Krzysztof Kieslowski Three Colors: White
Monday, March 21, 2011
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"White is a film about the equality understood as a contradiction. We understand as a concept of "equality" we all want to be equal. But I think this is absolutely false. Do not think anyone really wants to be "equal." Everyone wants to be "more equal". There is a saying in Polish: There are those who are equal and those who are "more equal." Krzysztof Kieslowski
in "Kieslowski on Kieslowski, ed.Faber and Faber, 1993. Skeptical
. With Three Colors: White (Trois Couleurs: Blanc, 1994) second film trilogy "Three Colors" , a skeptic Krzysztof Kieslowski threw a poisoned dart of cynicism about Western good intentions in the formation of a new Europe equally. As in the previous film in the trilogy, Three Colors: Blue (Trois Couleurs: Bleu, 1993) and subsequent Three Colors: Red (Trois Couleurs: Rouge, 1994) , Kieslowski continues to explore the constant contradictions today's society set about revolutionary ideals, Liberty, Equality and Fraternity ; ideals trilogy "Three Colors" seems to remove from its use as a simple base hypocrisy of a union of cultures, always subordinate inaccessible power, which all seem to aspire.
From this view, White is the most cruel of all three films in the trilogy with the concept, in this case, the "Equality." a term contradictory and controversial as they come, from any angle. Noting White from the 17 years that separate present its premiere, but can not confirm the words of Kieslowski at the initial appointment, in a Europe where everyone wants to be "more equal" than others, and all They, in turn, much " equal "than the rest of the world. Perhaps the skeptical gaze of Kieslowski's early 90's, may seem overly pessimistic to some, and still optimistic for others. The truth is that the added value of one's own look and contradictory elements in both the films as in Fig Kieslowski's own, is one of the most typical reasons for the survival of his speech, and in the case of White could not be less. Again, chance and causality make an appearance in the narrative of the story of Karol Karol (Zbigniew Zamachowski), in the fall and rebirth from the ashes of the new Europe, between France and Poland. However, on the other drive shaft of the fate of players are always transcendental elements like faith or love, from whose crossing paths with the shaft, a priori contradictory, the predestined course, a paradox about human beings, so characteristic of the films of Kieslowski, open speculations of all kinds.
Three Colors: White Chaplinesque tragicomedy is full of conflicting analogies around the concept or ideal of equality in European society, particularly, with several points of departure and arrival from the separation of the two main characters, Karol ( Zbigniew Zamachowski) and Dominique (Julie Delpy).
Blanco, begins telling the story Karol, a Polish hairdresser living in Paris, whose sexual impotence, apparently suddenly, resulting in the petition for divorce from his wife, Dominique, saying their marriage "has not been consummated . After the shooting divorce, public humiliation and apparent to the French justice Karol, Karol is again socially humiliated upon being seized material and financial assets after divorce.
tragicomic image of a Chaplin Karol (Zbigniew Zamachowski) in a Paris subway station.
In this first block, Kieslowski features some of the key elements In this allegory about socio-economic equality, as ambiguous as paradoxical, since the capitalist bureaucracy to gender issues, the presentation is subtle as in previous films, but rather cold and direct, without reaction time; White , is a film constructed from the direct rates of tragicomedy, their tackles emotional, from the economic concepts of transience, in every way. Of all the concepts presented in this first part of the film, perhaps the most repeated, is the humiliation. Kieslowski constantly refers to the humiliation to which is subject Karol, and since the close of the film, as a trigger for subsequent power plays around a concept of equality, ending completely dismantled.
From overnight, Karol is humbled by all that surrounds him and his American dream the French, annihilated. The Kafkaesque and subtle sense of humor Kieslowski, is evident in several early scenes of Karol, who, for example, even before the trial and is literally screwed over by a dove on the stairs of the Palais de Justice in Paris, is simply , a symbolic declaration of intent. Karol's humiliation does not seem to have remission.
Karol Karol is humiliated steadily since the beginning of "White" even by the doves of the Palace of Justice.
Without a passport, with only two francs and practically without dignity, Karol is relegated to the underground of Paris as a busker in a sequence much more allegorical and humorous than dramatic. In fact, the brevity with which concepts are interspersed "new poor" and "new rich" in the film remember the best Charles Chaplin and "human" vision of social relations. Karol, as its name suggests, is Charlie, the tramp is a figure for Kieslowski Chaplinesque rescued in White . Kieslowski said that to direct the interpretation of Zbigniew Zamachowski Karol, he only said two words: "Charlie Chaplin."
But, as usual in the films of Kieslowski, always appears an element that appears to have connections complicated nature, redemptive faith or fate. In this case, the character of his fellow Mikolaj (Janusz Gajos), who recognized as compatriot Karol, after hearing the sad melody outlining Polish Karol with a comb and a handkerchief as instruments. Following this meeting, "casual", as in the cinema of Kieslowski never know that by chance or is predestined, "Mikolaj, who shares the frustration Karol and sadness but for different reasons, empathizes with his compatriot after seeing him at the station and he intends to return to Poland to get rid of a man "tired of living" under a delicious reward.
The meeting "casual" with the resigned Mikolaj implies the possibility of a second chance to Karol.
The key comedy film becomes increasingly fierce thereafter, the dissociation of polar social, political, economic and sexual abuse, who beat absolutely any concept of Equal acquired after these elements. One concept behind the veil tragicomic tape, is as childish and stupid dismantled. And after advancing the film until the final expression of the idea, the social stupidity Equal time to be "more equal" than the rest.
