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Decalogue

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I bought this DVD set because I was such a huge fan of Blue, White & Red. I also enjoyed the Double Life of Veronique. I found the premise intrigue with the Decalogue. I mean, 10 one hour stories base on each different commandment. First of all, let me say it isn't obvious, which makes it very very good indeed. It doesn't hit you on the head with "HAVE NO OTHER GOD OTHER THAN ME". But the patience required in viewing these is to view all ten because it is truly a remarkable achievement in story telling AND in conveying the 10 commandments in a way no other filmmaker can do, except for this wonderful director. I can tell you now, that it will not be for everyone. The story is in Polish with english subtitles, but it's best to watch it that way because, just like in american films, people's subtle way of talking and stresses ads as much to the film itself than mere dialogue. Kieslowski intended the story to be told in that way and dubbed dialogue would, perhaps, ruin those little subtle nuances. But the key to the decalogue is not the film itself, but the lesson and honesty it protrays in the story and in the film making process. It let us know that a story that has been read millions of time and told thousands of times and probably film in dozens of ways, can be shown in a refreshing, wonderful light that one can never hope to imagine and inspire us to look at the bible again. There is no glitz here, no CGI, in fact the set takes a backseat. It is the story that matters and the wondeful thing about these stories is that the people act normal. No overly dramatic characters is what makes this film a worthwhile see. If you are a film student, it is a must see. This is the type of work that leads to discussions and that is a good thing. The one drawback that I have with this is that the video is rather dark. But then again, it was filmed quite awhile ago. Another note, you have to be in somewhat and openminded and serious mood to watch this film.

Kielowski made a glorious work. This set talks about the relativeness you may approach every one of these ten commandments.
In a miserable building Kielowski shows us with no mercy sight the close space in which the polish citizen live. All the story are a serious ehic conflict and the resolution usually goes on the opposite side of the real spirit of the commadment itself.
Specially remarkable are the Chapters 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 10.
Kielowski made his own script for the polish TV.
An unforgettable masterpiece ; a must for any serious lover of the cinema.

Krzysztof Kieslowski obviously had a thing about "theme" series -- the Color trilogy, the unfinished "Heaven" project... and of course, the Decalogue, a wonderful collection of made-for-TV movies that focuses on the Ten Commandments. Kieslowski's style is not at its most polished here, but unpolished Kieslowski is still magnificent.

Kieslowski ran the full range of emotions in the Decalogue -- he'll make you laugh, then cry, then stare in disbelief. In one, he presents a man and his son "playing God" with a computer; in another, a murder is followed by execution ("thou shalt not kill"); a woman lures her lover away from his family on Christmas Eve ("keep holy the Sabbath"); and the delicious black comedy where two brothers inherit their dad's valuable stamp collection ("thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's goods").

By Hollywood standards, the Decalogue probably shouldn't exist. Not only is it religiously-themed, but was made on a very small budget and written in under two years. But Kieslowski proved his mastery by creating the one-hour short movies (two were screened in longer form), and loosely stringing them together.

Don't expect the obvious in Kiewslowski's movies. This is no Sunday-school storytelling, with hell awaiting two-dimensional sin. It's a series of delicate, subtle stories about people who seem real, rather than allegorical paper dolls. At times, Kieslowski becomes too heavy-handed, like in the admirable (but obvious) fifth story about capital punishment. Okay, we get it -- all death is terrible. However, he's subtle more often than not.

As with the Colors trilogy, there's a web of interconnected stories, with characters who brush by each other but don't actually touch. Not to mention that mute guy who watches from the sidelines -- a Kieslowski touch. But there the resemblance ends. The settings are bleaker, and the characters are less effervescent. But under the grayness and grime is his undeniable talent, his sense of sadness and gravity, and his sympathy for those who stumble morally.

Krzysztof Kieslowski used a tiny budget and bleak backdrops to create a modern masterpiece, a sprawling movie in ten parts. Watch the commandments, one by one, in the form of the Decalogue.

