The Public Woman 4K 1984

A daring film. Lots of action, little intrigue, jagged lines, Valérie Capriski's body. Żuławski wanted to be like Godard. He grew up and became him. ‘The Public Woman’ appeared - not a sex worker, but an actress. The film happened: light, a veil over the eyes, lips. Valerie plays Lisa. A film adaptation of Dostoevsky's The Possessed. A film adaptation of a film adaptation of The Possessed. Zulawski found Valerie. He decided to reveal her as an actress. For this, he needed an ambiguous role... Lisa. Lisa in Lisa. “It all went to hell,” thinks Zulawski. In the finale, we see the actors bowing and understand: the director is laughing. The film is dualistic. Valérie is beautiful, sexy, and an excellent actress. Żuławski is ready to turn actors inside out so that they act. His actors often seek psychological treatment after filming.

A public woman works with people, with the public. A prostitute is public, an actress is public. Valerie is an actress, and the film says that “actresses are whores.” The film begins with fragmented shots and incomprehensible hysteria. It continues with equally fragmented and hysterical shots from the filming of The Possessed, then sex, news, explosions, political assassinations (based on the book), an ending with a hanging (again based on the book), and a bow... For what? Joking aside. However, it is clear from the film that Żuławski aspires to the level of Russian classics and tries to fill the “mouse fuss” with meaning. Existentialism, taken from nowhere, like ‘love’ that came from nowhere after the hero's phrase, “let's play,” grows into the film and takes root. Then Andrzej comes along and chops them up with an axe.

A wonderful film that I didn't understand. “The Public Woman” gives a breath of fresh air to drowning auteur cinema, and then drives it back into the “water” with a half-step. Żuławski openly talks about the death of auteur cinema in this film.

The film has a great scene with the photographer and Valerie, reminiscent of the eroticism of the 90s.