Three Cheers
The late Polish-born director Krystof Kieslowski was no stranger to epic themes and storytelling. In 1988 and 1989 he created Decalogue for Polish television. The series is a collection of 10 one-hour dramas inspired by each of the 10 Commandments. Set in a Warsaw apartment complex, the tales provide an intimate look at the hard realities of applying simplistic moral lessons to the complexities of real life. In 1991's The Double Life of Veronique, Kieslowski followed the lives of two strangers with the same name. The result is a poetic glimpse at the surreal spiritual ties binding us all together.
But Kieslowski's last three films, the Three Colors trilogy, may be his most revered. Created by Kieslowski and his writing partner Krzysztof Piesiewicz for France's bicentennial, the films loosely examine the themes of the French flag (liberty, equality, and fraternity).
Blue (R, 1993), stars Juliette Binoche as the wife of a famous composer killed in an automobile accident. A survivor of the tragedy herself, Binoche shoulders her grief, withdrawing from society while assuming the responsibility of her late husband's affairs. Most challenging of all, she discovers uncomfortable truths about the nature of her husband's character, and struggles to forgive.
White (R, 1994) is a comedy following an impotent Polish man after he is deserted by his wife of six months. Devastated and still in love, he returns home to join his brother in his barbershop business. There he concocts an outrageous scheme of revenge against his ex-lover, desperate to have her once more.
Red (R, 1994) is a tight morality play in which a cynical, retired judge forms a tenuous friendship with a fashion model after she catches him eavesdropping on his neighbor's telephone calls using electronic surveillance.
These three films are not for the casual movie fan. Kieslowski's work is subtle, and often the answers are not spelled out. Three Colors requires repeated viewings and a long attention span. If you are a patient viewer, these films will reward you with their depth and emotional complexity. If not, you'd do well to stick with Hollywood.
—Lloyd Babbit
May 1, 2003 * Vol. 13, No. 18
© 2000 Metro Pulse
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