Matches flare, a glass is dropped, a plant is ruthlessly destroyed. Water drips as a man's life seeps away. A bee is captured in drinking glass half full of juice.
Kieslowski's method is to have his writing partner come up with the moral knot and the narrative that ties it. He then imposes all his cinematic magic on it, adding his own commentary on what he is doing.
Sadly, most people think these films exist so that some story can told. Others think the cinematic explication and punctuation is what makes these special. Certainly those are nice, but it is Kieslowski's subtle insertion of his own soul that makes this magical. Those other things are just necessary incantations.
The story this time is about an artist, not unlike Kieslowski, who is struggling with the question of whether to bring a special creation into the world. The question involves three men, her adventurer husband, her artist lover and the doctor treating her husband's sickness.
The "god" figure, the doctor, convinces her to accept the artists' gift, in effect substituting one creator for a lessor one. That's the linkage with the commandment here.
At the end, in a "Taxi Driver" type of surreal imagining, the husband is imagined to live and encounter the doctor. He is glad the baby is coming.
This is not among the best work of this master, but it is likely better than what you might watch instead.
Ted's Evaluation -- 3 of 3: Worth watching.
Kieslowski's method is to have his writing partner come up with the moral knot and the narrative that ties it. He then imposes all his cinematic magic on it, adding his own commentary on what he is doing.
Sadly, most people think these films exist so that some story can told. Others think the cinematic explication and punctuation is what makes these special. Certainly those are nice, but it is Kieslowski's subtle insertion of his own soul that makes this magical. Those other things are just necessary incantations.
The story this time is about an artist, not unlike Kieslowski, who is struggling with the question of whether to bring a special creation into the world. The question involves three men, her adventurer husband, her artist lover and the doctor treating her husband's sickness.
The "god" figure, the doctor, convinces her to accept the artists' gift, in effect substituting one creator for a lessor one. That's the linkage with the commandment here.
At the end, in a "Taxi Driver" type of surreal imagining, the husband is imagined to live and encounter the doctor. He is glad the baby is coming.
This is not among the best work of this master, but it is likely better than what you might watch instead.
Ted's Evaluation -- 3 of 3: Worth watching.