StardustExile can take many forms. Several major filmmakers from Poland famously followed the Chopin route to France—Walerian Borowczyk, Andrzej Żuławski, to a degree even Krzysztof Kieślowski—while their pugilistic peer Jerzy Skolimowski, as well as Roman Polanski, was ranging even further across Europe and beyond. But the comically-oriented writer-director Andrzej Kondratiuk—an early Polanski co-conspirator, who died in June aged 79—found voluntary geographical exile without leaving his own country. He was able to renew his creative energies in rural isolation, seeking, gaining and retaining true independence amid a political system founded upon collective, communal effort. Kondratiuk’s five-decade career is thus a consistently idiosyncratic and enigmatic one, encompassing eight theatrical features, several shorts and five TV-movies. Among the latter is the work for which he’s now best known—at least at home—the raucous and irresistibly-titled black-and-white superhero/comicbook spoof Hydro-Riddle (Hydrozagadka, 1972), which after hostile initial reactions has...
- 12/6/2016
- MUBI
(1957-60, 12, Second Run)
After the horrors of the Nazi occupation and repressive postwar Soviet domination, Polish cinema suddenly took off in the mid-50s to become a major international force. Initially, it was Andrzej Wajda's trilogy (1954-58) on wartime resistance that attracted attention. That was followed by a wave of films approaching contemporary society with skilful circumspection before there was a further clampdown in the late 1960s. The four films in this well-documented box set are all first-rate. Only Andrzej Munk's Eroica (1957), a black comedy in two parts (one about spiv caught up with the resistance, the other set in a concentration camp) takes place during the war. Both Wajda's acutely observed Innocent Sorcerers (1960), about a newly qualified, jazz-loving doctor and his problems with emotional commitment, and Janusz Morgenstern's little-known, loosely knit Goodbye, See You Tomorrow (1960), about a young stage director falling for a visiting French beauty,...
After the horrors of the Nazi occupation and repressive postwar Soviet domination, Polish cinema suddenly took off in the mid-50s to become a major international force. Initially, it was Andrzej Wajda's trilogy (1954-58) on wartime resistance that attracted attention. That was followed by a wave of films approaching contemporary society with skilful circumspection before there was a further clampdown in the late 1960s. The four films in this well-documented box set are all first-rate. Only Andrzej Munk's Eroica (1957), a black comedy in two parts (one about spiv caught up with the resistance, the other set in a concentration camp) takes place during the war. Both Wajda's acutely observed Innocent Sorcerers (1960), about a newly qualified, jazz-loving doctor and his problems with emotional commitment, and Janusz Morgenstern's little-known, loosely knit Goodbye, See You Tomorrow (1960), about a young stage director falling for a visiting French beauty,...
- 3/18/2012
- by Philip French
- The Guardian - Film News
Director Roman Polanski is mourning the death of his "oldest friend", Polish filmmaker Janusz Morgenstern, who passed away last week (ends09Sep11).
The producer and director died on 6 September at the age of 89. Morgenstern made his name directing films Goodbye, See You Tomorrow (1960), Jowita (1967) and We Have to Kill this Love (1972).
His funeral was held in Warsaw on Monday and Polanski was on hand to pay a touching tribute to his late pal, who he'd met while they were both students at the Lodz film school in Poland.
Speaking at the televised memorial, Polanski said, "For me, he was not a representative of the Polish film industry. He was simply my oldest friend. I just want to say to him: 'Goodbye, my friend'."
The Rosemary's Baby director, who was born in France but raised in Poland, made the appearance just days after shunning an invitation to attend the Venice Film Festival in Italy, where his new movie Carnage had its world premiere earlier this month.
His decision was reportedly based on the legal battle which ensued after he was arrested at the Zurich Film Festival in Switzerland in 2009. He subsequently fought extradition to the U.S. to face court proceedings linked to a 1977 sex case.
He was allowed to walk free following several months of jail time and house arrest at his Swiss chalet after the extradition bid fell apart.
Polanski was able to attend the funeral of Morgenstern because officials in both Poland and France have promised not to extradite him.
The producer and director died on 6 September at the age of 89. Morgenstern made his name directing films Goodbye, See You Tomorrow (1960), Jowita (1967) and We Have to Kill this Love (1972).
