Three Colors: White
1994 ‘Trois couleurs: Blanc’ Directed by Krzysztof Kieślowski
Synopsis
White is the second film from the trilogy by Kieślowski. “White” meaning equality. Here Kieślowski shows his talent at making comedies. It’s about the relationship between Karol, a polish hair dresser, and the beautiful Dominique, who he’s dependant on.
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After the introspection and emotion of Three Colours: Blue comes the playfulness and deviousness of Three Colours: White. Often regarded as the weakest of the trio, it is actually quite easy to see why, although anybody using that as a weapon to beat it with is being incredibly harsh.
After all, it's up against Three Colours: Blue and Three Colours: Red, and two finer films you will rarely see. Ever. Of course, it's not as if it's a competition or anything but I think it would be fair to suggest that Kieslowski probably knew that in terms of its emotional weight and depth of characters it was not going to be as strong as the other two films in the…
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Black comedy, light(er) tone, strangely placed in the middle of Red and Blue when looked at from outside, more eccentric, out there, an oddball. A strong oddball. Whilst Red and Blue are more reserved, contained, dealing with inner turmoil and disillusionment, White is a rambler. Hopeful, optimistic, free. Pessimism over optimism is my preferred desert though. I welcome your tales of discontent with open arms. Karol is not discontent like the others, merely crushed underneath it, but unrelenting. Karol remains soulful, hungry, hope will not die in this man. In a way it perfectly contrasts Red and Blue, perfectly suited to be in the middle of them, then. P-O-P. Some people are crushed and wallow in their defeat, some people…
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The first film of the Three Colors trilogy, Blue, was very dramatic, sad and ethereal. But White is a completely different film if looking at the genre and style. It of course deals with similar kind of themes, and put its characters in the same kind of positions, but the way Kieslowski approaches the subject is very different.
White is about equality and the paradox of love and freedom. But it's also a very fine, comical description of the new capitalist Poland.
Although this is a film rich in visual poetry and dense in symbolism, it is by no means a heavy film. In fact, it's a lot lighter and more enjoyable than Blue (and from what I've heard; Red…
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Kieslowski advocates often proclaim the director's brilliance based on his own disinterest in engaging in politics with his films--he can tell mature, nuanced stories of Europe on a large scale without getting on about classism and economics. And yet, the director has repeatedly failed to meet these standards since his early documentary days, not without trying of course. When "White"'s protagonist, Karol arrives in Warsaw he remarks how his brother bought a neon sign to which he receives an indifferent, shrugged of a response, "this is Europe now". Kieslowski is making his point about his level of enthusiasm for politics, and yet, he can't help but comment on them.
Even the tenants of "The Three Colours" are political by nature,…
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La igualdad es la venganza, la igualdad es el dinero, la igualdad no existe.
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White is the second film in Kieslowski's Three Colors trilogy and my personal favorite. The focus is equality.
The story revolves around a Polish immigrant who is still in love with his French wife who divorced him. A string of bad luck happens to him as he attempts to get her back.
This film (especially through the reversal at the end) really showed that good times and bad times are universal and just part of the human experience.
Kieslowski's a master of dark comedy and it's quite evident through this movie. While the things happening in the movie were unfortunate, I found myself laughing through several parts.
This is not the deepest of the Three movies, but in my opinion it's the most entertaining and interesting while still delving into experiences and dwelling on the past.
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Hilarious, involving, brisk. A wonderful change of pace after the first installment of the trilogy. Exemplifies Kieslowski's stylistic dexterity as a filmmaker.
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A great film that has improved pacing over the previous film but is missing the power and grace of Three Colors: Blue. Although I prefer Blue, White is a lovely dark comedy with witty dialogue, emotional performances, and similarly beautiful cinematography and direction. Even though the pacing is better, the story is missing the grandeur of the previous installment which detaches me from the characters. Overall, White is a wonderful "sequel". Can't wait to see Red.
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Krzysztof Kieslowski's "Blue", first in his colors trilogy, did anything but swing at low-hanging fruit. It's a great film. Don't shrug off "White" for indulging in the simple pleasures. There's beauty here; just not all of it is bleak. Also Julie Delpy. Talk about porcelain doll.
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Krzysztof Kieslowski me vuelve a impresionar, esta vez no tanto con la tecnicidad lo cual fue relevante en Trois couleurs: Bleu, sino con la narrativa que maneja la historia la cual es más conmovedora, reveladora y con muchos aspectos interesantes. Está presente una construcción de personajes admirable, sobre todo la de Zbigniew Zamachowski que expresó todo lo necesario, su desarrollo durante el film es grandioso. Me gustó mucho como la historia le aporta los altos y bajos y la manera en la que lidia con ellos. Personalmente me enamoré de la actriz Julie Delpy, es demasiado hermosa y contemplativa. El final de la película es poderoso con un mensaje muy muy claro. El cine francés realmente es muy especial. 8.5/10.
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This is Kieslowski being lazy. It's all symbolism and no story. Which wouldn't be a problem, except there obviously is a story, or at least a half-assed attempt at one. It's a revenge story, but one in which the details of the revenge plot have been carelessly glossed over. And without the details, it's impossible to accept the logic of the last 20 minutes of the film. And no, it doesn't get a pass just because it's a comedy, or because it's Krzysztof fucking Kieslowski doing semen jokes. If you're going to make a movie about a man framing his ex-wife for his own murder, you actually have to think about and clearly delineate how he accomplishes this. Otherwise, we're…
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Not as consistent as the other two films in the trilogy, White boasts the wonderfully comic face of Zamachowski, which plays well off of the stunning beauty of Delpy. The film contains a number of striking contrasts, as well as a thoughtful interplay between freedom and equality. Zamachowski, as the rejected lover, never stops pursuing his bride, realizing that the only way to get her back is to take the most extreme action. The opaque but hopeful ending tops the film off nicely.
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Black comedy, light(er) tone, strangely placed in the middle of Red and Blue when looked at from outside, more eccentric, out there, an oddball. A strong oddball. Whilst Red and Blue are more reserved, contained, dealing with inner turmoil and disillusionment, White is a rambler. Hopeful, optimistic, free. Pessimism over optimism is my preferred desert though. I welcome your tales of discontent with open arms. Karol is not discontent like the others, merely crushed underneath it, but unrelenting. Karol remains soulful, hungry, hope will not die in this man. In a way it perfectly contrasts Red and Blue, perfectly suited to be in the middle of them, then. P-O-P. Some people are crushed and wallow in their defeat, some people…
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After Blue, I did not expect a black comedy. It’s extremely witty, and the acting of Zbigniew Zamachowski is unaffected and honest. Julie Delpy is just ruthless as his lost love, and it seems to me that this film is about humiliation as much as equality or revenge. Karol Karol is the center and backbone of the film, and although it is not my favorite of the three, I think his is the performance I enjoyed the most of all the films
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Lighter than Blue in every aspect, but remarkable nonetheless. A dark satire that can be read more as a political allegory than anything else. The character here, Karol Karol, is presented with the same sensibility than Julie in Blue, but the surrounding here is not depressing or bleak, is more sweet and a bit farcical.
The complete antithesis of the first film, and perhaps the reason why is considered the weakest, but when it comes to art-house satire, this has a good place in the list.