Dekalog

I got absolutely absorbed in this Polish tv series. Set (and filmed) in a Polish housing estate in the 1980s is interesting, but this is films about peoples lives. Each of the ten episodes based on the ten commandments (not always obvious) took on its own plot, it's own identity, but always enhancing the overall experience of this extraordinary collection of short films. An abundance of extras which I am still working my through; so far all very worthwhile extras. So glad I took a punt on buying this.

I am not writing to comment on Kieslowski's work which is widely eulogised. I think justly.However, the packaging for the Dekalog DVD is the worst I have encountered for any DVD in my possession. It is extraordinarily to get the DVDs out of the packaging and I think on the second or third time that I try to do this, the packaging will have disintegrated. Another irritating feature is that ink in the packaging smudges when it is touched. Are we going back to 1980s Polish quality standards for manufacturing? Does great art deserve this?Such a great piece of work as Dekalog should not be let down by third rate packaging. Why?

This is crazy good value, 28 pounds for sooo much content. 0_0 But I have to admit that the booklet is disappointing, it mostly just reprinted paragraphs from Faber's Kieslowski on Kieslowski book, which can easily be bought already. Just lacks that exclusive touch that Arrow are usually rather good at...

A very well done box set by Arrow Films.Lovingly crafted, excellent extras & bonus films, good critical analyses, nice booklet with detailed essays on the works.A really comprehensive set for film lovers.

Important but very tedious in places

Original, thought provoking, riveting. Needs proper time and head space to concentrate on all the moral dilemmas presented.

Absolutely NO dislikes. This Polish master should have had Oscars by the numbers

This set of the ten Dekalog films dating from 1988 has for many years enjoyed something of a cult status. It explores the ways the behaviour of the wide range of typical inhabitants of a high rise of city flats relate to the Ten Commandments. Throughout the series the issues confronting the inhabitants are issues that will be familiar to the majority of viewers.The cast per film is very small in number, maybe just two, but that often comes into fleeting contact with other previously encountered members of the flats. The issues faced by those also resonate and overlap with the immediate plot. In this way conflicting responses to circumstances gradually build up so that by the end of the sequence it becomes evident that many of the Commandments apply to many of the various situations in conflicting ways making it difficult to work out which specific Commandment might mostly apply to any one set of circumstances and at what cost.That conundrum even applies to the first Dekalog which does not have the added complication of cast overlapping from previous plots. As none of the plots specifies a specific Commandment being illustrated it becomes increasingly likely that the central idea of the films is to explore the conflicts that arise in normal life that make strict adherence to all the Commandments practically impossible. The best that can be done, illustrated plot by plot, is to attempt a workable resolution with the best compromise that can be achieved.The acting throughout is of the highest quality and commitment and all of the plots are able to develop in a natural and convincing manner within their hour's duration. No corners are cut for timing expediency.This is a completely engrossing series and has justly acquired a considerable following across many nationalities and nations. However, this review is not intended to discuss the actual films in any further depth as by now they will have both supporters and detractors. Entering into those responses is not the purpose of the review which is aimed squarely at the many supporters of this film.Essentially, for all of those who are keen supporters of this film sequence and who have bought the previous DVD version of this series, the only issue of vital importance will be whether the Blu-ray option offers an improvement technically sufficient to justify the considerable additional expense.For this reviewer the answer is a clear affirmative. The upgrade offers a clear and striking advance on both wide-screen image and mono audio quality with the imaging being a marked improvement. The colours are firmer even within the limited chosen palette and there is an increase to the perceived depth of the imaging. The whole film simply becomes more 'real.' The film, which is so concerned with close characterisation, benefits considerably from this enhancement of reality.The degree of improvement experienced from this BD set will also inevitably depend on the replay equipment used. The following technical information is intended to be a guide to aid in assessment.The screen used for this review is only of moderate dimensions being a 40 inch television screen. However, the television is a high performing 4K unit which delivers a compensating positive effect. The moderate screen size lacks the impact of larger screens but is less critical of film faults.However, the contributing player is, unusually, able to separate the audio and visual HDMI signals before they leave separately to the television and pre-amp. That feature enhances both the visual and audio elements of the output. The audio, not so critical in the case, delivers an unusually wide-ranging and revealing performance. Its precision is equally revealing of film scores.Readers with alternative equipment will have to interpret this review bearing in mind their own equipment and its comparative advantages and disadvantages.These discs offer purchasers with suitable replay equipment a substantial improvement over the previous DVDIn summary this BD set of the Dekalog is a transfer from good quality 1988 film stock and has responded very well to the upgrade and well worth considering. The bonus film is also well worth watching but it is likely that it will be the Dekalog that most purchasers will focus on for repeat viewing.

Diese arte-absolut Medien DVD Box ist eine gelungene Ausgabe der Dekalogreihe. Über die Filme selbst möchte ich nicht weiter Sprechen, da dies Geschmackssache ist.Der Schuber ist aus einem stabile Karton in dem sich die Slimcases mit jeweils 2 DVDs in jedem Case befinden.In dieser Ausgabe befinden sich 2 Filme als Bonus "Still alive" und "1000 Fragen"Wichtig für alle Verfechter des O-Tons. Diese Ausgabe verfügt über keine Untertitel. D.h, um die Filme auf Polnisch sehen und verstehen zu können, sollte man Polnisch können.Mich hat dies nicht weiter gestört, da die deutsche Synchronisation hier sehr gut ist.

La calidad de la imagen es muy buena y el sonido también. El menú aparece directamente en polaco pero es muy simple y es fácil configurar los subtítulos en español.