The Decalogue is perhaps the finest television mini-series ever. It is also one of the finest movies ever. If you are put off by the pretentious sounding concept of ten short films based around the ten commandments, fear not. Kieslowski approaches each topic from a very human perspective, not allowing simple moral conclusions to show the viewer that "sin is bad" and hell awaits you. This movie is about humanity. Nothing less, yet it connects on a personal level as well as a spiritual one. Inspiring.

"The Decalogue" is a series of 10 films based roughly on the Ten Commandments and is directed by the renowned Polish director Krzysztof Kieslowski. Each film or part of "The Decalogue" is about one hour in length and is independent of the other parts, but have some of the same characters in the background or in passing from other episodes.

Although the films of "The Decalogue" are supposed to be, to some extent, based on the Ten Commandments -- there is not a direct commandment to episode relationship. Several of the episodes deal with adultery and some episodes deal with more than one commandment. Overall, I would say the stories themselves are depressing. Nevertheless, the plots are captivating and the way the stories are put together is intriguing. While watching these 10 films of "The Decalogue," you know are watching something great and know why Kieslowski is attributed with being clever at his craft.

"The Decalogue" was originally aired on Polish television, but two episodes were expanded into the films "A Short Film About Love" and "A Short Film About Killing" (both about 1.5 hours long) and received a larger audience.

"The Decalogue" includes many of Poland's most famous actors, including Boguslaw Linda, Zbigniew Zamachowski, Mirislaw Baka, and Krystana Janda.

This new release of "The Decalogue" contains 3 disks, which include:

* "Roger Ebert on The Decalogue"
* The 10 parts (or episodes) of The Decalogue series
* "On the Set of The Decalogue" (1988)
* "Kieslowski Meets the Press" (1988)
* "Kieslowski Known and Unknown" (1998)

Furthermore, a small booklet is included that has information on the actors and information on "The Decalogue." As a set, this series will provide a lot of entertainment with a total running time of about 584 minutes. "The Decalogue" is in Polish with English subtitles.

Those familiar or fond of Krystof Kieslowski's ambitious "Trois Couleurs: Bleu, Blanc, et Rouge" Trilogy need look no further for proof that Kieslowski is one of the greatest directors in the history of film. Sure, he didn't have a "Citizen Kane" or a "Godfather" in his repertoire, but he does have a film that, in some respects, nearly equals those works: "The Decalogue." Sure, it sounds like a gimmick, and even a turn-off to those not interested in Biblical adaptations. The great thing about "The Decalogue" is that it's neither of those. Kieslowski's film spends just under an hour with each one of the Ten Commandments, exploring through average citizens of Poland the moral implications and quandries of each commandment. Don't try and figure out how each film directly connects with each commandment, though. Really, the ten films overlap in the different commandments that they contain - "Decalogue One: Thou Shalt Have No Other Gods Before Me" seems the most direct relation to its commandment in the whole series, while "Decalogue Two: Thou Shalt Not Use The Name of the Lord In Vain:" seems an abtstract correlation at best. The point of these simplistic yet powerful films lies not in explaining the commandments - "The Decalogue" takes universal issues within humanity and places them on the screen with beautiful subtlety, while profound explanations lurk beneath the surface. Each film has a basic plot, and within it lies an examination of the basic morals that lie within the commmandments and intwine deeply in human nature. Quite simply, "The Decalogue" is an essential experience for film buffs and humans in general.
A FEW NOTES ABOUT "THE DECALOGUE":
1. Some are better than others (1,5, and 9 in particular) but all have their perks. Basically - watch them all!
2. While the notion of watching them all at once seems fun, these films are better when viewed one or a few at a time. A reviewer from Entertainment Weekly suggested watching over a period of a few days late at night. One can imagine the types of thoughts that would arise in THOSE dreams.
3. Each Decalogue is a very introspective experience for the viewer, but additional fun would definitely come from discussing them with friends.
4. If you do purchase "The Decalogue," be ready for an unforgettable experience.

