Several basic concepts about Polanski:
1) Second modernity (Seconde modernité): "Knife in the Water" is considered to be the progress of the second modernity film in the abstract genre of Western Europe.
2) Poland's general environment: Due to the thawing of diplomatic relations, the film school in Lodz and the appearance of Krzysztof Komeda's jazz have gradually opened up to the West.
3) Due to the appearance of Polanski (short film priority) and Jerzy Skolimowski (Jerzy Skolimowski), they began to praise and encourage minimalism (Minimalisme), which is reflected in the unity of "time-space", The extreme reservation of the actors' performance techniques, the dialogue with subtext, the rejection of dreams (L'onirisme) and flashbacks.
4) Anomie (such as title: Knife/Water): The most important philosophical concept used by Polanski and his screenwriters: Contraction d'anomalie. These things cannot be fused theoretically, but they have become each other.
Basic concepts of "Knife in the Water":
1) Cooperation with Skolimowski: a filmmaker who was very important to Polish modernity during the period of diplomatic thawing.
2) The criterion of the indoor triangle: the symbolic man, woman and lover in "Sword in the Water" embodies a paradox of fighting for power and provocation without real influence.
3) Political metaphors in the thawing period of diplomacy: a consumer society occupied by materials or men who have difficulty communicating despite their eroticism cannot get rid of the habits they have developed.
Fragment 1: Inside the car at the beginning
Co-location and delayed themes / social interpretation / director = observer or adjudicator / dialogue is coded / irrelevant suggestions
Fragment 2: Departure by boat
Edge details / status of improvisation / criticism of the privileged class of Eastern Europe
Fragment 3: Knife
Intentionally embodies the quiet/knife paradox-like subjectivity that has been paused and emphasized: the corresponding objective/destructive norms and anti-conventional/the prejudice of women in the revolution/the mystery of Kafka's style
Fragment 4: Pull the boat and walk
Multi-sensory / Importance of Nature / Metaphor of Modern Protagonist / Super Realism of Audition / Simplified Narrative
Fragment 5: On the boat in the sun
The criterion of jazz and defamiliarization / the relationship of power / the extremeization of the camera's perspective / subtraction and abstraction / moral temptation / subjective picture / quiet time (Le temps mort) / the role of the observer
Fragment 6: Crocodile toy
Play in play/ Time disappearance/ Introduction of subtext/ Possibility of multiple worlds (funny and absurd)/ In jazz, abstraction caused by improvisation
Fragment 7: Mikado game
Aesthetics of indoor composition/triangular composition shapes/relation of character status/relativisation: the multiplicity of protagonists in modern movies/dual talk brought about by the inclination of parallel background sounds: competition broadcast
Fragment 8: The man fell into the water
Unexpected late arrival / first retribution / the turn of the triangle relationship / the change of the heroine in modern movies / the thoroughness of narrative and aesthetics / permanent change
Fragment 9: Seduce
Clues in the narrative/ Observations and premises/ The classlessness of the characters/ The criterion for diluting the microcosm/ The abstraction of brightness and perspective
Excerpt 10: Ending
Open ending / motivation for change / modernist minimalism / destroy determinism with an abstract perspective (déterminisime)
* Translated from the "Grand courant dans l'histoire du cinéma" course given by Professor Nasta Dominique at the Free University of Brussels. For details, please refer to "Meaning In Film" compiled by the professor's English doctoral dissertation.
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