Three Colours: Red

1994 Director Krzysztof Kieslowski

This is the concluding film in the Three Colours Trilogy and sadly also Kieslowski's last film. It takes the fraternity part of the French flag as its theme. It also very neatly ties off all the loose ends of the preceding two films.

The film draws heavily on the connectedness of humans via the telephone and the abuse that this lends itself to. Through an accident Valentine is drawn into the life of a retired judge who has taken up telephonic eavesdropping. Her relationship with him leads him to make a startling resolution regarding his obsessions.

This is the triumphant conclusion to the Trilogy and the point of convergence for the three sets of characters in the series. It is the warmest of all three films and this stems from the main theme of the colour red. On a deeper level, it is a film about the invisible connections that intertwine our lives. From the opening scenes until the very end where all the seemingly loose elements converge, the colour red pops up like an eyesore, and this imagery even extends to the characters themselves. If Kieslowski will be remembered for anything, it will be the well-written and well-directed intellectual puzzle called "Red".

Three Colours: White

1994 Director Krzysztof Kieslowski

This is the second film in Krzysztof Kieslowski's "Three Colours Trilogy", which deals with the equality part of the french flag.

The film follows a reign of bad luck visited upon a Polish hairdresser in Paris. It starts with a pigeon poignantly defecating on him, which sets the tone to his life. He is divorced by his wife for impotency and non-consummation. With nothing to keep him in Paris and no money he plans an ingenious way to get back to Poland. Once there he decides to take charge of his destiny and plots a terrible revenge against his, now, ex-wife.

This episode in the trilogy is less seminal than the other two and shot linearly. There are several recurring themes that were started in the "Blue" and although not as visually arresting as the other two is nevertheless a captivating film.

Three Colours: Blue

1993 Director Krzysztof Kieslowski

This is the first of a trilogy of films by Kieslowski, loosely inspired by the colours of the French flag and their corresponding symbolic qualities, the basic focus of Blue is liberty.

It stars Juliette Binoche as the lone survivor of a car crash that killed her husband, a famous composer, and their only child. The husband left behind an unfinished composition that was the culmination of his life's work. The wife attempts at starting over, purging all remnants of her former existence in an attempt to sever her ties to the past, only to be repeatedly drawn to the music. In the end she decides to finish the work herself.

This is a meticulously shot film and the marks a new style that was to become Kieslowski's trademark.  He crafts the mood of this film so completely that when watching it, you find yourself immersed in the plight of Julie as she rebuilds her life. She is in all but 1 of the scenes. It set a very high standard which he kept consistently in the other two films in this series. In this film he introduces a number of recurring themes and has managed to produce a faultless piece of work.

Blind Chance

1987 Director Krzystof Kieslowski

This film deals with minute actions that can be life changing in consequence.

A young medical student, Witek runs for a train. Three alternatives are then played out.  In the first he catches the train, meets an honest Communist and joins the Party as an activist. In the second while running for the train he bumps into a railway guard, remonstrates with him and is arrested. He is brought to trial and sent to do unpaid labour in a park where he meets someone from the opposition. In this scenario he is persuaded to becomes a militant member of the opposition. In the last he misses the train, meets a girl from his academy, resumes his interrupted studies, marries the girl and leads a peaceful life as doctor unwilling to get mixed up in politics. The final scenario brings elements of all three together in a surprise ending.

This offering by Kieslowski is not quite as polished as his later films in the "Colour" series but still makes for interesting viewing. I found that I saw much more the second time round. If you like this genre of film then this was the precursor to "Run Lola Run".