#LastFourWatched #LetterboxdFriday
All by Krzysztof Kieslowski.
★★★★☆ | A Short Film About Love (1988)
Creepy incel stalkers have feelings, too.
★★★★☆ | A Short Film About Killing (1988)
It takes one man to murder another, it takes a village to kill a murderer.
★★★☆☆ | The Double Life of Véronique (1991)
Not one but two pixie dream girls for the romantics.
★★★☆☆ | No End (1985)
Think twice if you want to live in an authoritarian state, if this is among the best case scenarios.
All three were excellent, even if not just as timeless as his trilogy. The latter two allowed for a lot more leeway and sidelines in the plot as is common today, they almost feel like to or three movies in one, sometimes connected more by playing in his universe than the story line. The former two wear a much stronger trademark and it is more the stories that show the 35 years since they were shot.
Some notes.
★★★★☆ | Krzysztof Kieslowski, A Short Film About Love (1988)
Brilliant acting, great editing & cinematography—yet still quite controversial. Not surprisingly so. The 'love' in the movie is that of a young stalker (Tomek) towards a strong and independent woman (Magda), penetrating her private life through his telescope from his chamber.... and more. Even more confusing from our perspective, instead being critical, Kieslowski runs with this idea as Magda genuinely tries to connect to the pup.
I forwent any feminist reading, it's so clear and obvious that there is little to be gained—and I see little value in canceling a dead guy from a different (Sowiet) era. The psychology in the movie is smart but too far away from my current curiosities for me to dwell in.
Yet, when dragging the movie into the present somewhat brutally—it's possible Kieslowski never used the internet—the film offers a fascinating reading.
★★★★☆ | Krzysztof Kieslowski, A Short Film About Killing (1988)
A Short Film About Killing still feels innovative, with crass vignetting casting shadows of madness on the screen, poisonous coloring in yellow and green, an interesting edit that starts with a mosaic of a community or day much more than an introduction of characters, and again a ruthless back and forth between protagonists, narrative streams, and themes.
Ben