(Dekalog, 1988)
A ten-part series of contemporary television films directed by Krzysztof Kieślowski for the film studio Tor. Kieslowski's series is loosely inspired by the Ten Commandments, which are not illustrated but referred to in ten anecdotes, each with two or three leading characters. Decalogue was produced with the involvement of Kieslowski's regular collaborators: scriptwriter Krzysztof Piesiewicz, composer Zbigniew Preisner, and nine leading Polish cinematographers (Piotr Sobociński worked on parts 2 and 9), which resulted in slightly different visual styles in the various parts of Decalogue. The enigmatic, angel-like character (Artur Barciś) glues the series together and adds an almost metaphysical dimension. He appears in some decisive scenes of Decalogue, when the fates of the protagonists are determined.
Despite its apparent religious connotations, Decalogue is not only an exploration of religious or metaphysical issues, but also an acute analysis of the mental condition of Polish society before 1989. The ugliness and grayness of the dehumanized urban setting dominate the filmic landscape, together with close-ups of the people who endure these harsh conditions. The series introduces undistinguished characters, mostly intelligent professionals, dwarfed by an oppressive political system. The viewer watches them in situations that require immediate and vital decisions and is introduced to their moral dilemmas. The open structure of Decalogue invites the viewer to interpret the actions of Kieslowski's protagonists, to follow their struggles with destiny in an abundance of chance encounters, symbols, allusions, ambiguity, deliberately slow pacing, laconic dialogue, and a number of recurring motifs.
Kieślowski also produced extended versions of two parts of Decalogue to be shown in cinema theaters. The feature versions of Decalogue 5, A Short Film about Killing (Krótki film o zabijaniu, 1988), and Decalogue 6, A Short Film about Love (Krótki film o miłości, 1988), were exceptionally well received in Europe.
Historical Dictionary of Polish Cinema by Marek Haltof
Guide to cinema. Academic. 2011.