Truth or Dare: The Films of Andrzej Wajda is playing in New York’s Film Society of Lincoln Center from October 17 to November 13 – and offering a much more extensive programme than the recent BFI Southbank retrospective. In fact, a quick glance down the line-up suggests they’re offering almost everything, including some made-for-television rarities like Pilate and Others.
(hat tip: Clydefro)
One exception (unless it’s a supporting short and I haven’t spotted it yet) is the bizarre Przedkładniec (1968), whose English title has been rendered variously as Hodge Podge, Layer Cake and Roly Poly. But someone’s uploaded it to YouTube in its entirety – sadly without subtitles, but if you want a passing glimpse of what an Andrzej Wajda sci-fi comedy looks like, now’s your chance. (I think you’ll agree he hasn’t missed his true vocation).
Here’s a brief summary: Based on the work of sci-fi master Stanisław Lem (whose works were often adapted for film and television in eastern Europe, most notably by Andrei Tarkovsky in Solaris/Солярис, 1972), this is set in the 21st century. Racing car driver Richard Fox is ‘reconstructed’ by transplants after an accident and his lawyer helps him solve the mystery of whether he is himself or his brother, killed in the crash.
Meanwhile, Polish Radio reports that Wajda has just finished shooting his latest feature, titled Sweet Flag (Tatarak), based on a story by one of his favourite writers, Jarosław Iwaskiewicz, whose work Wajda previously adapted in The Birch Wood (Brzezina, 1970) and The Young Ladies of Wilko (Panny z Wilka, 1979). It also reunites Wajda with Krystyna Janda, who gave pretty much unarguably the strongest female performance in any Wajda film in Man of Marble (Człowiek z marmuru, 1977). Wajda’s own website has a page on the new film, but it’s a little skimpy at the time of writing.