Product Details

• Actors: Zygmunt Kestowicz, Ignacy Machowski, Wieslaw Golas, Stanislaw Mikulski, Emil Karewicz
• Directors: Jerzy Kawalerowicz
• Format: Black & White, DVD, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
• Language: Polish
• Subtitles: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rating: Unrated
• Studio: POLART
• DVD Release Date: September 23, 2008
• Run Time: 98 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• ASIN: B001BMN3AA
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #120,386 in Movies & TV (See Bestsellers in Movies & TV)

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• For more information about "Shadow" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Master filmmaker Jerzy Kawalerowicz (Mother Joan of the Angels; Night Train; Quo Vadis) directed this controversial tale of intrigue, spies, and conspiracy back in an era when Poland and Eastern Europe was awash in secret agents and hidden enemies.
A Rashomon-like tale heavy in atmosphere, SHADOW follows the investigation of a man found dead after being hurled from a train. As security agents, police detectives, and the coroner attempt to piece together his identity, three possible accounts of his life and death emerge.
Attacked by critics and authorities for its depiction of suspicious officials and a repressive government, SHADOW truly captures what it was like to live behind the Iron Curtain back in the day.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This film is a multifaceted gem and watching it over makes one appreciate its complexity, December 5, 2008

By	Richard J. Brzostek (New England, USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)    (VINE VOICE)

Shadows can be a bit mysterious - so can be trying to figure out what is making them. "Shadow" (Cien) is a suspenseful mystery film that has three sub-stories. The main story consists of a couple witnessing a man jump from a train to his death. The police try to figure out his identity and why he jumped. The three stories chase the shadow of the man; they take place in 1943 (during WWII), 1946 (just after WWII) and contemporary Poland (the movie was made in 1956).

Although the three sub-stories are seemingly different, they have a few similarities. They all are about unraveling mysteries and unraveling the mystery of the man who jumped from the train. When one sees a shadow and doesn't know what it is, one's perceptions can be influenced. Point of view plays a roll in the time periods and even who is the hero or villain all depends on viewpoint. This film is a multifaceted gem and watching it over makes one appreciate its complexity.

I give a lot of credit to a movie when it lives up to its purpose. By this I mean a comedy is supposed to be funny, a horror is supposed to be scary, and a drama is supposed to be dramatic. When a movie doesn't quite live up to its purpose it has failed us to some degree. With that said, I have to say "Shadow" is exceptional in creating a lot of suspense, as a great mystery should. Kawalerowicz employees his great skill at bringing the story alive and captivates us in the process. The music, sounds and silence really draw one in. I think the many chase scenes, omniscient feeling of being watched, and even gunfights only increase the suspenseful nature of this movie.