Very good horror film from Poland which is quite surprising for one purpose: polish horror movies aren't good. But this one is really an exception. There is good, interesting plot which contains mystery and some occult ingredients. Also inspiring is where the action took place: Sopot City in the early 1930's, right after the Nazis started to rule in Germany. There is good acting, specially the performances by Jerzy Stuhr, Grazyna Szapolowska, Michal Bajor and Wladyslaw Kowalski. Those talented actors took part in probably one of the best polish films of the decade. It's a shame there are no other as good examples of polish entertaining cinema, with exciting idea for an action and with directors like Koprowicz who had a great vision.
7 Reviews
Just crap!
rustywalden16 October 2019
It made it on Netflix so I had to give it a try. I lasted about 15 minutes before bailing out on this one. Constant background theme similar to Dark Shadows plays throughout all scenes (drove me nuts). Terrible dated film. If you have it in you to watch it all the way through then maybe there will be a big happy surprise for you at the end, ...but good luck getting there - not me though. One star - only because they don't have a selection for zero-stars. Dont waste your time.
Great Occult horror in 30s
bugajskimaciek17 November 2019
When i read three summary I was intrigued. I am glad I gave this movie a chance, it is the only good polish horror I know. The acting is good, except the archivist who's great. The plot is intriguing, the setting is underused, it have the excorsist and lovecraftian vibes. The ending is far from being obvious or predictable. And some shots are exceptional. They look way ahead of thier times, more similar to conjuring then anything else.
Only reason I don't give the movie 10 is the sound mix quality. It is mediocre. It didn't detracted me from enjoying the movie but it might be a deal breaker for some. If that bothers you and you intrested in occult, whodunnit, thrillers, or love craft, definetly give it a go
Best Polish horror film
majdo00727 October 2008
It's one of the first Polish films that is fully devoted to occult and parapsychology. It's pretty difficult in reception and it's definitely one of these forgotten movies. Action takes place in Sopot, where Wagner is some kind of fortuneteller and his sister is a medium. They detect the presence of a few people which are guided by insanely powerful medium. Those people meet in Sopot (where there is famous Polish pier shown later) but while controlled they are unaware what they did or what they were doing in that location. Later, an investigation carried out by detective and his deputy that sworn his loyalty to Nazis, results in conclusion that this is repetition of a cycle in which... The movie is accompanied by excellent music which enhances the atmosphere of the mystery. Interestingly, casual dialogues are without any background music. In addition to that we got some historical background when Hitler started to rule in Germany along with the party of the Nazis (NSDAP). To summarize, we receive a very original Polish production, however it will be difficult to examine for those who don't like movies concerning psychological things rather than gore and action. A must see for Polish horror lovers and mystery films.
Great Occult Thriller
Pairic25 September 2020
Medium (1985): The Free City of Danzig (Gdansk), 1933, shortly after the Nazis have won control of the city government. An eager young Nazi Detective Sergeant is intent on replacing his DI. The DI is a tad disheveled and has taken to sleeping on the beach, drinking too much and having memory lapses. That's the most mundane thing in this film though. A powerful Medium (Mage) is performing a Ritual, bringing people together to reenact events which occurred in the past. A dark film but not all of the darkness comes from the Occult elements, the Nazis are consolidating power and their Brownshirts control the streets. Some gruesome scenes and plenty of psychological horror as the Inspector, with the assistance of lesser psychics, attempts to comprehend the mysterious events which are taking place. Writer/Director Jacek Koprowicz delivers a worthy addition to the Polish Horror Film Canon. On Netflix. 8/10.
A Super Secret Sci-Fi Masterpiece!!!
meddlecore2 November 2021
In order to fully appreciate the Truth espoused in this film, you need to, first, be familiar with two of the best films ever made.
The first is Chris Marker's La Jetee.
A short sci-fi film about time travelers, trying to prevent the apocalypse from occurring.
They manage to traverse the boundaries of time via memories- memories of things like falling in love.
And do so in order to get back to get back to a certain point in the spacetime continuum, from which they try to change the outcome of future events.
But the connections here are obvious...time travelers...that pier scene...
Anyways, the second is Andrei Tarkovsky's Stalker...particularly the ending.
The part with the little medium girl.
Because it seems to be suggested, that this girl (from Stalker) grew up to become the rival medium (working with the astrologer), in this film.
These particular selections are notable because Marker and Tarkovsky are inherently connected...not only were they friends...but Marker would effectively define the legacy of and eulogize Tarkovsky, with his film One Day In The Life Of Andrei Arsenevich.
And, together, the three films form a mystically occult trilogy.
This film begins with a powerful medium controlling the subconscious minds of four people in Nazi-era Poland- dictating their actions in a state of somnambulism.
But, because he is an old man suffering from diabetes, he keeps passing out from exertion and losing control of them, leaving them to wake up unaware of how exactly they ended up in the situations they keep finding themselves in.
The one connecting factor they all experience is missing time.
Meanwhile, a talented astrologer and his partner- a gifted medium- are tracking his activities, as they try to discern his identity...and what the goal of his nefarious plot might be.