In this second part of the story, Karol accept the odd invitation of Mikolaj and decides "is as" their country of origin. And what makes the most Kafkaesque possible, as a stowaway in a luggage bag, to his own country. France not only humiliates him, but denied repatriation in an amusing allegory of the bureaucratic nonsense of the New Europe still under construction in the early 90's. On arrival
Poland, Karol is getting more of the same, if possible even more humiliation by their own country. The suitcase was stolen and Karol get the beating of a hapless and welcome their "new" country, where everything seems to be on sale, even their own dignity and that of his family.
This is one of the most interesting historical analogies of the film. The existing social and political vacuum in the economic opening of Eastern Europe after the fall of socialism, means for Karol, the loss of personal identity, the last of the individual to cling loopholes in the search for improvement. After the loss of identity, Karol vital engine begins to show its controversial existence.
What is the main driver of the subsequent rise (economic miracle) of Karol? A priori, it may be easy to answer Karol's identity has been transformed, has mutated into what ultimately humiliates him, even surpassing them in potentially element which ironically symbolically throughout the film, "and absorbing the loss of personal values in the reconstruction of a new being, addressed by an engine of economic absolutely interests. However, the response may result in the opposite, ironically. And there are so many elements that suggest, based on the symbolic contempt for any economic element as a savior, but rather as a means of survival. Karol
refuses to get rid of his compatriot in a sequence of "vital" importance to understand the analogy between the loss of an identity stagnant and the rebirth of a stronger identity. Mikolaj, highly symbolic character and redemptive Karol, finally admits the contradiction of the old values, to be aware of the kind of social and political purgatory in which he has always lived.
From this third part of the story, the story turns for Karol, whose new identity seems to be much stronger after the previous humiliation. Karol gets rich, allegorical and comically again after outsmart the mob characters that builds relationships and get to sell most prolific ground economically worth ten times that purchase. Karol Now, it seems, or have qualms about his obsession to regain their dignity.
Julie Delpy's face in perfect harmony with the profile of Dominique.
Already in the last part, the story seems to transfigure any idea of \u200b\u200bidentity. Karol The main reason seems to be then revenge and pride, if not it has been throughout the film. At the top of the sardonic about the power of money in economic openness, Kieslowski shows Poland appears to be a land without an owner, a mere prostitute in Europe able to sell new identities under the sign of the false "new rich", ambition disorganized. Karol gets to buy a dead body to fake his own death and thus achieving a new identity.
The economic analogy almost Freudian sexual Karol and Dominique, Poland and France, Eastern Europe and the West, it is clear from sexual impotence Karol, since the beginning of the film. Since then, an analogy is far less subtle than the meaning of "sold" from Eastern Europe to the new Europe. Dominique
travels to Poland, after hearing the "death" Karol, as part of a cunning plan to attract Karol, always with the profit motive involved, will favor after all his possessions. Again, Kieslowski subtly shows what the real driving situations compulsive whole story. Karol returns to its potency and in reuniting the couple in a hotel, Karol is a new man, much more attractive to Dominique.
After regaining their dignity, or to use his new dignity, Karol and Dominique disappears is imprisoned on the death of the death of Karol.
"White" is an allegory about the contradictory nature of the concept of equality in European society. The love-hate relationship of the two main characters is a direct analogy to the socio-economic tensions in the early 90 between Eastern and Western Europe.
However, despite all this, the remarkable final sequence of the film demonstrates that contradict known Kieslowski, always leaving doors open to transcendental powers to humans. As in the entire trilogy, is love, which finally seems to be the main driver of any action, cause of all road crossings and predestination of the characters. In Blanco, Karol identity seems to regain its former from the moment in which it is aware that loves Dominique, in recent plans for the film. A twist, suddenly imposed by an idea can turn any script again with no return. Again, love is the main answer to all actions in the film. It is recalled that Kieslowski, the director of second chances, and so White evidence, and reinforced in the final sequence of "Red" and the trilogy, with the brief appearance of the couple.
Formally, White is aesthetically less interesting film "Blue" or "Red." The white color does not seem to have the lush emotional connotations of blue and red colors of the other films in the trilogy. In contrast, Kieslowski and the director of photography, Edward Klosinski, get a neutral hue consistent with the principal irony of the film. White, or absence of color in the subtractive method, ie, absence of color pigment, is ironically White , what the black dye in any film noir. " White may be the negative of the same key dramatic film, only this time, is a comedy, and there are no shadows where Karol to hide. Kieslowski seems ironic to neutrality, or the purity of white, Dodge several times and even film Karol using light, as if the lights will illuminate steadily. Ironic connotations are also present in the wedding sequence overexposed in the face of the angel, but cold, Dominique, or bust fragile Karol notes constantly and reminds Dominique. Only toward the end of the film, the tone becomes darker, showing the paradox of the previous use of white as a symbol of neutral, as equal, and yet the lack of them.
Trailer of "Three Colours: White (Trois Couleurs: Blanc, 1994)"
Karol
get not only equal, but "more equal" than many of his country and is able to choose and move freely outside of Poland. Therefore, one of the main ideas, and partial response to the question about the main engine of the revival of Karol, is the idea of \u200b\u200bthe false theory of equality in any political system. A political system of pyramidal nature, where being "equal" means to be humiliated by more individuals, and even a whole society, if we base the system. Or the former socialist system, where being "equal" meant not to breathe freely "not equal." Thus, mutation of Karol, is mainly determined by the mutation of his own country to the new economic system, in a simile of the contradictory human condition, where, as Kieslowski said, nobody wants to be like everyone else.
However, we all like to talk about equality.
Javier Ballesteros
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