This review refers to the newly re-released (Aug/19/2003)Special Edition DVD Complete Set(3 discs) of "The Decalogue"......

Ten Hours of Krzysztof Kieslowski's brillant work and Zbiginew Preisner's mesmerizing music...what else is there in life? I know there's more... but for ten hours you can enter the world of Kieslowski and forget any other exists! Now you don't have to watch them all at once, you can take an hour or two at a time and just immerse yourself. In the enlightening introduction by the very insightful Roger Ebert.Roger himself says that these films should be viewed one by one and given a chance to be talked about and absorbed. That's probably best..but sorry Roger, I became hooked after the first one and couldn't stop. Each one I viewed became my new favorite.

"The Decalogue" is a series of ten 1 hour films Kieslowski, together with his esteemed writing partner Krzysztof Piesiewicz,wrote for Polish Television in the mid 80's. Each film is based on the Ten Commandents, but are not relgious or politcal in nature. Each tells the story of modern day people, with modern day moral dilemmas that may fall into the catagories of the Commandments.Orignally Kieslowski had planned for some new and up and coming directors to film each of the series(or as he calls them...a set), but after seeing the final scripts, couldn't resist directing them all himself. What he did however, was to have a different and respected filmographer shoot each of the films. So we get very different looks at each story. And..we are also treated to a score by his illustrious composer Zbigniew Preisner in each one as well.

Here is a little about each film,which by the way are all set in a huge apartment complex, each neighbor with their own story:

DEC I..."I am the Lord thy God. Thou shalt have no other Gods before me".....A father and son are computer buffs. They have figured out the freezing tempature of a nearby lake and how long it will take to thaw....it must be right...the computer said so..but nature steps in and all is not as it should be.

DEC II."Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in Vain".....A woman's husband lays dying in a hospital, she is pregnant by another man..she puts the Doctor in the unenviable postion of having to tell her whether her husband will live or die..the fate of the fetus rests on his words.

DEC III..."Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it Holy"...A married man spends Christmas Eve driving around with his ex-lover trying to help her make things right in her life.

DEC IV..."Honor Thy Mother and Father"....Anka discovers her father is not her biological father. How will this change their relationship?

DEC V..."Thou shalt not kill"...a much discussed and controversial film of Kieslowski's in which the Death Penalty goes on trial.

DEC VI ..."Though shalt Not Commit adultery"...A young man becomes obssessed with a woman he has been spying on.The consequences are tradgic.

DEC VII.."Thou shalt not steal"..Little Ania is being brought up by her grandmother, but doesnt know that her real mother is actually her sister. Can a mother "kidnap" her own daughter?

DEC XIII..."Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor"...A Jewish war survivor from America, travels to Poland to talk to the person who refused her a hiding place.

DEC IX..."Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife"....Roman, loves his young wife dearly and she loves him, but he is impotent and encourages her to have an affair.Then is devasted and obssessive when he finds out she went through with it.

DEC X..."Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's goods"....This one adds a little comic relief to the set. Two brothers have inherited their father's very valuable stamp collection, and go to great lengths to protect it.

If you are a fan of Kieslowski or are looking for something in the way of fine filmmaking..look no further, this is a must own set. And if you already know the style of this great director, don't be surprised if some characters or their stories turn up by happenstance in others of the series.

Keeping in mind that these films were made for Polish Television in the 80's, I would have to say that the transfer to DVD's is very good. You wont find the crystal clarity or lush colors of films done by the big studios, but these films were more than enjoyable to view(DEC V seemed not quite up to the others though)The sound,including the dialouge, music and all background effects were crisp and audible. Along with the introduction by Roger Ebert, you will also find three nice features..."On the Set With the Decalogue", "Kieslowski Meets the Press"..(I felt privileged to be able to listen his views on this one), and a tribute from his colleagues after his death entitled.."Kieslowski: Known and Unknown" There are translators for these. The subititles are nice and clear(and may only be watched with them), and it includes a nice informative booklet which also includes the cast and crew of each film in the set.

