Roman Polanski, Short Films

Between 1958 and 1962 Roman Polanski made some short films which deserve to be seen by every fan of the great Polish director. I’ve fallen in love with every single one of them, especially with When Angels Fall (Polanski’s graduation film), his most ambitious and visually striking early work. Absolutely recommended by Frozen Films!

Murder (1957) A man gets stabbed to death in his sleep.

Teeth Smile (1957) About a voyeur.

Break Up The Dance (1957) Polanski organised a ball at his Film School (Lodz) and in the meantime asked some thugs to make an irruption at midnight..it was all filmed. When the party was over his professors gave him a warning but also enjoyed the film.

Two Men And A Wardrobe (1958) Follows the oddyssey of two men (emerged from the sea) who carry a large wardrobe around a town, facing the hostility of its inhabitants. At the end, they return from whence they came, the sea.

When Angels Fall (1959) Set in a Cracow’s public toilet it tells the interior travel of an old woman into her memories of love and tragedy. Wonderful cinematography and surprising finale. A masterpiece.

The Lamp (1959) Another favorite. There’s a fire in a doll shop. Flames slowly destroy the beautiful dolls leaving nothing more than melted plastic and ashes. Did the dolls, who seem to whisper to each other, set the fire willingly to free themselves from their existential prison? Is it a representation of the childhood world destroyed by the holocaust? Open to interpretation.

The Fat And The Lean (1961) R.P. plays a slave (kind of..) who dreams to go to the Tour Eiffel but is forced to stay with his master. A great metaphor for Polanski’s youthful dream (then fulfilled) to leave Poland for France.

Mammals (1962) Two men fight to sit on a sledge because none of them wants to pull the other one. A fight for power and domination.