Golem (1980)

The film is set in a terrorizing world of the future, where technology commands the movements of individuals, supervised by the doctors, carrying out a program to improve the human race. ... See full summary »

Director:

Piotr Szulkin

Writers:

Piotr Szulkin (screenplay), Tadeusz Sobolewski (screenplay)

Stars:

Marek Walczewski, Krystyna Janda, Joanna Zólkowska

1 win.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Marek Walczewski	...	Pernat
Krystyna Janda	...	Rozyna
Joanna Zólkowska	...	Miriam
Anna Jaraczówna	...	Old Woman
Mariusz Dmochowski	...	Holtrum, Rozyna's Father
Wieslaw Drzewicz	...	Miriam's Father
Henryk Bak	...	Warehouseman in Detention Center
Jan Nowicki	...	Champion of Sleep
Wojciech Pszoniak	...	Prisoner
Krzysztof Majchrzak	...	Rozyna's Brother
Grazyna Bernacka
Zofia Czerwinska	...	Toilet Grandma
Natalia Sikorska
Arkadiusz Bazak	...	Medical Chief
Zbigniew Buczkowski	...	Male Nurse

Storyline

The film is set in a terrorizing world of the future, where technology commands the movements of individuals, supervised by the doctors, carrying out a program to improve the human race. Thus, instead of doctors creating a monster, the monsters are already there as the species of the future - but one of them is suspected by the doctors of being a human being. That is Golem in reverse.

---

Plot Keywords:

post punk | psychotronic film | doctor | future | golem | 

---

Genres:

Sci-Fi

---

Details

Country:

Poland

Language:

Polish

Release Date:

18 March 1980 (Poland)

Also Known As:

Голем

Filming Locations:

Poland

Company Credits

Production Co:

Film Polski, Zespol Filmowy "Perspektywa"

Technical Specs

Runtime:

92 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Connections

References Frankenstein (1931)

User Reviews

Inert, Hard to Watch Movie with an Expressive Visual Style

This Polish film looks nice. The use of color filters offers a standout look. Much of the film is bathed in yellow and red light. The look reminds me a little of the Russian science fiction films Letters from a Dead Man and Stalker. The latter is particularly noteworthy since director Piotr Szulkin clearly admires Andrei Tarkovsky. Unfortunately, this variation on the golem story is a slog to watch.

The confusing plot begins with the protagonist, Pernat, at a police station being interrogated about a murdered neighbor who lived in the same apartment building. Pernat seems confused about much of his past but because there is no evidence the police free the man. However, when he goes to collect his personal effects, he is given someone else's hat and coat by the unconcerned clerk. When Pernat returns home, the viewer is introduced to the other people who live in the building. They are all eccentrics. The rest of the film has the hero bouncing from one tenant to the next, finding all social relations difficult. Every now and then, the story is interrupted by a group of scientists discussing a project that went wrong. That is about it for plot. The viewer waits for something more sinister to develop, and waits, and waits. . . .

Almost nothing happens in this film. The director shows his various influences, Franz Kafka, Andrei Tarkovsky, the Tarot deck, and the legend of the golem, but the director fails to tell a coherent story. Sure, the film looks nice. Too bad it does not go anywhere.