2 more reviews

1. ›A Short Film About Killing (1988): to kill and to die | matar y morir@cristiancaicedo1268d

   Considered one of the best Polish films ever Considerada una de las mejores películas polacas de la historia

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   I don't remember when or how or where I heard about this film for the first time, if someone recommended it to me, if I read something in one part, if I saw a phrase on the internet, I don't know, but the truth is that I've had it in to-watch list and I finally decided to see it, I don't know for what reason either.

   No recuerdo cuándo ni cómo ni dónde oí sobre esta película por primera vez, si alguien me la recomendó, si leí algo en una parte, si vi alguna frase en internet, no lo sé, pero lo cierto es que hace años que la tengo en mi lista de pendientes y por fin me decidí a verla, tampoco sé por qué razón.

   

   Original poster

   Krótki film o zabijaniu (A Short Film About Killing) is a Polish film directed by Krzysztof Kieślowski and written by him together with Krzysztof Piesiewicz that is difficult to define in a few words despite its relatively simple plot. The story takes place in Warsaw and is supported by a triangle whose vertices are the protagonists. Waldemar is a taxi driver who we see doing some bad deeds, we see him wash his car and refuse to take some passengers, he treats other people badly and says some uncomfortable things to a very young girl; The truth is that we rarely see him, but we don't like the guy. Then there is Jacek, a young farmer who wanders the city without speaking to anyone and also committing strange and harmful actions for others. And finally we have Piotr, a law student who passes his last exam and after four years of dedication becomes a lawyer.

   Krótki film o zabijaniu (A Short Film About Killing) es una película polaca dirigida por Krzysztof Kieślowski y escrita por él junto a Krzysztof Piesiewicz que es difícil definir en pocas palabras a pesar de que su trama es relativamente sencilla. La historia se desarrolla en Varsovia y está sustentada sobre un triángulo cuyos vértices son los protagonistas. Waldemar es un taxista a quien vemos cometer algunas malas acciones, lo vemos lavar su coche y negarse a llevar a unos pasajeros, trata mal a otras personas y le dice algunas cosas incómodas a una chica muy joven; lo cierto es que lo vemos poco, pero el tipo no nos cae bien. Luego está Jacek, un joven campesino que vaga por la ciudad sin cruzar palabra con nadie y cometiendo también acciones extrañas y perjudiciales para otros. Y finalmente tenemos a Piotr, un estudiante de derecho que aprueba su último examen de buena forma y tras cuatro años de dedicación se convierte en abogado.

   

   Waldemar

   These stories alternate on the screen with no apparent connection until the fates of the three intersect: Jacek takes a taxi to the suburbs of the city and kills the driver (Waldemar). In court, the case is assigned to Piotr, who must defend Jacek in court (it's his first case).

   Estas historias se van alternando en la pantalla sin una conexión aparente hasta que los destinos de los tres se cruzan: Jacek coge un taxi para ir a los suburbios de la ciudad y asesina al taxista (Waldemar). En el tribunal, el caso es asignado a Piotr, quien deberá defender a Jacek en el juicio (es su primer caso).

   

   Poster

   We have all seen a crossover story movie at some time, it is a resource that can be approached in many ways. In this particular case, I liked that we gradually got closer to the protagonists and that for at least the first half hour the images intersected and the stories were interrupted as if they were not related. We see the taxi driver in one scene, then Jacek, then the lawyer talking to his partner, then Jacek again wandering the streets, then the taxi driver buying something, then the lawyer on a motorcycle, and so on until Jacek kills the taxi driver, why did he do it? What can lead a twenty-year-old to murder a stranger with his own hands and in such a brutal way? The murder sequence is shocking in its realness, its cruelty, and Jacek's effort to finish the job, but why did he do it? We've seen him push a stranger before, chase away pigeons, throw a rock into traffic causing an accident, but why does Jacek do these things?

   Todos alguna vez hemos visto una película de historias cruzadas, es un recurso que se puede abordar de muchas formas. En este caso en particular me gustó que nos fuésemos acercando a los protagonistas poco a poco y que durante la primera media hora por lo menos las imágenes se cruzaran y las historias se interrumpieran como si no estuvieran relacionadas. Vemos al taxista en una escena, luego a Jacek, luego el abogado conversa con su pareja, luego Jacek de nuevo vagando por las calles, luego el taxista comprando algo, luego el abogado en una motocicleta, y así sucesivamente hasta que Jacek asesina al taxista, ¿por qué lo hizo? ¿qué puede llevar a un joven de veinte años a asesinar a un desconocido con sus propias manos y de una forma tan brutal? La secuencia del asesinato conmociona por lo real, lo cruel y por el esfuerzo que hace Jacek para terminar el trabajo, pero ¿por qué lo hizo? Antes lo habíamos visto empujar a un extraño, ahuyentar palomas, arrojar una piedra al tráfico ocasionando un accidente, pero ¿por qué hace Jacek estas cosas?

   

   Piotr

   The title of the film mentions one of the central themes of the film, death. Not only in Jacek's crime but there are also some shots where we see dead animals, at some point the story of other people's death is told, while defending Jacek, Piotr makes an argument against the death penalty (abolished in Poland the same year as the film's premiere), but he loses the trial and the young man is sentenced to hang. Killing and dying are two constants in the film.