Inevitably, a couple of police detectives also become involved.
Though, the medium has been controlling the elder detective.
Which messes with his head, and has been driving him deep into alcoholism.
The irony being that he actually knows the man behind this.
A fishmonger who sells him food for his pet goldfish.
Thus, when he isn't heard from (after ending up in a coma as a result of his underlying disease and exertion from his activities), the detective goes to his house to investigate.
Where he discovers a man hiding, that runs when he is found.
This man is an accountant, and doesn't exactly know how he got there.
But he does know that he had given the man an injection (of insulin), and that he has since fallen into a coma.
Hence why he ran.
He didn't realize the medicine bottle was actually empty, so he never actually injected him with anything.
Hence why the man fell into the coma.
As a result of his own experiences...the elder detective is inclined to believe him.
Meanwhile, one of the medium's other victims can't even remember how he ended up in the city.
Cracking the case takes him to a bookstore, where it is suggested he check out the book "The Key To The Secret Knowledge", written by the aforementioned astrologer.
The younger detective, on the other hand, has been tasked with investigating the case of a woman who repeatedly steals the same dress from a museum exhibition (before returning it, when she snaps out her trance).
Ultimately, all the man's targets end up in the old medium's stately home together.
Where they play out a recurring narrative they have lived out many times before, over a number of centuries.
Because, it turns out they are the reincarnated souls of 4 people who were part of this medium's life, when he was 4 years old.
They played their part in a love triangle that ended up in a multiple axe murder suicide.
And by forcing this scenario to re-play itself out, this "dying" old man has figured a way to revert to being a 4 year old child.
Effectively rendering him immortal.
It's all a very complex puzzle.
If you haven't seen the above mentioned films, I highly recommend that you watch them before going into this.
But it's not necessary.
It just makes for a more rewarding experience.
You can thank me later.
9.5 out of 10.
The first is Chris Marker's La Jetee.
A short sci-fi film about time travelers, trying to prevent the apocalypse from occurring.
They manage to traverse the boundaries of time via memories- memories of things like falling in love.
And do so in order to get back to get back to a certain point in the spacetime continuum, from which they try to change the outcome of future events.
But the connections here are obvious...time travelers...that pier scene...
Anyways, the second is Andrei Tarkovsky's Stalker...particularly the ending.
The part with the little medium girl.
Because it seems to be suggested, that this girl (from Stalker) grew up to become the rival medium (working with the astrologer), in this film.
These particular selections are notable because Marker and Tarkovsky are inherently connected...not only were they friends...but Marker would effectively define the legacy of and eulogize Tarkovsky, with his film One Day In The Life Of Andrei Arsenevich.
And, together, the three films form a mystically occult trilogy.
This film begins with a powerful medium controlling the subconscious minds of four people in Nazi-era Poland- dictating their actions in a state of somnambulism.
But, because he is an old man suffering from diabetes, he keeps passing out from exertion and losing control of them, leaving them to wake up unaware of how exactly they ended up in the situations they keep finding themselves in.
The one connecting factor they all experience is missing time.
Meanwhile, a talented astrologer and his partner- a gifted medium- are tracking his activities, as they try to discern his identity...and what the goal of his nefarious plot might be.
Inevitably, a couple of police detectives also become involved.
Though, the medium has been controlling the elder detective.
Which messes with his head, and has been driving him deep into alcoholism.
The irony being that he actually knows the man behind this.
A fishmonger who sells him food for his pet goldfish.
Thus, when he isn't heard from (after ending up in a coma as a result of his underlying disease and exertion from his activities), the detective goes to his house to investigate.
Where he discovers a man hiding, that runs when he is found.
This man is an accountant, and doesn't exactly know how he got there.
But he does know that he had given the man an injection (of insulin), and that he has since fallen into a coma.
Hence why he ran.
He didn't realize the medicine bottle was actually empty, so he never actually injected him with anything.
Hence why the man fell into the coma.
As a result of his own experiences...the elder detective is inclined to believe him.
Meanwhile, one of the medium's other victims can't even remember how he ended up in the city.
Cracking the case takes him to a bookstore, where it is suggested he check out the book "The Key To The Secret Knowledge", written by the aforementioned astrologer.
The younger detective, on the other hand, has been tasked with investigating the case of a woman who repeatedly steals the same dress from a museum exhibition (before returning it, when she snaps out her trance).
Ultimately, all the man's targets end up in the old medium's stately home together.
Where they play out a recurring narrative they have lived out many times before, over a number of centuries.
Because, it turns out they are the reincarnated souls of 4 people who were part of this medium's life, when he was 4 years old.
They played their part in a love triangle that ended up in a multiple axe murder suicide.
And by forcing this scenario to re-play itself out, this "dying" old man has figured a way to revert to being a 4 year old child.
Effectively rendering him immortal.
It's all a very complex puzzle.
If you haven't seen the above mentioned films, I highly recommend that you watch them before going into this.
But it's not necessary.
It just makes for a more rewarding experience.
You can thank me later.
9.5 out of 10.
See also
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