King Ubu (2004)
A grotesque Shakespearean tale of Ubu who comes to power in a bloody way. When his absurd reforms fail and the treasury gets empty, Ubu and his flatterers start implementing terror across the country.
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This move is an interesting commentary to political situation in Poland, after the fall of Eastern Block. Corrupted politics, poverty, birth of fundamentalism. Most of the society are disappointed with the political and economical reality. It's a short way to anger and fury.However it's not a very good movie. I like the idea of portraying country and it's society in grotesque way, but the whole plot could be better. In the rush of mad and exaggerate events, there is distinct lack of good, interesting story. There isn't an single character to be liked in this movie, which I can understand, while it's a critical overview of politics.Overall I rather recommend it for those who'd like to see unusual (in many aspects) polish movie or Szulkin fans.
In Jarry's original play Ubu becomes King of a - then nonexistent- Poland and Polish writers and illustrators have returned the compliment since- most notably in Franciszka Themerson's illustrations, puppet costumes and cartoons. Now Ubu's fellow country men depict him again, as an oligarch turned kleptocrat after the fall of communism. It is surprising- and alarming- how easily the tale of Ubu and his wife, their betrayals and cowardice can be shown on a post-communist landscape instead of Jarry's nightmare neverland. Jan Peszek and Katarzyna Figura depict the Ubus with a complete lack of redeeming qualities and the film is deliberately artificial in its settings and characterisations, using symbols and caricature to deride state church and people and internal and international politics.