The Decalogue.
I recently finished a classic set of films from Poland called The Decalogue. There were ten films, each based on one of the commandments. I wouldn’t call these films religious in the sense that they were trying to push an agenda of the church or even that they had characters who were necessarily religious. Each film takes a look at a commandment and poses a situation in which the characters are faced with problems that revolve around the ten commandments, which commandment is not always clear even though each episode is named after a specific commandment. My experience with foreign film is very much lacking but I enjoyed this set a lot. Obviously there were episodes that I liked more than others (the first and the last being my favorites) but I think as a whole, they were very enjoyable.
What interested me the most was an interview with the director, Krzysztof Kieslowski, in the special features. He said something to the effect of: film cannot change anything and that I only direct films because I’m not good at anything else. It’s a unique perspective and a little depressing but honest to him, I guess. I do think it is important not to take yourself too seriously, especially as an artist, but I think there is such a thing as too far to the other extreme. Whether or not he is pushing that limit is up to the individual but I think it’s something interesting to think about, to see such an artistic profession be done by someone who sees it as a job.
Anyway, I would recommend this set if you can get your hands on it. They’re probably not the most commonly checked out DVDs from your local video store but they’re worth the effort of the search. Peace.
3 years ago