The Devil (1972)

During the Prussian army's invasion to Poland in 1793, a young Polish nobleman, Jakub is saved from the imprisonment by a stranger who wants in return to obtain a list of his fellow ... See full summary »

Director:

Andrzej Zulawski

Writer:

Andrzej Zulawski

Stars:

Leszek Teleszynski, Wojciech Pszoniak, Malgorzata Braunek

1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview:
Leszek Teleszynski	...	Jakub
Wojciech Pszoniak	...	Diabel / Wybawca Jakuba-Jakub's savior
Malgorzata Braunek	...	Narzeczona Jakuba / Jakuba's fiancee
Iga Mayr	...	Matka Jakuba / Jakuba's mother
Anna Parzonka	...	Siostra Jakuba / Jakub's sister
Michal Grudzinski	...	Ezechiel
Maciej Englert	...	Hrabia / pan mlody-groom
Monika Niemczyk	...	Zakonnica / Nun
Bozena Miefiodow	...	Turecka aktorka / Turkish actress
Wiktor Sadecki	...	Herz / Theatre owner
Lukasz Zulawski	...	Aktor
Jerzy Zygmunt Nowak	...	Kamerdyner
Eugeniusz Priwieziencew	...	Kompan
Marian Zdenicki	...	Karzel / Dwarf

Storyline

During the Prussian army's invasion to Poland in 1793, a young Polish nobleman, Jakub is saved from the imprisonment by a stranger who wants in return to obtain a list of his fellow conspirators. Following his mysterious savior across the country, Jakub sees the overall chaos and moral corruption including his father's death and the betrayal of his friend who stole his fiancee. Being apparently demented by what he has seen, he commits a number of seemingly motiveless and gory killings.

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Plot Keywords:

poland | mother son incest | incest | 1790s | experimental | 

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Genres:

Drama | History | Horror

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Connections

Featured in Brows Held High: Häxan (2012)

User Reviews

A Messy, Pointless and Violent Journey to Insanity

In Poland, a mysterious man comes to a chaotic convent to bring to Warsaw the nobleman political prisoner Jakub (Leszek Teleszynski) that imprisoned in the dungeons. The stranger requests the list of fellow conspirators to Jakub and abducts a nun to travel with Jakub in his journey back home. When he arrives in his destroyed house, he sees his father dead; his sister abused and insane; his mother in a brothel; and his girlfriend pregnant and living with his former best friend. Jakub becomes deranged and using a razor delivered by the stranger, he kills each sinner, in an irrational period of chaos and moral degradation.

"Diabel" is a messy, pointless and violent journey to insanity. The writer and director Andrzej Zulawski makes a dreadful film, with a screenplay that does not tell the milestone when the story takes place. In accordance with the DVD cover, the period is 1793, during the invasion of Poland by the Prussian army. The performances are histrionic and theatrical, and the violence is stupid with the only intention of shocking the audience. My vote is four.

Title (Brazil): "Diabel"

Details

Country:

Poland

Language:

Polish

Release Date:

March 1988 (Poland)

Also Known As:

The Devil

Filming Locations:

Bagno, Dolnoslaskie, Poland

Company Credits

Production Co:

Zespól Filmowy "X"

Technical Specs

Runtime:

119 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1