholic church is depicted as an inert force, which is desperately trying to take the place, which was previously occupied by the Communistic ideology. The brother of Michal (priest) is shown as a weak and lost man. The Director’s attitude towards priests is shown by one phrase: «If you don’t know what to do with your life, than become a priest».

In all of the films of the «Polish trilogy» (Trzecia czesc nocy, Diabel, Szamanka) Andrzej Zulawski used the theme of Apocalypse. In Szamanka, as in Diabel, the apocalyptic theme is depicted in a rather Absurdist manner. The Director shows the modern Poland, ruled by bandits and scum, who destroy their opponents with theatrical violence. While watching the violent scenes, you catch yourself on the thought, that they closely resemble the surrealistic nightmares.

In one interview, Andrzej Zulawski expressed his negative opinion towards the Polish Films of Moral Anxiety. His negative attitude towards this sub-genre was motivated by the fact that in his opinion the viewer knew and understood much more than was shown in the cinema by directors, who were bound by the communistic censure. The Director always said he doesn't make a concession to viewers, these victims of life. He thought, that the viewer should be hit with a baseball bat.

A lot of critics said that the Polish cinema died after 1989. Andrzej Zulawski disagreed with it, gave the mirror to the Polish people and made them watch. Despite the fact, that the Director was again accuses of all sins, the Polish people voted for Zulawski by money. Szamanka was one of the most popular Polish films of the 1990s and in some rural areas the priests physically blocked the entrance to the cinema.

Watch Szamanka and watch it again. Frankly speaking. I have understood this film only on the second attempt.

In memory of Andrzej Zulawski (La note bleue)

And everyone shall be forgotten

Some critics have characterized the films of the Three Colours (Krzysztof Kieślowski) trilogy respectively as an anti-tragedy, an anti-comedy, and an anti-romance. Accordingly, the discussed film of Andrzej Zulawski could be characterized as an anti-biography.

Almost every film of Andrzej Zulawski was a scandalous one. In 1992, after the release of «La note bleue», the French critics attacked the Polish director on the ground of disrespect for the French culture. The critics thought that Amantine-Lucile-Aurore Dupin, better knows as George Sand, and other prominent French and European artists were portrayed as bratty children, which bears no resemblance to the common place idolized portraits.

The snobbish critics have not bothered to understand that Andrzej Zulawski was not going to film another idealized biography. «La note bleue» is a film about art, especially about music, not about artists. The main theme of «La note bleue» is a music of Frederic Chopin. During the film, the terminally ill composer, who lived in the Sand’s mansion, creates his music, The events of the film are built with accordance with Chopin’s music and the actions of the heroes resembles us the storylines in Chekov’s plays.

Andrzej Zulawski thinks that the filmed great artists of the past resemble the marionettes in a doll’s theatre. Every character in the film depicts his traits and follow his own stereotype. The Director filmed accurately the true portrait of every character. Andrzej Zulawski depicted George Sand as «cigar-smoking, unattractive person and unfeminine» (quoting the letters of Chopin), Solange Sand as a bratty and not-so-talented and Frederic Chopin as terminally ill hypochondriasis. But, I must say again, that the Director didn’t film this film as a biography.

In one of the interviews, Andrzej Zulawski said that he never surrendered to neither capitalism nor socialism. The Director again filmed his thoughts and ideas. Let’s forget the snobbish critics (me included), who are constantly writing about the «The Hysterical Excess of Andrzej Żuławski» or charging him with blasphemy or other things. Pay tribute to him by watching this film, if you would get some emotions, than he didn’t wasted his life badly.

In memory of Andrzej Zulawski (Boris Godunov)

Rostropovich said that I have offended the Russians

Isabelle Adjani called the films of Andrzej Zulawski an «emotional pornography». After the release of «The Devil» Zulawski was thrown out of Poland; the shooting of «On the Silver Globe» was stopped and only in 1987 Zulawski got a chance to release his great unfinished masterpiece. Almost every release of Zulawski’s films was surrounded by a negative press and a societal ostracism.

