Being There

I like to watch

The people are always looking for something hidden, for some depth. In almost every, even the most banal, film particularly all critics, professional and amateur alike (me included), would try to find the double meaning or some depth. The high society is also plagued by this «disease». How many stories we have, read, or heard about con artists, who pretended that they are the prophets, miracle-makers or some experts.

The life of Chance the Gardener was spent in a rich Washington house. The proprietor supplied Chance with TV sets, allowed him to wear expensive clothes; the maid made meals for him. Chance is illiterate and his only source of information is the TV. But the one day proprietor dies and Chance is thrown on the street. By a will of destiny, Chance (or how he later misspelled himself Chauncey Gardiner) got in the house of a rich, powerful and ailing financier Benjamin Rand. The financier and his wife are thinking that short wordiness of Chauncey is intelligence; his words about gardening are depicted as a smart economical metaphor, even the President of the United States starts quoting his «advices»…

I think that the authors of the film made Chance the Gardener as an ironic depiction of the modern society inhabitants. The TV is the only source of knowledge for Chance; he never hold a book or pen in his life. His naiveté and intellectual lightness makes him an ideal hero for TV audiences. Despite all of that, he stayed a kind man with an absolutely clean soul. After watching «Being there», you will understand the basis for «Rain Man» and Forrest Gump.

The film was made in 1979 – the final year of the decade of «scandals and investigations» (Watergate, Operation Condor, Operation CHAOS and etc.). The authors could not notice the main trait of the 1970s. Since the moment, when Chance enters the high society, everybody thinks that he’s a spy, secret billionaire, economic prodigy. His past is investigated by the law enforcement, intelligence, journalists and foreigners.

From other point of view, the film depicts normality in the most unusual sense of this word. Chance the Gardener stays himself everywhere, even in the high society. While everyone is chasing the money, power or tries to find something on Chance; he still cares about trees and gardens. Chance truly loves his benefactors and neither thinks or commits evil. He is the only who doesn’t chase the phantom values; he find joy in simple things.

I have found this film by the means of a surprise and it did not disappoint me. «Being there» is a clever and multi-layered film, which still keeps it’s originality.

9/10

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.

Happy Birthday, Isabelle Huppert! (Une affaire de femmes)

And pray who are the judges?

Marie Latour, a woman of limited means, raises two children in a ratty flat during World War II in occupied France. In 1941, her husband Paul returns from German captivity, too weak to hold a job. Marie discovers she can make money performing abortions, using a soapy water douche. She buys better food and clothes, looks for a new flat, and, through an acquaintance, who is a prostitute, rents out her bedrooms to hookers during the day.

The film mixes two controversial themes – abortions and Vichy France. Not many directors have made films about one of those topics and even less directors have combined them. Because of that, every such film makes a splash in society and film circles.

The director doesn’t take sides and he is not trying to make a spectator disgusted or compassionate. The title of a film implies neutrality. The film perfectly depicts hypocrisy and double standards of the Vichy France. The society tries to conceal the shame of defeat by returning to so-called traditional values. But the glorious society forgot one of the main Christian values: «Do not judge, and you will not be judged; and do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; pardon, and you will be pardoned».

Marie Latour is not a martyr or an ideal, but her struggle to make end meet is, at least, understandable. She didn’t make anyone to have an abortion; she just wanted to have a better life for herself and her children. In fact, a lot of her clients was not going to become good mothers and sparing the unborn children of hunger and misery is somehow an act of mercy. Much more despicable is Marie’s husband Paul.

Isabelle Huppert depicted Marie Latour as an ordinary woman with whom anyone could easily identify himself. She has a dream to become a singer, to have a better life and other little pleasures as anyone. The Actress has portrayed the variety of persons: the poor mother, the arrogant and successful businesswoman and the broken woman on a verge of death. Undoubtedly, this is one of the best roles of Isabelle Huppert.

I think that for the birthday of favorite actress, one should remind the viewers about one of her best roles. Join me in revisiting this unfairly forgotten film in an illustrious career of a great Isabelle Huppert.

9/10

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.