Classic Polish Films on YouTube
Two of Poland’s oldest film studios – TOR and KADR – have made 61 classic Polish films, all of which are highly recommended, available on YouTube.
All of the films from TOR and KADR have been digitally restored and are available for free online. The brief interruptions for advertising provide revenue that will help fund further restoration projects as well as the production of new films.
The studios benefit from the Content ID system, which ensures full copyright protection and allows the overall management of the content on YouTube. Both TOR and KADR plan to continue to add videos to their channels. Their collections include more than 800 works of Polish cinematography.
The collection is currently without subtitles, though TOR and KADR hope to make them available soon. Until then, even those with no knowledge of Polish can enjoy the brilliant cinematography of these atmospheric classics.
Some highlights from the collections include:
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Still from the film 'Three Colors: Blue', directed by Krzysztof Kieślowski, 1993. Pictured: Juliette Binoche. Photo: MK2 / CED / FRANCE 3 / East News
Misunderstandings abound in interpretations of Three Colors, including those of its moral.
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The need for love is not a demand in [Krzysztof] Kieślowski’s film. It is the only way, the bond that keeps the heroine alive,
wrote Tadeusz Sobolewski (trans. AA).
The film is part of a trilogy, together with Three Colors: Red and Three Colors: White. All three films are available on YouTube.
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Still from the film 'The Cruise', directed by Marek Piwowski, 1970. Pictured: Irena Iżykowska, Jan Himilsbach and Zdisław Maklakiewicz. Photo: Polfilm / East News
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Realised in the style of a documentary, the camera observes the improvised scenes, making 'The Cruise' one of the most original Polish satirical comedies. The grotesque tone, surreal dialogue using PRL 'new-speak', typical characters and situations from contemporary reality give the film a sense of metaphor.
Author
From 'Leksykon Polskich Filmów Fabularnych' (The Lexicon of Polish Feature Films) by Jan Słodowski, trans. AA
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Still from the film 'The Story of Sin', 1975, directed by Walerian Borowczyk. Pictured: Grażyna Długołecka and Mieczysław Voit. Photo: Studio Filmowe TOR / Filmoteka Narodowa / www.fototeka.fn.org.pl
A controversial film from the director Walerian Borowczyk. In the works of this artist, we always find great visual imagination, enormous creative inventiveness, absurd humor, and surreal grotesqueries.
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Still from 'Weiser', directed by Wojciech Marczewski, 2000, photo: www.fabrykaobrazu.pl
The screenplay was based on Paweł Huelle’s 1987 novel Who was David Weiser? In an interview with Tadeusz Lubelski, the director, Wojciech Marczewski, said:
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For me, 'Weiser' deals with the mystery and longing for that which used to exist.
Author
'Kino' (Cinema) 2001, no. 12; trans. AA
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Still 'Camera Buff', directed by Krzysztof Kieślowski, 1979. Pictured: Jerzy Stuhr. Photo: Studio Filmowe TOR / Filmoteka Narodowa / www.fototeka.fn.org.pl
One of the best films of the 'cinema of moral anxiety', directed by Krzysztof Kieślowski. It is a film about the place of art in the world, courage, the refusal to compromise, the limits of responsibility for the word, and the price of creative freedom.
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Still from 'Magnate', directed by Filip Bajon, 1986. Pictured: Jan Nowicki and Maria Gładkoska. Photo: Studio Filmowe TOR / Filmoteka Narodowa / www.fototeka.fm.org.pl
A film from the director Filip Bajon. It portrays the history of a Silesian noble family, the von Plessóws, realised on a grand scale – from 1900 to the rise of fascism, which brought the family to ruin as its members chose different ways of life.
Escape from the ‘Liberty’ Cinema
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Sill from 'Escape from the "Liberty" Cinema', directed by Wojciech Marczewski, 1990, photo: Polfilm / East News
A film from the director Wojciech Marczewski. Allusions to Bulgakov (Master and Margarita) help the director with the main idea of his film – forgiveness. Our eyes roll a bit at the grotesque fantasy straight from Bulgakov and Woody Allen.
