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October 9, 2022 6:11 PM

The Top movies by Andrzej Wajda. Released in France and Poland (1983), Wajda' Film 'Danton', based on a play by Stanisława Przybyszewska was not with without controversy. 'Danton' (yt)

The Death Mask of Antoinette Gabrielle Danton

posted by clavdivs (10 comments total)

Ok, here I was thinking myself a real cinephile and you post this? It seems I am a fraud and have not seen a single Andrzej Wajda film, so I'll have to add these to my already very long list. In my defense I've at least heard of Danton.
posted by zardoz at 11:43 PM on October 9, 2022 [3 favorites]

I enjoyed Wajda's Kanal and Ashes and Diamonds. His work contains the intellectual and moral complexity of someone who fought against the Germans and then resented the authoritarianism and infighting of the Polish People's Republic. So while I'm not familiar with Danton, the controversy and themes in his native country are unsurprising, I think this was a common situation for him.

that first video is very strange, seems auto-generated? Might I suggest Essential Cinema: Films of Andrzej Wadja by the Austin Film Society or the Academy Awards' tribute to Wadja from 2000 instead

The Criterion release for Danton has some bonus content including a short interview The Politics of History with NYU prof Edward Berenson and some essays:
* Wajda, Man of Courage and Vigor - Peter Cowie
* Andrzej Wajda, the Searcher - Michał Oleszczyk
posted by JauntyFedora at 6:08 AM on October 10, 2022 [3 favorites]

There's an absolute wealth of Polish cinema available at 35mm.online.
posted by Busy Old Fool at 8:04 AM on October 10, 2022 [6 favorites]

Thank you for this post. I've lost the thread in viewing really good cinema and hopefully, this will send me back on track. I found this link to 35mm, a site offering free viewing of some great polish films.
posted by zerobyproxy at 9:30 AM on October 10, 2022 [1 favorite]

Eastern European cinema is a big favorite of mine. I'm ready to go down this rabbit hole. (Ask me about grim Romanian, Hungarian, and Serbo-Croatian films!)

Thanks for the post!

FYI, though, I needed a VPN to access 35mm.online.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 11:34 AM on October 10, 2022 [2 favorites]

Alas that I can't find his most oneiric film, the adaptation of Wyspianski's The Wedding, online with English subtitles, though it's on Youtube for free. Wajda's at his best with symbolism, and there are so many layers there, though you need a degree in Polish literature to get all of them.
posted by I claim sanctuary at 12:34 PM on October 10, 2022 [1 favorite]

EasternEuropeanMovies.com has 20 films by Wajda with English subs. Sadly, while they do have The Wedding, it's only with Polish subtitles.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 1:22 PM on October 10, 2022 [2 favorites]

Danton an all-time favorite, a spectacular movie, Depardieu at the top of his game.

Here is a link to NYT review by Canby on Archive.org, for those of us without NYT access.

Roger Ebert gives it four stars. Myself, I'd want to give it five stars on a four star scale.

Siskel and Ebert review (starts at 16:30)
posted by dancestoblue at 1:25 AM on October 11, 2022 [2 favorites]

I agree with dancestoblue. Danton is a superb film, my favorite French Revolution movie.
posted by doctornemo at 7:04 AM on October 11, 2022 [1 favorite]

Eponhysterical comment of the week:

here I was thinking myself a real cinephile and you post this? It seems I am a fraud...

posted by zardoz
posted by doctornemo at 7:05 AM on October 11, 2022 [4 favorites]