A Short Film About Killing

Krzystzof Kieslowski, Poland, 1988, 84 minutes

Part of the director's Decalogue, a reinterpretation of the Ten Commandments, this is perhaps the best sample of his work which also includes the recent The Double Life of Veronique. Kieslowski maintains the tradition of Wajda and Zanussi which wants Polish cinema to produce minor masterpieces. This one, however, does not deserve this label despite the fact that it's often impressive and hauntingly beautiful.

The plot couldn't be more simple: a young man commits a horrific murder and then, caught by the authorities, he is tortured and executed. This however doesn't give everything away as the focus is on the actual processes of the murder and the eventual execution. Thus, Kieslowski spends most of the time describing in detail these two illegal acts. In fact, to the director's merit, the film moves away from any attempt to provide psychological explanations, thus rendering itself vulnerable to criticism. The grim atmosphere is further strenghtened by Kieslowski's unique aesthetics with yellow colour emerging everywhere in the film.

It's not difficult to realize that the director's work has been largely influenced by Hitchcock. A Short Film about Love was overtly inspired by Rear Window while in this one the influence comes from Torn Curtain. Wry, disturbing, pessimistic, A Short Film about Killing comes face to face with the appalling truth of the act of murder.

Review by Spiros Gangas
Taken from EUFS Programme 1992-93