Thursday, January 15, 2009

Wajda Statistics


Name: Andrzej Wajda (pronounced VY-da)

Place of birth: Suwalki, Poland

Date of birth: March 6th, 1926

Age upon release of his first feature film, a Generation: 28

Number of film credits as director listed at imdb since then: 45

Number of films screening in the Pacific Film Archive retrospective running January 16th through February 18th: 12

Films of his that I've seen before: a Generation, Kanal and Ashes and Diamonds, coincidentally the three playing at the PFA this weekend.

My personal favorite of those three: Kanal

Film most recently added to the PFA series: the Maids of Wilko, replacing the previously scheduled series closer Danton.

Highest-rated film according to imdb: Man of Marble

Second-highest: the Promised Land

Only film to have won the Cannes Palme D'or: Man of Iron

Writers who have published English-language pieces on Wajda on the internet: acquarello, Adam Bingham, Michael Brooke, Rahul Hamid, pacze moj, Matilda Mroz, Renata Murawska (interview) Elżbieta Ostrowska, Boris Trbac

The Wajda films I should make my highest priority to see (a.k.a. "Most Vital Wajda"): click here

6 comments:

  1. Of the films listed, I've seen Kanal, Ashes and Diamonds, Man of Marble, Man of Iron and Danton. My favorite Wajda is one not included in the retrospective: Siberian Lady Macbeth.

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  2. Oh, that opening shot in Kanal is truly a thing of beauty. I've seen the films you have and also Landscape After Battle, which I didn't enjoy very much.

    How timely this post is - just today I found and purchased "The Cinema of Andrzej Wajda" by Bolestaw Michatek at Green Apple! The pictures from "Ashes" look great.

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  3. That is opportune! Perhaps I'll see you at a screening...

    Peter, the S.F. public library has Siberian Lady Macbeth in its collection, so I shall take advantage.

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  4. I wish I could attend.
    Maybe you could use your influence to encourage the PFA to schedule the films I want to see on nights I'm not otherwise engaged.

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  5. I finally caught up with Kanal last year and have to say that I like that the best of his trilogy. The others are very good too - but the whole metaphor of going underground [Dante inferno-like]. Plus the cinematography was amazing.

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  6. Shahn- I will do my best.

    Matt- Thanks for stopping by with a comment. I've admired your blog for quite some time.

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