Ahhhhhhhh..."The Decalogue"...go for it before it goes out of print(again)....it's wonderful....Laurie

"Vertigo" is a movie that has gone through several seasons of popularity among critics. While it was missing from public view it was routinely rated as one of the best films of all time, sometimes the best. Recently it seems to be popular to downgrade the film a little, on various grounds. An internet critic, who shall mercifully go unnamed, actually rated films like "Spinal Tap" and "Aliens" much higher - silly.

While out of sight, "The Decalogue" became associated with similar praise, and recently was picked as the #2 film of all time on one list. Now that this DVD set is out, perhaps it's time to take it down a notch or two. Should it be seen? Yes, it's worth the steep price, which is after all for essentially five feature length films. But one of the top films of all time? No, having lived with it for awhile, definitely not.

First, if one's previous experience with Kieslowski was "Three Colors", you have to be dramatically disappointed with the look and feel of the films. There are few of the incredible touches he displayed in the trilogy films here. Perhaps it was dealing with ten different casts and cinematographers, but there is little that stands out here which exalts the pure craft of making a film in the way that "Blue" showed, for example. Well, it was 1988 in Poland, the landscapes are pretty bleak compared to Paris, they were done for Polish TV on who knows what budget - too be expected, but disappointing nevertheless, to say differently would not be honest.

The performances and the actors? Very good, brilliant at times. I recognized none of them, not really, and there are many performances in these films that rival anything seen in "major" motion pictures. First rate, there.

Overall, I have to say, the people are far too much of a sad lot. Suicide is a constant theme here, was Poland really that depressing? Maybe, all the horrible flats, with no hot water and the awful little cars - he was agressively non-political, supposedly, but the social commentary is self-evident. One thing for sure, it won't do much for tourism. I'm sure it's not as dank as 1988, but I'm rather glad to be shut of the place, to discover the sun still shines outdoors.

But it's the stories that fall down for me. Some were excellent, particulary Two, Four and Ten, very clever. But others were preachy and maudlin, particularly One and Five. Oh, what is the point of One, anyway? Don't tempt God? Please. And the anti-capital punishment theme of Five bludgeons one worse than the murderer. Even the victim is made to appear unsympathetic, why? The whole thing appears arranged merely to allow the young attorney to pour out his horror with the process in the end. The theme of Seven has been done before several times, both in the basic thread of the story and in the feel, and I found nothing new here that added much. Six I found to be silly and predictable. Eight promised much, but the explanation for the teacher's actions produced a pronounced thud. I think it's possible that in attempting a project of this size, fatigue may have simply not allowed him to be more clever, both with the stories and the camera.

So, in the end, I'd have to say that I enjoyed the experience of seeing it, and, like any good movie, I won't forget some of the people in the films. But I did not come away from the film thinking as hard about what I had seen as some of the critics claim they did, no re-thinking my life, I'm afraid. That's how good it's suppose to be. I'm sorry to say it isn't.

After watching all ten hours of The Decalogue (plus extras), I must say I wasn't all that impressed. It was worthwhile as the chance to see the early work of a director who later gained international repute, but not particularly entertaining or rewarding to actually view. The acting is terrific, some of the camera work and individual shots approach being memorable, and there were various interesting elements I'll discuss further in a moment. However, the picture quality is generally poor (understandable under the circumstances of creation), the subtitling is inconsistent, and the stories are all very gloomy and depressing except the tenth film. ("Decalogue Ten" was supposed to be "humorous" according to Kieslowski's comments in the brief "On The Set" featurette. I grinned once and never even chuckled at all. At least it wasn't so grim as the other nine tales.)

As to the interesting aspects of these ten films, one is how the characters overlapped sometimes from film to film. and that's NOT including the "silent observer" who appears in each film, a linking element I found relatively pointless to the level of annoyance.

Film critics apparently have a professional code that forces them to describe nearly every foreign film as a masterpiece. I'm not living under any such code, so I'm free to be honest and just say I didn't like The Decalogue all that much.