   El título de la película menciona uno de los temas centrales de la cinta, la muerte. No sólo en el crimen de Jacek sino que también hay algunas tomas en las que vemos animales muertos, en algún momento se cuenta la historia de la muerte de otras personas, al defender a Jacek, Piotr esgrime un argumento en contra de la pena de muerte (abolida en Polonia el mismo año del estreno de la película), pero pierde el juicio y el joven es condenado a la horca. Matar y morir son dos constantes en el film.

   

   Poster

   But there is also talk of justice, of the judicial system, of the past, of the consequences, of how a man's life could have been different if a single event from his past had ended differently or had not occurred. The malice of the taxi driver vs. his despair at being killed, the coldness of Jacek vs. his outburst when he knows he's going to die, Piotr's joy at graduating vs. the grief that engulfs him when Jacek is convicted and he questions, could he have done more? Could he have saved him? There are many emotions that the protagonists experience and show in a story that lasts less than an hour and a half and that has an impeccable direction and beautiful photography in greenish tones (it reminded me a bit of the images of La Double Vie de Véronique) that , together with the reflections it fosters, is for me the best of A Short Film About Killing, an interesting film that I recommend to those who want to appreciate films made in other corners of the world, beyond Hollywood, its blockbusters and recycled ideas, have any of you seen this movie? I read you in the comments.

   Pero también se habla de justicia, del sistema judicial, del pasado, de las consecuencias, de cómo la vida de un hombre podría haber sido diferente si un sólo hecho de su pasado hubiera terminado de otra forma o no hubiese ocurrido. La malicia del taxista vs. su desesperación al ser asesinado, la frialdad de Jacek vs. su estallido cuando sabe que va a morir, la alegría de Piotr al graduarse vs. la pena que lo envuelve cuando Jacek es condenado y él se cuestiona ¿podía haber hecho algo más? ¿Podía haberlo salvado? Son muchas las emociones que experimentan y demuestran los protagonistas en una historia que dura menos de hora y media y que cuenta con una dirección impecable y una hermosa fotografía en tonos verdosos (me recordó un poco a las imágenes de La Double Vie de Véronique) que, junto a las reflexiones que propicia, es para mí lo mejor de A Short Film About Killing, una película interesante que recomiendo a quienes quieran apreciar cine hecho en otros rincones del mundo, más allá de Hollywood, sus blockbusters e ideas recicladas, ¿alguno de ustedes ha visto esta película? Los leo en los comentarios.

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   Reviewed by | Reseñado por @cristiancaicedo

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2. ›A SHORT FILM ABOUT KILLING (1988) - Krzysztof Kieslowski on MUBI@nazirullsafry1832d

   

   "Since Cain, no punishment has proved an adequate remedy."

   A biblical quote and case scenario. Piotr, a fresh law graduate, answers this to his university chancellors when he makes a stand arguing about the Penal Code.

   He then got involved with a case of a loner, Jacek who killed a taxi driver. Jacek then was found guilty and was sentenced to death.

   Kieslowski is making a bold statement here that murder is murder. It does not matter who did it and for whatever reason. May it for an act of revenge or so-called justice.

   And to argue on the background of Jacek's behavior and his motivation to kill is likely because of his suburban origin and what happened to his beloved sister. It was not told how she died but the background of the film is late-Communist Poland. She is probably one of the post-war casualties - poverty and depression. Jacek's father most probably is the casualty of the conflict. That might have eventually driven Jacek out to the city where he can escape the misery and sadness. But unconsciously unaware of himself channeling his rage upon it.

   Yet when the crime was committed by him, the guilty one is himself alone but the condition and the system which causes the act remains unpunished.

   Cleverly shown on screen by Kieslowski that both the taxi driver and Jacek is killed by the rope. Whilst God's punishment upon Cain after the murder of Abel is his exile from Eden. A biblical parallel is cleverly drawn to depict the depth and weight of the question.

   Also the screenplay of how the girl who the taxi driver flirted with is finally the nail on the coffin for Jacek when he drives to her with the taxi he stolen.

   

   The seams in between scenes are also having relevance in many places. For example, when Jacek is looking at street arts the scene switches to Piotr in a mirror with a classical frame, like an expensive painting. Another instance is when Piotr and Jacek were unknowingly sitting in the same cafe, Jacek declining a palm reading from a street reader for donation. The scene switched to Piotr's wife offering a palm reading on him, which the street reader running across the background.

   Kieslowski also uses a dark vignette in all of the frames to give it a hellish and apocalyptical look, equal to the issue being brought forward. Piotr has only his side face lit, generic of a villain because he is working with the system. Jacek is being lit evenly with his surroundings and can be seen gazing into nothing. He is the bi-product of the system and also an actual victim.

   As Piotr said when asked about the Penal Code, which punishes the convicts just to instill fear upon the people, "...it is a questionable argument used to justify a cruel punishment, often unfair."

   For him questioning the system, you can see his face being fully lit till the very end, even though he lost the case, it affects him deeply and perhaps it is his motivation to do more for the change. We can only remain hopeful as the light is flaring like a rising star, albeit thru leafless autumn trees.

   This is the extended fifth episode from the infamous Dekalog, but it is my introduction to it.

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