In 1989 Zulawski filmed the opera of Mussorgsky called «Boris Godunov». After watching the final cut, Mstislav Rostropovich tried to sue Zulawski in a French court on the ground that his film offended the Russian soul. Undoubtedly, he lost the suit, but Mstislav Rostropovich insisted that his disapproval would be added in an opening titles of the film.

The Pushkin’s play, which was a basis for the opera, took place during the reign of Boris Godunov and the opening months of the Time of Troubles. Andrzej Zulawski saw in the opera a parallel with the Soviet history and the socialistic countries as a whole: «I desperately wanted to show that Pushkin’s drama, which inspired Mussorgsky, reminds us of the cruelest plays of Shakespeare; it depicts the ideological issues, which concerns us tonight with the most modern passion».

True, the decorations of the XVII century Russia are shown along with Soviet guardian posts. Andrzej Zulawski thinks, that the death of Ivan the Terrible parallel the ending of an authoritarian Soviet regime (the 1940-1950s) and the reign of Boris Godunov depicts the ideological Thaw, which was destroyed be the reactionary forces. Prince Vasili Ivanovich Shuisky depicted as a cunning nobleman, who at first helped to secure the throne to Boris and then called for the foreign intervention and stabbed the Tsar in the back. The same thing happened with some reformists in the Eastern Europe.

As in «The Third Part of the Night» and «Possession», Andrzej Zulawski uses the theme of duality. The part of the Innocent and Grigory Otrepiev was played by the same actor. It is rather symbolical because the Innocent was the first person who publicly accused Boris Godunov of the murder of Prince Dmitry and Grigory Otrepiev claimed that he was Prince Dmitry and became Tsar himself. Also one actor played the part of the murdered Prince Dmitry and Tsar Fedor II Romanov.

Andrzej Zulawski, as in his previous works, took great liberty with the rules and the frames of the genres. In the Zulawski’s opera characters sing as they run, decorations of the XVII century Russian look like avangardist paintings and blood sometimes is pictured in blue. In addition, sometimes opera settings are mixes with filming crew and from time to time characters speak straight to the public.

Compared with many conventional operas, Andrzej Zulawski didn’t shy away from showing blood and violence. It was done in full accordance with his cinematic philosophy in which no attempts to shy away from real history are not tolerated. Truly, why should you try to get away from real history or paint it white. The history of the XVII century Russia was full of blood and we should accept it in this way.

The late Andrzej Zulawski made another controversial picture. It is not a Russophobic vomit of the crazed psychopath, as some critics tried to say, it is his view of the history and literature. For some banal phobias, Andrzej Zulawski was too clever and sophisticated. You too, throw away your stereotypes and try to preserve the legacy of Andrzej Zulawski by watching and discussing his films.

In memory of Andrzej Zulawski (Na srebrnym globie)

Please, what's important or necessary in cinema? Nothing. "Important", "necessary" - I can't understand these words (A. Zulawski)

In 1972, the Polish authorities banned «The Devil» and Andrzej Zulawski left Poland. After a success of «L’important c’est d’aimer», the Director was invited back in Poland and was given carte blanche for his next feature. Andrzej Zulawski decided to film his granduncle’s novel called «On the Silver Globe». For two years the Director was shooting the film and then suddenly the authorities have stopped the shooting. Only in 1986 Andrzej Zulawski got a chance to edit the remaining material and to give a limited release to the film.

On some planet the group of natives found a capsule and pass it to the group of researchers. The researchers examines it and find the filming of an old space voyage. A long time ago, a group of space researchers left the Earth and gives birth to the new civilization on a remote planet.

As we know, the most famous work of Arnold J. Toynbee is a multi-volume « A Study of History». Toynbee points out that civilization is a closed society, characterized by religion and territory. There are the generations of civilizations and every civilization passes the stages of genesis, growth, time of troubles, universal state, and disintegration. Of course, «A Study of History» was published much later than «On the Silver Globe», but I am sure that Andrzej Zulawski has read Arnold J. Toynbee and used the theory of Toynbee in his film.

The film can be divided in three parts: videodiary of a first expedition; second expedition on the Planet by Marek and events on a planet which serve as a base for astronauts. Andrzej Zulawski starts with depicting genesis of the new civilization. On the new planet, one of the astronauts – Marta -  gives birth to a boy called Tomek. Then Marta gives birth to another children and they start grouping around Tomek. The only surviving astronaut Jerzy becomes an idol – the Old Man – and Tomek consolidates his power around a cult of his late mother, father and the Old Man.