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Wojciech Pszoniak in the film 'Austeria', directed by Jerzy Kawalerowicz, 1982, photo: Kadr Film Studio / Filmoteka Narodowa/www.fototeka.fn.org.pl
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I made a film that departs from the traditional sentimental stories. In dynamic abbreviation, I try to recreate the world of dreams, habits of thought, and philosophical attitudes of Eastern European Jewry in the face of the ultimate threat.
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Jerzy Kawalerowicz, 1983, trans. AA
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Still from ‘Brunet Will Call’, directed by Stanisław Bareja, 1976. Pictured: Krzysztof Kowalewski. Photo: Jerzy Troszczyński / Studio Filmowe Kadr / Filmoteka Narodowa – Instytut Audiowizualny / www.fototeka.fn.org.pl
A film from the comedy icon – Stanisław Bareja. A comedic crime drama that also offers observations on modern life.
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Still from 'Goodbye, Till Tomorrow', photo: Filmoteka Narodowa / www.fototeka.fn.org.pl
Janusz Morgenstern’s debut film is today defined as a cult classic. Tadeusz Sobolewski writes:
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How much of that time was conveyed in this little film.
Author
Kino (Cinema) 2002, no. 5; trans. AA
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Still from 'Night Train', photo: East News / Polfilm
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This film speaks about hunger, feelings of longing, not necessarily love. The girl is unsatisfied with life, with men – under their influence – arises loneliness. Everyone is in some sense displeased with what he has, and leaves himself a loophole, a vague prospect,
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Still from 'Pharaoh', directed by Jerzy Kawalerowicz, 1996. Pictured: Jerzy Zelnik (in the foreground). Photo: Polfilm / East News
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'Pharaoh' is an ascetic adaptation of Bolesław Prus’s novel. It focuses on the collision of two political rationales: the pragmatism of the priests and the romanticism of the young pharaoh.
Author
From 'Film Fabularny' by Tadeusz Lubelski in 'Encyklopedia Kultury Polskiej XX Wieku, Film, Kinematografia', trans. AA
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The film was interpreted as a polemic against the 'Polish School' and as self-reflexive – and as an expression of the volatility and uncertainty of the artist and the opportunities and pitfalls of art. Somersault approaches a cinema of poetics and romanticism, obfuscated by mystery and misconceptions.
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Still from 'Innocent Sorcerers', directed by Andrzej Wajda, 1960. Pictured: Roman Polański, Jan Zylber, Andrzej Trzaskowski, Krzysztof Komeda, Andrzej Nowakowski, Henryk Kurek, Tadeusz Łomnicki, Andrzej Wojciechowski. Photo: Film Studio Kadr / National Film Archive / www.fototeka.fn.org.pl
Innocent Sorcerers is the product of a meeting of three generations: director Andrzej Wajda and screenwriters Jerzy Andrzejewski and Jerzy Skolimowski. They attempt to capture the young generation under whose mask of cynicism and nonchalant posturing hides the need for intimacy and genuine feelings.
