Rycerz (1980)

Director:

Lech Majewski

Writer:

Lech Majewski (writer)

Release Date:

6 October 1980 (Poland)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

A tale of medieval quest for a golden harp called "the Knight". |

Cast

Piotr Skarga	...	Knight
Daniel Olbrychski	...	Herophant
Andrzej Hudziak	...	Youngest Monk
Katarzyna Kozak-Paszkowska	...	Princess
Czeslaw Meissner	...	Monk 1
Stanislaw Holly	...	Old Monk
Pawel Sanakiewicz	...	Crispin
Piotr Machalica	...	Vieslav
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Wladyslaw Ebert
Jan Frycz
Marek Glebocki
Juliusz Grabowski
Irena Jun
Mieczyslaw Majewski
Henryk Nolewajka
Adam Raczkowski
Boguslaw Wieczorek
Józef Wieczorek
Andrzej Wilczkowski
Wieslaw Zanowicz
Tadeusz Zieba

Directed by
Lech Majewski

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Lech Majewski		writer

Original Music by
Zygmunt Konieczny
Zdzislaw Szostak

Cinematography by
Czeslaw Swirta

Film Editing by
Lidia Pacewicz

Production Design by
Jerzy Szeski

Costume Design by
Barbara Sródka-Makówka

Makeup Department
Izabela Andrys	....	assistant makeup artist
Irena Bak	....	assistant makeup artist
Iwona Maria Karpinska	....	assistant makeup artist (as Iwona Skwarka)
Helena Matejska	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Jerzy Nitecki	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jacek Koprowicz	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Lech Kowalewski	....	assistant sound
Józef Langner	....	assistant sound
Zygmunt Nowak	....	sound effects
Józef Rychter	....	assistant sound
Leszek Wronko	....	sound

Camera and Electrical Department
Jan Górski	....	assistant camera
Dominik Koziol	....	camera operator
Józef Letkier	....	assistant camera
Józef Skibinski	....	assistant camera
Andrzej Wrzesien	....	still photographer

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Monika Pawlowska	....	assistant costume designer

Editorial Department
Jacek Kobierski	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Anna Izykowska-Mironowicz	....	music consultant

Production Companies

• Film Polski
• Zespól Filmowy "Profil"

Also Known As:

The Knight

Runtime:

81 min

Country:

Poland

Language:

Polish

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Mono

Company:

Film Polski

"All human hopes and desires shall perish . . ."

This is a hard film to evaluate because it doesn't treat itself like film at all. It doesn't even try to be appealing for the audience, and it also fails as an "arthouse" film because it is, for the most part, aesthetically bland. In terms of its figurations and themes, The Knight is equally underplayed--all traces of plot or moral/thematic development seem to simply fizzle out, leaving the film largely unresolved and inconclusive. The boundary between the world of the film and world of the viewer is constantly violated by characters who stare into the camera--sometimes appearing to directly address the audience. Artifice is made intentionally obvious throughout. However, the film left a lasting impression on me. Because the film plays by its own rules, perhaps it is unfair to judge it based on preconceived cinematic notions. I feel like The Knight reiterated tired themes of futility and imprisonment in the search for happiness/meaning in a new (albeit strange) way. Really, I don't know what to say about it other than it is difficult but ultimately worthwhile.

And there are actually some interesting technical aspects as well, such as the use of silence, voice over, symmetry, and a camera that remains static throughout the entire movie (no joke- totally stationary the WHOLE time). The still camera creates this interesting tableau effect--like you're looking at medieval paintings. Weird, but good.