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Piotr Szulkin - The Collection

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The War of the World: Next Century (Wojna swiatow - nastepne stulecie) is a Polish science-fiction film dedicated to H. G. Wells and George Orwell that depicts an anti-utopian society. As the title suggests, it is loosely based on Wells' War of the Worlds as the story involves invading Martians but the direction it takes is much different. Science fiction is a relatively rare genre in Polish cinema. Polish science fiction often has deeper meaning and The War of the World: Next Century is undoubtedly special in this regard and an unforgettable cinematographic experience.

The story starts in December 1999, just days before the new century and the people of Earth just experienced a major shock with the landing of the Martians. The main character of the film is Iron Idem (Roman Wilhelmi) who is a high-energy newscaster that is loved and well known by the people. Although Iron isn't really much of a rebel, people think of his as being different because he is a "free thinker." Little do people know he reads the script that his boss writes and isn't such a radical. Those in power treat him with contempt and don't take any chances, pushing him into turning into more of a dissenter than he really is.

The government is totalitarian and collaborates with the Martians, doing all it can to please the invaders. And the aliens do want something... blood. The people are encouraged to register their blood type and donate often. Of course, there are penalties for not donating. A few elements of the story are unclear allowing room for speculation as well as mystery.

To say The War of the World: Next Century is on the strange side would be a fair way to describe it. It could also be called artistic but more importantly it is deep. It shows us a world that is very different but also the same as ours. It makes us reflect on our own thinking and way of life in a clever way, which is ingenious.

Although there are many messages in the film the one that stands out concerns television and propaganda. The government uses TV as their tool and the people buy it all and even like it. Iron Idem comes to see through the manipulation with his experiences but getting anyone else to see the truth holds to be a challenge. The controllers have a plan for what will happen days in advance and even go so far as staging fake events. Remarkably, the people gasp and awe when they see staged event on the news.

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Piotr Szulkin's 1986 science fiction Ga, Ga Chwala Bohaterom (Ga-ga: Glory to the Heroes) brings us into a world that is not just dark but repulsive. In the 21st century the people are content so no one wants to explore distant worlds leaving the job to prisoners. For the glory of mankind they are to place the flag of Earth on the strange worlds they are sent to, if they survive long enough to do so.

The story begins aboard a penitentiary star cruiser. A prison official gives a speech intended to inspire the other inmates and makes it look like an honor to be a space explorer. Prisoner 287138 (Daniel Olbrychski) is given a space helmet in this ceremony staged in front of cages of locked prisoners. The nobility of the official's words are contrasted by the rough treatment the guards give him before he is quickly dispatched into a shuttle to perform his mission.

But the world Prisoner 287138 lands on is not uninhabited. He is greeted by a man (Jerzy Stuhr) that has a car with a young woman (Katarzyna Figura) in the back seat. We find out the pretty woman's name is Once and she catches the interest of our space explorer. It is very suspenseful as we learn about this weird planet. Prisoner 287138 is considered a "hero" and is very warmly received but the role of a hero, as we soon find out, is not entirely a pleasant one.

There is more to Szulkin's movies than just a simple story. They have an artistic side and satirical commentary on society. A reoccurring theme in Ga, Ga Chwala Bohaterom concerns freedom of action and choice. Although the world we find in this film is bizarre and grisly, it has aspects that could mirror our own.