The Roe's Room (1997)

A young boy transforms his cloistered existence into a richly poetic emotional utopia through song and dance.

Director:

Lech Majewski

Writer:

Lech Majewski

Stars:

Rafal Olbrychski, Elzbieta Mazur, Mieczyslaw Czepulonis

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Rafal Olbrychski	...	Syn
Elzbieta Mazur	...	Matka
Mieczyslaw Czepulonis	...	Ojciec
Agnieszka Wróblewska	...	Dziewczyna

Storyline

Within their apartment, a father, mother and son bear the dulling yoke of an ordinary urban life. His mind and heart borne aloft by the cycle of the seasons and the images and music within him, the son transforms his cloistered existence into a richly poetic emotional utopia. As autumn arrives, cracking flakes of plaster become falling leaves. With spring, a cold hard floor comes alive with meadow grass and love beckons in the form of a beautiful young girl's outstretched hand. A ravishing ode to the imagination, THE ROE'S ROOM is a place where the energy of youth and the eternal power of the natural world triumph over the banalities and deprivations of the commonplace.

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Plot Keywords:

opera | seasons | grass | male rear nudity | male full frontal nudity | 

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Genres:

Drama | Fantasy | Music

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

Poland

Language:

Polish

Release Date:

14 June 1997 (Poland)

Also Known As:

The Roe's Room

Filming Locations:

Poland

Company Credits

Production Co:

Telewizja Polska (TVP)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

User Reviews

Appreciate Majewskis work as a trans-genre libretto not as a movie

This review is primarily a rebuttal to the comment that this film looks to much like 'TV' and lacks plot. First of all, if you know anything about Majewski you know he has a love for Dutch Renaissance paintings and he has developed unique cinematography reminiscent of their style. Additionally, anyone making references to plot and realism, is completely missing the boat. This film is not a 'movie' in the traditional meaning, therefore you cannot make comparisons to any movie genre characteristics. The lack of dialogue except for singing should not be surprising from a film subtitled "An Autobiographical Opera" and in which he names himself as the "librettist" instead of director in the opening credits.

If you liked this "painterly" film as another review referred to this film, you will love Majewski's most well known film THE MILL AND THE CROSS Mill. He actually recreates the Dutch Renaissance painting THE PROCESSION TO CALVARY with incredible precision as a live action film using real actors and special effects.

For a more accessible feature film that follows most of the rules of the traditional drama movie genre, THE GARDEN OF EARTHLY DELIGHTS tells a story of two lovers existential journey of Venice and exploration of the eponymous triptych by Bosch another Dutch painter.