His funeral was held in Warsaw on Monday and Polanski was on hand to pay a touching tribute to his late pal, who he'd met while they were both students at the Lodz film school in Poland.
Speaking at the televised memorial, Polanski said, "For me, he was not a representative of the Polish film industry. He was simply my oldest friend. I just want to say to him: 'Goodbye, my friend'."
The Rosemary's Baby director, who was born in France but raised in Poland, made the appearance just days after shunning an invitation to attend the Venice Film Festival in Italy, where his new movie Carnage had its world premiere earlier this month.
His decision was reportedly based on the legal battle which ensued after he was arrested at the Zurich Film Festival in Switzerland in 2009. He subsequently fought extradition to the U.S. to face court proceedings linked to a 1977 sex case.
He was allowed to walk free following several months of jail time and house arrest at his Swiss chalet after the extradition bid fell apart.
Polanski was able to attend the funeral of Morgenstern because officials in both Poland and France have promised not to extradite him.
- 9/13/2011
- WENN
Mojtaba Mirtahmasb, who co-directed This Is Not a Film with Jafar Panahi, was all set to fly to Paris and then onto to Toronto on Monday when Iranian authorities pulled his passport and confiscated his baggage, including his laptop and notebooks, at Tehran Airport. Clementine Hugot, head of Wide Management, tells Variety's Nick Vivarelli: "We are very worried about the situation" … Janusz Morgenstern, who, besides directing his own films, also worked with Andrzej Wajda, was 89 … The invaluable journal Senses of Cinema is looking to raise at least $15,000 in order to remain a free online publication … World Cinema Now is a new blog that'll become very active indeed in the run-up to the conference in Melbourne (September 27 through 29) … New DVDs reviewed in Slant: Phil Coldiron on Pedro Costa's Ne change rien and Corneliu Porumboiu's Police, Adjective, Glenn Heath Jr on Lindsay Anderson's If.… and Budd Wilkins on Brian De Palma...
- 9/7/2011
- MUBI
Roman Polanski received preferential treatment behind bars in Switzerland, according to the filmmaker's former cellmate.
The director was arrested and jailed in September in relation to 32-year-old child sex charges in America, and he's currently fighting extradition to the U.S.
Earlier this week (begs23Nov09), Polanski was granted a bail request and will spend Christmas and the New Year under house arrest at his alpine chalet in Gstaad.
And now his former cellmate, Yussi Akram, has told a Swiss radio station the exiled The Pianist director was the envy of fellow prisoners - because he was allowed to call his wife and attorneys frequently.
And his cell was equipped with a special emergency button he could use to summon guards.
But the moviemaker's longtime friend Janusz Morgenstern has told a Polish radio network that Polanski's two-month prison stay has taken its toll on the director: "His fear of the U.S. verges on panic and he has lived with that fear for so long that it's become obsessive."
Morgenstern reveals his pal has become severely depressed and has lost a considerable amount of weight behind bars.
Polanski was found guilty of molesting a 13-year-old girl at a Hollywood party in 1977. He fled to Paris, France on the eve of sentencing in 1978.
The director was arrested and jailed in September in relation to 32-year-old child sex charges in America, and he's currently fighting extradition to the U.S.
Earlier this week (begs23Nov09), Polanski was granted a bail request and will spend Christmas and the New Year under house arrest at his alpine chalet in Gstaad.
And now his former cellmate, Yussi Akram, has told a Swiss radio station the exiled The Pianist director was the envy of fellow prisoners - because he was allowed to call his wife and attorneys frequently.
And his cell was equipped with a special emergency button he could use to summon guards.
But the moviemaker's longtime friend Janusz Morgenstern has told a Polish radio network that Polanski's two-month prison stay has taken its toll on the director: "His fear of the U.S. verges on panic and he has lived with that fear for so long that it's become obsessive."
Morgenstern reveals his pal has become severely depressed and has lost a considerable amount of weight behind bars.
Polanski was found guilty of molesting a 13-year-old girl at a Hollywood party in 1977. He fled to Paris, France on the eve of sentencing in 1978.
- 11/28/2009
- WENN
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