Andrzej Wajda : history, politics, and nostalgia in Polish cinema

The work of Andrzej Wajda, one of the world’s most important filmmakers, shows remarkable cohesion in spite of the wide ranging scope of his films, as this study of his complete output of feature films shows. Not only do his films address crucial historical, social and political issues; the complexity of his work is reinforced by the incorporation of the elements of major film and art movements. It is the reworking of these different elements by Wajda, as the author shows, which give his films their unique visual and aural qualities. CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS INTRODUCTION. ANDRZEJ WAJDA: HIS WORDS AND HIS ARCHIVES 1. THE LIFE AND TIMES OF ANDRZEJWAJDA 2. THE BIRTH OF A MASTER: FILMS OF THE FIFTIES 3. FIGHT FOR PERFECTION: FILMS OF THE SIXTIES 4. BETWEEN POLITICS AND THE THEMES OF LIFE AND DEATH: FILMS OF THE SEVENTIES 5. NOSTALGIA AND REMORSE: FILMS OF THE EIGHTIES 6. GRANDE FINALE: FILMS OF THE NINETIES CONCLUSION NOTES BIBLIOGRAPHY FILMOGRAPHY PRIZES INDEX ILLUSTRATIONS The work of Andrzej Wajda shows notable cohesion in spite of the wide ranging scope of his films. This book is a study of the output of his feature films.