Product Description

Krzysztof Kieslowski's films were brought to the attention of the international audiences by "Decalogue". Since then his reputation as a world-class film-maker has been firmly established with "The Double Life of Veronique" and "Three Colours", showing a move away from his documentary roots towards a more intimate and even spiritual style of film-making. In the discussions in this book, the director comments on each of his films in turn, describing the circumstances of his life while they were being made - occasionally under great pressure from the censors - and his subsequent life.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #319272 in Books
• Published on: 1994-11-07
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 224 pages

Customer Reviews

Filmmaking doesn't get any more real than this...
In his own words, Krzysztof Kieslowski tells you about the agony and the ecstacy of the independent filmmaking process.

The late Polish filmmaker is up to the challenge, delivering his characteristic frankness nestled within the pages of this short retrospective work, narrated in his own words, and magnificently edited (translated, too?) by Danusia Stok.

The book is tailor-made for "idie" filmmaking buffs, and supplies a glimpse into the enticingly magical personality which was Kieslowski's. Eschewing a typical rote autobiographical style, Kieslowski divulges key details about himself via the device of his extensive filmography -- revealing things about his thinking process and the high value he places upon delicate human emotionality through a step-by-step examination of his long filmography.

Spanning his early years as a prominent documentary filmmaker during the stifling years of Polish Communism and state censorship -- especially during the imposition of Marshal Law in Poland during 1980-1 when Kieslowski couldn't work for half a year -- and ending with his magnificent trilogy "Barwy" (Three Colours: Blue, White, Red), we're subjected to a feast of Kieslowski-isms regarding his thoughts pertaining to such diverse notions as:

** casting for acting talent.
** Kieslowski's penchant for making his ENTIRE crew a part of the idea-generating process for his films.
** the nature of artistic filmmaking in Europe compared to commerical filmmaking in the US.
** the demands of time on a filmmaker's personal life.
** the differing range of skills between Western and Polish filmmaking crews.

A right pity Krzysztof Kieslowski is no longer with us to share to a burgeoning generation of up-and-coming filmmakers what might very well some none-too-optimistic viewpoints on the state of today's "international" filmmaking.

The book is written in Kieslowski's typical unassuming style -- par for the course from the Polish master. The late director doesn't bowl you over with how much he knows about film history, or about the complicated craft of filmmaking. Kieslowski doesn't tell you that he's better than you or me. Rather, through a detailed accounting of his past achievements, Kieslowski's emphasis is always upon that which is most human: the wellspring of all his works, and the central reason why filmmakers must indeed make films, in his esteemed opinion.

Still, I found the book ended suddenly.

Not shockingly so, just that the work might have gone on for much longer than its seemingly scant 227 pages. There's so much to know about this magnificent paragon of the film community, and if anything, it will be a primer for further reading on the man, the legend, and his favourite subject: films.

Five-stars.

-- ADM in Prague

The best book on Kieslowski
This is the best book currently written on Kieslowski- surely one of the best film director's of all time? (though perhaps not as good as Bergman-Welles-Hawks-Eisenstein-Kurosawa- but time will tell!). Stok's book takes us through Kieslowski's life, from a childhood seemingly out of 'The Magic Mountain' to documentary filmmaking in Communist-occupied Poland (the story about Kieslowski's method of avoiding being in the army is hilarious!). We learn about his early life, then the foray into cinema- such as 'Camera Buff', 'Blind Chance' & 'No End' (all impossible to see in the UK- the second ripped off for the mediocre 'Sliding Doors'). We then move to his career-defining 'Dekalog' (which I first saw on BBC2 by accident) and the cinematic extensions: the short films about killing & love. We get some great anecdotes & photographs; a revealing section on 'The Double Life of Veronique' and finally, a short overview of the 'Three Colours trilogy' (which he was editing at the time of this books conception). The only flaw is the lack of material on the 'Three Colours' and the abscence of Kieslowki commenting on his intention to write films based on 'The Divine Comedy'. Much better than the good value pocket essentials; this is the book for the major fan of the late, great Kyzsztof Kieslowski.