A complete list of Polish films available on YouTube
Films from the KADR Film Studio:
- Brunet Will Call (originally: Brunet Wieczorową Porą), dir. Stanisław Bareja, 1976
- What Will You Do When You Catch Me? (originally: Co Mi Zrobisz, Jak Mnie Złapiesz?) dir. Stanisław Bareja, 1978
- Sexmission (originally: Seksmisja), dir. Juliusz Machulski, 1983
- Austeria, dir. Jerzy Kawalerowicz, 1982
- Operation Arsenal (originally: Akcja pod Arsenałem), dir. Jan Łomnicki, 1977
- Giuseppe in Warsaw (originally: Giuseppe w Warszawie), dir. Stanisław Lenartowicz, 1964
- All Soul’s Day (originally: Zaduszki), dir. Tadeusz Konwicki, 1961
- Goodbye, Till Tomorrow (originally: Do Widzenia, Do Jutra), dir. Janusz Morgenstern, 1960
- Hotch-Potch (originally: Kogel Mogel), dir. Roman Załuski, 1988
- Night Train (originally: Pociąg), dir. Jerzy Kawalerowicz, 1959
- Pharaoh (originally: Faraon), dir. Jerzy Kawalerowicz, 1966
- Last Day of Summer (originally: Ostatni Dzień Lata), dir. Tadeusz Konwicki, 1958
- Silence (originally: Milczenie), dir. Kazimierz Kutz, 1963
- Somersault (originally: Salto), dir. Tadeusz Konwicki, 1965
- The Eagle (originally: Orzeł), dir. Leonard Buczkowski, 1959
- Innocent Sorcerers (Niewinni Czarodzieje), dir. Andrzej Wajda, 1960
- I Hate Mondays (originally: Nie Lubię Poniedziałku), dir. Tadeusz Chmielewski, 1971
- Opening Tomorrow (originally: Jutro Premiera), dir. Janusz Morgenstern, 1962
- Ashes and Diamonds (originally: Popiół i Diament) dir. Andrzej Wajda, 1958
- Topsy Turvy, or Hotch-Potch II (originally: Galimatias czyli Kogel Mogel II), dir. Roman Załuski, 1989
- Mother Joan of the Angels (originally: Matka Joanna od Aniołów), dir. Jerzy Kawalerowicz, 1961
- Man on the Tracks (originally: Człowiek na Torze), dir. Andrzej Munk, 1956
- Nights and Days (originally: Noce i Dnie), dir. Jerzy Antczak, 1975
- Heroism (originally: Eroica), dir. Andrzej Munk, 1957
- The Beads of One Rosary (originally: Paciorki Jednego Różańca), dir. Kazimierz Kutz, 1979
- Nobody’s Calling (originally: Nikt Nie Woła), dir. Kazimierz Kutz, 1960
- Night Train (originally: Ludzie z Pociągu), dir. Kazimierz Kutz, 1961
- The Scream (originally: Krzyk), dir. Barbara Sass,1982
- Go For Broke (originally: Vabank), dir. Juliusz Machulski, 1981
- Go For Broke 2 (originally: Vabank 2), dir. Juliusz Machulski, 1984
- Big Shar (originally: Wielki Szu), dir. Sylwester Chęciński, 1982
- Camera Buff (originally: Amator), dir. Krzysztof Kieślowski, 1979
- Escape from the ‘Liberty’ Cinema (originally: Ucieczka z Kina 'Wolność'), dir. Wojciech Marczewski, 1990
- The Cruise (originally: Rejs), dir. Marek Piwowski, 1970
- Three Colors: Blue (originally: Trzy Kolory: Niebieski), dir. Krzysztof Kieślowski, 1993
- Sequence of Feelings (originally: Kolejność Uczuć), dir. Radosław Piwowarski, 1993
- Life as a Fatal Sexually Transmitted Disease (originally: Życie Jako Śmiertelna Choroba Przenoszona Drogą Płciową), dir. Krzysztof Zanussi, 2000
- The Touch (originally: Dotknięcie Ręki), dir. Krzysztof Zanussi, 1992
- Jealousy and Medicine (originally: Zazdrość i Medycyna), dir. Janusz Majewski, 1973
- At Full Gallop (originally: Cwał), dir. Krzysztof Zanussi, 1995
- Three Colors: White (originally: Trzy Kolory: Biały), dir. Krzysztof Kieślowski, 1994
- Three Colors: Red (originally: Trzy Kolory: Czerwony), dir. Krzysztof Kieślowski, 1994
- Supplement (originally: Suplement), dir. Krzysztof Zanussi, 2002
- Lesson of a Dead Language (originally: Lekcja Martwego Języka), dir. Janusz Majewski, 1979
- The Story of Sin (originally: Dzieje Grzechu) dir. Walerian Borowczyk, 1975
- Weiser, dir. Wojciech Marczewski, 2000
- Edges of the Lord (originally: Boże Skrawki) dir. Jurek Bogajewicz, 2001
- Persona non grata, dir. Krzysztof Zanussi, 2005
- Magnate (originally: Magnat) dir. Filip Bajon, 1986
- 300 Miles to Heaven (originally: 300 Mil do Nieba) dir. Maciej Dejczer, 1989
Written by Alena Aniskiewicz, 2013
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