Andrzej Zulawski uses the theory of Toynbee as he did in his other films with genres, literature and other things. In «On the Silver Globe» the Director shows how easily society could be corrupted and stripped of any remains of humanity. In addition, Andrzej Zulawski depicts, through primitive society, how ideas and theories could be manipulated and changed, such as Christianity and Marxism.

A lot of Zulawski’s films depicts the lack of faith and it’s surrogates. In this film, the Director tries to remind a blinded spectator about true, not changed, commandments. The red line of «On the Silver Globe» is the Second Commandment: «Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image». The Director warns us that any «graven image» turns into a Tyrant or becomes a tool in a hands of unscrupulous people.

In the second part of a film, Andrzej Zulawski addresses reformism and society by using the Allegory of the Cave (Plato). As Marek arrives, the inhabitants of civilization have become prisoners, poisoned by false believes. Marek is welcomed by the inhabitants as the Messiah, who can release them from the captivity of the Szerns.

While Marek satisfies the paradigm of the «Cave», he is worshipped. Nevertheless, Marek is rejected and crucified as Jesus Christ, after he breaks the paradigm and tries to show a light to the prisoners. Marek is crucified exactly in a moment, when he starts truly believing that he is the Messiah. The Marek story parallels the story of the 1960-1970 Eastern Europe, when the reform movement was crushed by within forces in the Communist parties.

Apart from politics and religion, «On the Silver Globe» is also an homage to the bad actors. In 1998, Andrzej Zulawski gave an interview to Eyeball Magazine, where he said: «In Paris you have 10,000 people who call themselves «professional actors». The difficult thing is to pick the real ones». Andrzej Zulawski wrote a quote to a local man, which illustrates his attitude to this 10,000: «Actor is a victory of ugliness over natural beauty».

If you judge the film from this point of view, the astronauts and locals are those 10,000. The only true actor was Jerzy, but he gave up and become an idol – the Old Man. The other characters are bad actors who are trying to play people, explorers of prophets. Also a lot of dialogues in the film concern acting or pursuit of truth though acting.

It is sad that «On the Silver Globe» was released unfinished, but it is still strong and multi-layered piece of art, which gives you a lot of questions and challenges to find answers yourself. If you’re not frightened by bad picture and translation, rough editing and director’s commentaries or you’re an admirer of Zulawski, then don’t miss this film.

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.

In memory of Andrzej Zulawski (Trzecia Czesc Nocy)

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.

In memory of Andrzej Zulawski (Pavoncello)

Are you afraid?

In 1912, Szczebieniew, a rich and ailing old man, comes to Italy with his young wife, Zinaida. One day, in a movie theater Zinaida meets Ernesto Fosca, a young Italian violinist. She invites to the party on a villa and asks him to give her music lessons.

The second feature was also made in black and white. Firstly, almost everyone would be sure that he is watching a conventional love story and Zinaida is ready to run away with Ernesto. Nevertheless, in the XIX century, the noblewoman wouldn’t, with the highest degree of possibility, run away with the common man.

Pavonchello introduces The Idiot, familiar in L’amour braque. In the films of Andrzej Zulawski, The Idiot means a man, who is deeply in love with a fallen woman. As with Dostoevsky, The Zulawski’s Idiot is an innocent man with a pure soul.

In twenty-seven minutes, Andrzej Zulawski has portrayed the story of beginning and crushing of a true love. Let’s not forget this director and let’s keep in memory his art.

In memory of Andrzej Zulawski (Piesn triumfujacej milosci)

This is a song about love

Andrzej Zulawski died two weeks ago and as one my good friend said; that the artists (including directors, actors, painters and artists) should be remembered because of their art, not because of their personalities. Following the words of my friend, I have decided to watch the early works of Andrzej Zulawski.

The first feature of Zulawski is an adaptation of a short story, written by Turgenev. I have a small confession to make; that I haven’t read this story, but, judging by the later films, for Zulawski adaptation is merely a word.