This famous Polish 10 part television series covers the ongoing with various people situated within the same apartment building complex in Warsaw. Each episode covers one or more of the bible's 10 commandment themes. The director is masterful at fleshing out unique stories that include these themes with intense artistry, existential philosophy, psychology and at times with humor. Some are obvious, some are not. A must have for cinephiles.

Diese Blu-Ray Box bietet wohl die bestmögliche Qualität, und ist die einzige Möglichkeit,die Blu Ray mit Synchronisation zu bekommen.Das Menü ist polnisch, und die deutsche Syncro ist leicht zu finden.

Hello, this is a gift for Christmas which has been on the list on someone for 16 months. It will be great to see the reaction as this special production is a very intriguing story.

Una serie di film meravigliosi.Edizione splendida, avrei solo voluto almeno i sottotitoli in Italiano...

Well done.

Die DVDs sind schnell und in einem hervorragenden Zustand angekommen... Tausend Dank!!!!

The blu rays are great. The movie is excellent. Shipping was fine. There isn't much to say really as everything went so well

Great collection. lots of supplementary content

Fast vergessener toller Regisseur

criterion盤のbluray(４枚組)はこれまでのcriterion社への信頼を裏切りません。ポーランドでTV放映だったこの作品もフィルム撮影だったおかげか、きわめて美しい画質(かの bluray.com でも画質５点満点中4.8点と高評価)に仕上がっています。　４枚組個別の内容はdisc1:デカローグ第１話〜第５話disc2:デカローグ第６話〜第10話(disc１，２共に画面は昔のTVサイズ1.33 : 1、左右に黒)disc3:「殺人に関する短いフィルム」「愛に関する短いフィルム」　　　共に劇場版、画面比1.66 : 1、TV版デカローグ第５話、第６話より30分ほど長いdisc4: インタビュー等(disc4には劇映画作品なし)です。　「殺人に関する短いフィルム」に感銘を受け、見たことがなかった「デカローグ」シリーズ、後半第５話〜第10話を前半より先に、(物語は前後関係なさそうだったので、お試しに)比較的安価だった欧州盤DVDを購入して英語字幕で見ましたが、あまりの面白さに結局全10話をblurayで買い直すはめになりました。最初からこっちのBOXで購入するのが正解でした…。　「トリコロール」３部作(Three ColorsというBOXでこちらもcriterion社からblurayあり)が話題になったころ、WOWOWで放映されたその３作品と「〜に関する短いフィルム」２本を録画して、地味そうで今は見る気にならないがいつの日か見たくなるだろう、とずうっと20年も寝かせていました。盤面には間違えて「キシェロフスキ監督」と記してあります。(正しくはキェシロフスキ。)鑑賞後調べてみると、監督(兼脚本家)の経歴はドキュメンタリーから始まっており、そのためか、彼が書き下ろしそして映像化する映画の中では、非現実的な出来事はまず起こりません。ポーランド映画もTV番組も普段は見る機会がほとんどない(ワイダ作品はかろうじて何本か、しかしそのくらいのもの)ので、出てくる役者も見たことのない顔ぶれです。ところが、キェシロフスキ作品でひとたび出会うと、実在する人物のように、鑑賞後いつまでも脳裏にとどまり続けます。登場人物の大半は、デカローグの設定上罪深い人たちなのですが、不思議と憎みきれず、かと言って深く共感できるというわけでもないのですが、ずっと忘れられない本物の人間のように、生き生きとフィルムに焼き付けられています。　劇中の音楽もまた素晴らしいのですが、「見る者の涙を搾り取る」効果はあえて狙っていないところも、ドキュメンタリー出身らしく淡々としていて、好感が持てます。(個人的には一番好きな第10話に付けられた音楽は、打楽器主体のコミカルなものでしたが、キェシロフスキにまれな喜劇調な演出でもあるため、珍しさが共鳴し効果を上げていました。)　ポーランド出身だとロマン・ポランスキー監督、ドキュメンタリー出身だとウィリアム・フリードキン監督、この２人が好きな監督TOP５に、今ではキェシロフスキ監督と共に、入っているのは偶然ではないのかもしれません。ちなみに私の好きな映画監督TOP10は、クローネンバーグ、ポランスキー、フリードキン、キェシロフスキ、マーティン・ブレスト、アラン・パーカー、ハル・アシュビー、エドガー・ライト、ジョン・ヒューストン、ラリー・コーエン、です。改めて見るとバラバラですが…好みがもし似ていてキェシロフスキ作品を見たことのない方は(英語字幕で大丈夫ならば)きっと「デカローグ」を気に入ると思います。

Fast shipping! Great Service! A++ Highly recommended!

Great service. Product as described.

Asi como el dekalogo es imprescindible para el ser humano cristiano católico y además una de las manifestaciones latentes de la filosofía cristiana, el de Kielowski es y debe ser para todo aquel que habla de cine una referencia absoluta del genio de una persona que puede dirigir y crear historias con emociones humanas profundas y sinceras. Si no es suficiente lo que digo (porque para el ego del ser humano de este siglo nunca lo es) investiguen lo que significo para Kubrick en la etapa del desarrollo de eyes wide shut, el pidió a su co-escritor que viera el Dekalogo para que encontrara inspiración en diferentes partes de la historia. Por mi parte, realmente una de las puntas de la pirámide en el cine, una de tantas, que en esos días de estreno y ahora con esta versión de Criterion nos transportan a Polonia y sus edificios de clase media, a las manifestaciones latentes que tiene esta sociedad en decadencia para el ser humano pero con el ultimo y muy esperanzado final que tergiversa los sentimientos de los primeros mandamientos y en ultima escala nos da aliento para seguir viviendo tanto en el cine como en la vida.