Everything has
meaning in a Krzysztof Kieślowski film, making repeat viewings a near
necessity. Even with dozens of viewings, much of Kieślowski’s work is
increasingly rewarding due to his ability to layer the films with carefully
constructed themes and ideas. As well orchestrated as these narrative films
are, it might be difficult to believe that Kieślowski began in documentary
filmmaking, though he clearly carried over a social and political consciousness
from this early work. Blind Chance is
one of Kieślowski’s early narrative films, despite its release being delayed
six years due to some of the content. Not only was he daring in the
socio-political commentary made about communist Poland
Before there was
American romantic comedy Sliding Doors or
German philosophical thriller Run Lola
Run, Kieślowski experimented with the concept of alternate timelines in Blind Chance. After an opening of
sequence of the film’s protagonist in his final moments, followed by a series
of memories (including this protagonist in his first moments of life) which
only come together with an understanding of the remainder of the film, Blind Chance offers up three different
realities that are all born from one crucial moment. A medical student named
Witek (Bogusław Linda) rushes to make a train, unaware at how greatly the
outcome of his life will be determined by this moment.
In the first
version of this event, Witek is barely able to make the train and finds himself
engaging in a conversation with an elderly passenger named Werner (Tadeusz
Łomnicki), giving him a sense of idealism and support for the Communist
political system in Poland. This ideal is challenged by Witek’s reunion with a
former lover, Czuszka (Bogusław Pawelec), who has fallen in with the
dissidents. This decision ultimately leads to betrayal and an unhappy ending
for the couple, opening up the second path for Witek to take up with the
opposition instead.
In the first
alternate version of the same seemingly innocuous dash for the train, Witek
fails to make it in time, instead getting into a scuffle with a railway guard.
Forced to serve a community labor sentence as punishment for this, Witek falls
in with an anti-communist political activist named Marek (Jacek Borkowski), and
is swayed to join the cause. This version also involves a love interest and
ends in accusations of betrayal, though the reasons and what he betrays are
flipped from the first version. Werka (Marzena Trybała) becomes a distraction
from Witek’s political activism, so he is accused of betraying his beliefs
rather than the woman he is dating.
The tragedy of
Kieślowski’s film comes from how well things go for Witek in the final
alternate version of events. After chasing down the train for a third time,
Witek once again fails to board it but also manages to avoid a confrontation
with the station guard. Instead, Witek is left standing on the platform for a
chance encounter with a fellow medical student, Olga (Monika Goździk). Not only
does this relationship encourage Witek to continue his education as a doctor,
as opposed to the other two versions, but he also finds himself a love which
results in a happy marriage. All of this seems possible because of Witek’s
unwillingness to get involved in the politics of Poland
Kieślowski may
be best known for his Three Colors
trilogy and the television miniseries, “The Decalogue,” and deservingly so, but
fans will find his richly rewarding style of filmmaking in the lesser known Blind Chance, available here in a newly
restored 4K digital transfer of the uncensored version of the film. Only one of
the censored scenes was unavailable to be returned, making this the closest
that audiences have to the Polish Master’s original vision. This transfer was
supervised by cinematographer Krzysztof Pakulski, and also includes an
uncompressed stereo soundtrack. The Blu-ray special features also include a new
interview with film critic Tadeusz Sobolewski about the film, as well as a 2003
interview with filmmaker Agnieszka Holland. The extras also have the nine sections
which were originally censored, showing exactly what was taken out of the
film’s original release. As with all Criterion releases, Blind Chance also has an insert with an additional essay from film
critic Dennis Lim, along with an excerpt from a 1993 interview with Kieślowski
discussing the film.
Entertainment Value:
6.5/10
Quality of
Filmmaking: 9.5/10
Historical
Significance: 9/10
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