From the first seconds, you could see the technical language of Zulawski: haunting music of Andrzej Korzyński and constantly following camera. The film depicts the story of a doomed love, which would be later present in L’important c’est d’aimer and Mes nuits sont plus belles que vos jours.

Using the minimum of resources and in just twenty-six minutes, Andrzej Zulawski depicts the story of a woman, living in a so-called «normal marriage», which crashes after the first glimpse of a true of love. Beata Tyszkiewicz holds the acting torch, which will be passed to Romy Schneider, Isabelle Adjani and Sophie Marceau.

The first feature of Andrzej Zulawski shows us that the real talent could be a substitute for the lack of technical resources. Some simplicity of this work, compared with later features, is caused only by technical limitations.

Valentine’s Day Films

The Saint Valentine's Day is not far and I have decided to make a film selection for this very special day!
Film №1. For all those, who believe in love at the first sight!
Damage (1992), directed by Louis Malle.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104237/?ref_=nv_sr_3

Film №2. For those, who don't believe that love lives for three years!
The Night Porter (1974), directed by Liliana Cavani
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0071910/?ref_=nv_sr_1

Film №3. For those, who don't believe in love triangles!
L'important c'est d'aimer (1974), directed by Andrzej Zulawski.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0073155/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

Film №4. For those, who believe in love triangles or even squares!
Possession (1981), directed by Andrzej Zulawski.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082933/?ref_=nv_sr_3

Film №5. For those, who believe in doing anything for the loved one.
Violette Nozière (1978), directed by Claude Chabrol.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078467/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

La fidélité

His quality of a husband entitled him to the largest privileges, but gave him no greater share in the affections of his wife…

My friends, before I begin the expression of those thoughts that I deem appropriate for this film, would you permit to make a little confession. A novel «The Princess of Cleves» written by Madame de La Fayette have not impressed me. The book is rather well-written, but it didn’t capture me. Maybe I am just an ignorant and (or) uneducated bogan. Despite this fact, I am an admirer of Andrzej Zulawski films, so I cannot miss his, still, last film.

«La fidelite» is a loose adaptation of «The Princess of Cleves»; all main events of the novel were translated in a cinema language with one little fact – events were transformed from the XVI century France to the XX century France.

If you say Andrzej Zulawski, a lot people would associate his name with «Possession». Any seasoned film admirer would be surprised – «The master of  hysterical excesses» (plagiarizing from one site) made a rather calm and restrained picture. The one could see the outbursts of a trademark Zulawski’s expression, but they are limited in time and scope.

The main theme of this film is a fight between love and societal norms. Clelia is torn apart by love to Nemo and «normal» marriage to Cleves. The Heroine can’t force herself to say «tous» to her husband and to love her husband, who sincerely loves her, but she feels a certain gratitude to him.      

Despite the fact, that «The Princess of Cleves» hasn’t made any lasting impression on me, but the book’s dilemma is still relevant. From the Middle Ages to the XXI century, a lot of couples are stuck in a loveless marriage which are merely bound by societal or some other norms.  

The Director, along with loose adaptation of «The Princess of Cleves», entered into a film the theme of clash between art and mass-media. In this sphere, the choice of Clelia’s profession is rather symbolic. A photographer is a profession which operates on the margin between art and vulgarity. Into this themes and many other, «La fidelite» contains a lot of references with «L’important c’est d’aimer». I recommend watching these films together.

Andrzej Zulawski also enters, not completely successful, the storyline of investigative reporting on the human organs trafficking and a subsequent hunt for Nemo. Nevetheless, the one could see the trademark Zulawski’s expression and they does not degrade a film.

I did not have a very high opinion about Sophie Marceau, but it has changed after my acquaintance with the films of Zulawski. Sophie Marceau is a good actress who, sadly, has not fully realized her acting talent quite often. In this film she convincingly portrayed a modern Princess of Cleves – a woman torn between love and marital obligations. Sadly, this film was the last «high-octane» role for Sophie Marceau. Nevertheless, let’s hope that she will act in something serious again.

«La fidelite» is a sincere film, which would touch any film aficionados. After watching this film, you only have to wait for release of a new Zulawski’s film.