Knife in the Water

[Andy O'Neil]

Just saw this. Three characters. One primary setting. 94 minutes. Thought it was great.

 

Adrian Lyne must have borrowed some ideas from this movie for "Unfaithful." Anyone concur? The end of both movies is very similar.

 

I thought the actress was great. She was beautiful but in a subtle way. I understand she didn't have any previous acting experience, and it was difficult for Polanski to get her to react the way he wanted.

 

Does anyone have any trivia, interesting tech specs for this movie?

Edited November 25, 2004 by Andy O'Neil

[Wendell_Greene]

I like this film as well seeing as Polanski is one of my favorite directors. Hmmm trivia? Well, Polanski considered casting himself as the third wheel hitchhiker. He also operated the [Arriflex] camera in tandem with his DP. There was another thread a few weeks ago about this film and I've been meaning to research what B&W negative 35mm filmstock(s) would have been available to Polanski in Poland in 1961/62. Does any one have an ideal?

 

Also did you notice how the wife at the outset of the film looks very dour and conservative in appearance yet as the film progresses and the tension mounts between the trio she begins to look better & better ?

 

And I love ambigous endings in films [something that major studio focus groups and test screening have killed off in films] I didn't see the French film that inspired "Unfaithful". Were the endings the same? Maybe that French director was influenced by Polanski's ending and Lyne was influenced indirectly?

[Andy O'Neil]

did you notice how the wife at the outset of the film looks very dour and conservative in appearance yet as the film progresses and the tension mounts between the trio she begins to look better & better?

 

Yes, I too noticed her evolution. The special features on the Criterion disc verified that this was intentional. Seems that Jolanta U. was only in one other movie after "Knife in the Water."

 

I found her to be very sensuous and sexy. The sexual implications in some scenes are much more profound than anything you'd see in "Barb Wire" or Lyne's "Unfaithful" for that matter. Lyne's "Lolita" revision was if I recall more subdued and as a result had much more of a punch.

 

I know Polanski and his work were under much authoritative scrutiny. I want to see more movies that were limited due to the Hays Code and hyper religious conservatism. I think such limitations yield much finer results. It's the same with monetary limitations as exemplified by "Jaws." The more the limitations, the more creative you are forced to be.

 

I love watching actresses like Raquel Welch, Sophia Loren, etc. I would appreciate suggestions. What are some genuinely sexy and substantial films?

[Dan Salzmann]

I agree that budget has a much bigger effect on the final result than is generally acknowledged.

This might be due to the fact that if it "works" and or the film does well, these limitations are chalked up to "artistic genius" on the part of the director and occasionally to others concerned.

Necessity being the mother of invention, etc.

Polanski might have used Agfa stocks at the time but I can't be sure. I only had the chance to use Agfa super8 stocks when they existed.

Polanski has done some great films although I found "Ninth Door" to be a real lemon and IMHO "The Pianist" was too beautiful a film (ie. too glamourous) for the story as well as being very predictable.

[Wendell_Greene]

What are some genuinely sexy and substantial films?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Go for the director cut DVDs for:

 

Malena

Henry and June

Like Water For Chocolate

Y Tu Mama Tambien

Woman in the Dunes

Wide Sargasso Sea

The Lover

Swimming Pool

The Unbearable Lightness of Being

 

And if you like Raquel Welch check out Myra Breckinridge and 100 Rifles (with Jim Brown)

[Dan Salzmann]

In the Realm of the Senses

Night Porter

Fallen Angels

Last Tango in Paris

Badlands

[Dan Salzmann]

In the Realm of the Senses

Night Porter

Fallen Angels

Last Tango in Paris

Badlands