The Banquet: a much loved cartoon with wry gallows humour
Zofia Oraczewska, “The Banquet / Bankiet” (1976) Its style seems outdated for a short animation of its vintage but I believe this is still a much…
Polish Films
Ichthys: a caustic commentary on institutional religion
Marek Skrobecki, “Ichthys” (2005) For once I didn’t need to look up an English translation for the title of this Polish animation short which uses animated…
The Red and the Black / The Horse: two little oil paintings in continuous motion
Witold Giersz, “The Red and the Black / Czorwane i Czarne” (1963) / “The Horse / Kon” (1967) I was held spellbound by these two very…
Son (dir. Ryszard Czekala): a solid, powerful short about rural-urban and generational division
Ryszard Czekala, “Son / Syn” (1970) This short silent animation piece is one that Polish animator Ryszard Czekala is best known for and it’s easy to…
Little Black Riding Hood / The Walls: two very different early shorts by Piotr Dumala
Piotr Dumala, “Little Black Riding Hood / Czarny Kapturek” (1983) Piotr Dumala, “The Walls / Sciany” (1988) Based on the familiar childhood story but rendered in…
Stairs: a deceptively simple film with a deep and powerful message about finding meaning and purpose in an alienated life
Stefan Schabenbeck, “Stairs / Schody” (1969) A minimalist claymation 7-minute piece, “Stairs” is one of those teeny-tiny classics about the human search for meaning in life…
Crime and Punishment (dir. Piotr Dumala): unusual and subtle animation no substitute for lack of plot and unsatisfactory resolution
Piotr Dumala, “Crime and Punishment / Zbrodnia i Kara” (2000) The style of animation associated with Piotr Dumala is unusual and often emotionally intense: using plasterboard…
The House: early foray into cut-out stop-motion animation could have done with a stronger vision and extra time
Walerian Borowczyk and Jan Lenica, “The House / Dom” (1958) Rather odd film in which a woman (Ligia Branice), seemingly trapped and bored in an apartment…
The Labyrinth: absurd surrealist animated film portrays a bizarre totalitarian society
Jan Lenica, “The Labyrinth / Labirynt” (1963) Superficially this looks like a Terry Gilliam / Monty Python animated cartoon and it is indeed very funny and…
Franz Kafka: lack of story and direction drag down an otherwise very fine brooding and melancholy film
Piotr Dumala, “Franz Kafka” (1992) A 15-minute film of various episodes in the life of early 20th century Czech writer Franz Kafka, this is remarkable mainly…