Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #5091 in DVD
• Released on: 2004-04-26
• Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
• Formats: Box set, PAL, Widescreen
• Original language: French
• Subtitled in: English
• Number of discs: 4
• Running time: 276 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
Even though one can view each segment of Krzysztof Kieslowski's Three Colours trilogy on its own, it seems absurd to do so; why buy the trousers instead of the entire suit? Created by Kieslowski and his writing partner Krzysztof Piesiewicz for France's bicentennial, the titles--and the themes of the films--come from the three colours of the French flag representing liberty, equality and fraternity. Blue examines liberation through the eyes of a woman (Juliette Binoche) who loses her husband and son in an auto accident, and solemnly starts anew. White is an ironic comedy about a befuddled Polish husband (Zbigniew Zamachowski) who takes an odd path of revenge against his ex-wife (Julie Delpy). A Swiss model (Irène Jacob) strikes up a friendship with a retired judge (Jean-Louis Trintignant) who eavesdrops on his neighbours in Red. The trilogy is a snapshot of European life at a time of reconstruction after the Cold War, reflected through Kieslowski's moralist view of human nature and illumined by each title's palate colour.

On the DVD: The DVD set has numerous extras spread throughout the three discs; the end result is a superior collection. Each disc has a short retrospective, culled together from new interviews with Kieslowski's crew, plus film critic Geoff Andrew, biographer Annette Insdorf (who also does the commentaries), and fellow Polish director Ageniska Holland. Producer Marin Karmitz also reminisces about the experience. There's an exceptional effort to show the magic of Kieslowski (who died two years after the trilogy) through a discussion of his various career phases, interviews with the three lead actresses, four student films, and archival materials including simple--and wonderful--glimpses of the director at work. Excellent insight is also provided by Dominique Rabourdin's filmed "cinema lessons" with Kieslowski. Without viewing any of his other films, this set illustrates the uniqueness of Kieslowski. --Doug Thomas

DVD Description
Krzysztof Kieslowski’s multi award-winning trilogy is a landmark of world cinema. Three Colours: Blue, White and Red have been acclaimed as masterpieces by critics and audiences the world over. The films, co-written by Kieslowski and Krzysztof Piesiewicz, with whom he wrote the epic Dekalog cycle, explore the French Revolutionary ideals of freedom, equality and brotherhood and their relevance to the contemporary world. Featuring outstanding music scores by Zbiginiew Preisner and immaculate performances from Juliette Binoche, Irene Jacob and Jean-Louis Trintingnant among others, the trilogy is arguably the foremost achievement by one of the world’s greatest directors. This four-disc set brings together all three films along with a wealth of supplementary features, including Krzysztof Wierzbicki’s fascinating documentary about Kieslowski, I’m So-So ….

Special Features
Three Colours: Blue

• Krzysztof Kieslowski masterclass
  
• Interviews with Juliette Binoche, editor Jacques Witta and producer Marin Karmitz
  
• Excerpts from the original soundtrack by Zbiginiew Preisner
  
• Theatrical trailer
  
• Running Time: 100 minutes

Three Colours: White

• Krzysztof Kieslowski masterclass
  
• Interviews with Julie Delpy and producer Marin Karmitz
  
• Excerpts from the original soundtrack by Zbiginiew Preisner
  
• Theatrical trailer
  
• Running Time: 88 minutes

Three Colours: Red

• Krzysztof Kieslowski masterclass
  
• Making of … documentary
  
• Cannes featurette
  
• Interviews with Irene Jacob, editor Jacques Witta and producer Marin Karmitz
  
• Excerpts from the original soundtrack by Zbiginiew Preisner
  
• Theatrical trailer
  
• Running Time: 95 minutes

I’m So-So … - 1994 documentary by Krzysztof Wierzbicki

Customer Reviews

I'm so-so
The real value of buying this set if you already own the Three Colours films on DVD is the inclusion of the documentary 'I'm so-so' on the fourth disc. It is a wonderful film and reveals Kieslowski in a way that his written autobiography does not (or it acheives something sufficiently different to make it worthwhile). We all know that the Three Colours films are high points of 1990s European cinema so there isn't too much to say there. The extras on each disc are exactly the same as Artificial Eye's previous DVD releases so if you already have them you have to make the financial decision to outlay more money on the set. It goes without saying that if you are new to these films then you should buy the set immediately. But also consider the director's earlier 'Dekalog' which, for my money, is his best output - the Polish films win every time.

Superb package - cinema to treasure
In his "Three Colours" trilogy, Kieslowski takes a handful of people whose destinies are irretrievably welded together as an expression of liberty, equality, and fraternity, and presents their lives and the decisions which have led them to come together.

The trilogy is a wonderful piece of art. Relating the three colours of the French flag to the mantra of the French Revolution (liberty, equality, fraternity), Kieslowski explores these virtues not as ideals or as morals to be evoked in each of the films, but as values which have largely been swept aside by modern consumerism and the pursuit of self-satisfaction and self-indulgence.

Kieslowski used a different cameraman for each film, used different thematic colours for each (different filters, different colours featuring heavily in each film ,etc.), and constructs three films which have radically different moods and feels to them. (Please see my individual reviews for greater detail.)

Juliette Binoche dominates "Blue", totally, in an acting tour de force which sweeps you off your seat. Zbigniew Zamachowski gives a witty performance in "White" (the weakest of the trilogy), with Julie Delpy playing a supporting role. And in "Red", the honours are shared between Irene Jacob and Jean-Louis Trentignant. Kieslowski can thus change the internal dynamics of the film to suit his needs - he nowhere relies on conventional male/female leads. Rather he deconstructs the relationships of his leading actors and uses these to emphasise the themes of each film.

It was a brave move to shoot all three films so quickly (they overlapped in shooting) and in pursuit of such a tight schedule. Though the characters are ultimately linked, and incidentally cross one another's paths beforehand, Kieslowski does not attempt to create a single character or group whose story we can follow across the three films. The unity is in the thematic link.

The trilogy works because of the quality of the ensemble Kieslowski uses. Acting, photography, lighting, editing, and direction are superb, although so very different across the three parts. The stories are enigmatically scripted - "White" is, as a film, possibly the weakest of the three, but its storyline is perhaps the one which most intrigues you, the one which is most likely to have you playing 'what happens next?'

This is cerebral cinema at its very best. This is cinema which can cross cultures and explore universal themes. This is liberating cinema, cinema you can sit back and think abut at length. The themes are painted before you, but you are equal to the director and actors in your ability to read into them your own understanding. And it's an understanding you can enjoy, but which is best shared in discussion with others: these are films to be watched together with friends and loved ones ... then argued about late into the next day over a few beers or glasses of wine. This is cinema to treasure.

The three DVD's in the trilogy are each supplemented by extras in the form of master classes by Kieslowski and interviews with the leading actresses - curiously Julie Delpy, not Zbigniew Zamachowski, is given prominence in "White". And the package contains a fourth DVD, "I'm So-So" - a long interview with Kieslowski in which we can see his interplay with his ensemble of cameramen and technicians. Overall, a superb package which no cinema buff should miss.

Trois Coleurs
This trilogy encompasses almost the entire spectrum of human emotion. The acting is superb, not a frame is wasted, and the scores add immeasurably.
Words cannot describe the impact and humanity behind this great cinematic achievement. Watch all three, and marvel at the craftmanship found in each film individually, and the trilogy as a whole.