The Hour-Glass Sanatorium
Encyclopedia
The Hour-Glass Sanatorium is a 1973 Polish film directed by Wojciech Jerzy Has, starring Jan Nowicki
, Tadeusz Kondrat, Mieczysław Voit, Halina Kowalska and Gustaw Holoubek
. It is also known as The Sandglass in English speaking countries. The story follows a man who visits his father in a mystical sanatorium where time does not behave normally. The film is an adaptation of Bruno Schulz
's story collection Sanatorium Under the Sign of the Hourglass
. It won the Jury Prize at the 1973 Cannes Film Festival
.
) travels through a dream-like world, taking a dilapidated train to visit his dying father, Jacob, in a sanatorium
. When he arrives at the hospital, he finds the entire facility is going to ruin and no one seems to be in charge or even caring for the patients. Time appears to behave in unpredictable ways, reanimating the past in an elaborate artificial caprice.
Though Joseph is always shown as an adult, his behavior and the people around often depict him as a child. He befriends Rudoph, a young boy who owns a postage stamp album. The names of the stamps trigger in Joseph a wealth of association and adventure. Among the many occurrences in this visually potent phantasmagoria
include Joseph re-entering childhood episodes with his wildly eccentric father (who lives with birds in an attic), being arrested by a mysterious unit of soldiers for having a dream that was severely criticized in high places, reflecting on a girl he fantasized about in his boyhood and commandeering a group of historic wax mannequins. Throughout his strange journey, an ominous blind train conductor reappears like a death figure.
Has also adds a series of reflections on the Holocaust that were not present in the original texts, reading Schulz's prose through the prism of the author's death during World War II
and the demise of the world he described.
, but also includes sequences from other works by Bruno Schulz
. Regarding the possibility of a film adaptation of a book written by Schulz, director Wojciech Jerzy Has said: "Schulz's poetic prose was the reading of my early youth. It influenced my films. That is why the realization of The Hourglass Sanatorium was a must for me. My aim was not to make a literal adaption of the work, but rather to do justice to what we call the work's poetics: its unique, isolated world, its atmospherics, colours and shapes." The time period of the film is a mixture of elements from the turn-of-the-century Galicia where Schulz grew up, and Has' own pre-World War II memories of the same region. The film was produced by Zespół Filmowy Silesia. Principal photography took place at the Wytwórnia Filmów Fabularnych studios in Łódź.
, but the director managed to smuggle a print abroad so the film could be screened at the festival. The Cannes jury, led by actress Ingrid Bergman
, honoured the film with the Jury Prize. The Polish premiere took place on 11 December 1973.
, Tadeusz Kondrat, Mieczysław Voit, Halina Kowalska and Gustaw Holoubek
. It is also known as The Sandglass in English speaking countries. The story follows a man who visits his father in a mystical sanatorium where time does not behave normally. The film is an adaptation of Bruno Schulz
's story collection Sanatorium Under the Sign of the Hourglass
. It won the Jury Prize at the 1973 Cannes Film Festival
.
) travels through a dream-like world, taking a dilapidated train to visit his dying father, Jacob, in a sanatorium
. When he arrives at the hospital, he finds the entire facility is going to ruin and no one seems to be in charge or even caring for the patients. Time appears to behave in unpredictable ways, reanimating the past in an elaborate artificial caprice.
Though Joseph is always shown as an adult, his behavior and the people around often depict him as a child. He befriends Rudoph, a young boy who owns a postage stamp album. The names of the stamps trigger in Joseph a wealth of association and adventure. Among the many occurrences in this visually potent phantasmagoria
include Joseph re-entering childhood episodes with his wildly eccentric father (who lives with birds in an attic), being arrested by a mysterious unit of soldiers for having a dream that was severely criticized in high places, reflecting on a girl he fantasized about in his boyhood and commandeering a group of historic wax mannequins. Throughout his strange journey, an ominous blind train conductor reappears like a death figure.
Has also adds a series of reflections on the Holocaust that were not present in the original texts, reading Schulz's prose through the prism of the author's death during World War II
and the demise of the world he described.
, but also includes sequences from other works by Bruno Schulz
. Regarding the possibility of a film adaptation of a book written by Schulz, director Wojciech Jerzy Has said: "Schulz's poetic prose was the reading of my early youth. It influenced my films. That is why the realization of The Hourglass Sanatorium was a must for me. My aim was not to make a literal adaption of the work, but rather to do justice to what we call the work's poetics: its unique, isolated world, its atmospherics, colours and shapes." The time period of the film is a mixture of elements from the turn-of-the-century Galicia where Schulz grew up, and Has' own pre-World War II memories of the same region. The film was produced by Zespół Filmowy Silesia. Principal photography took place at the Wytwórnia Filmów Fabularnych studios in Łódź.
, but the director managed to smuggle a print abroad so the film could be screened at the festival. The Cannes jury, led by actress Ingrid Bergman
, honoured the film with the Jury Prize. The Polish premiere took place on 11 December 1973.
, Tadeusz Kondrat, Mieczysław Voit, Halina Kowalska and Gustaw Holoubek
. It is also known as The Sandglass in English speaking countries. The story follows a man who visits his father in a mystical sanatorium where time does not behave normally. The film is an adaptation of Bruno Schulz
's story collection Sanatorium Under the Sign of the Hourglass
. It won the Jury Prize at the 1973 Cannes Film Festival
.
) travels through a dream-like world, taking a dilapidated train to visit his dying father, Jacob, in a sanatorium
. When he arrives at the hospital, he finds the entire facility is going to ruin and no one seems to be in charge or even caring for the patients. Time appears to behave in unpredictable ways, reanimating the past in an elaborate artificial caprice.
Though Joseph is always shown as an adult, his behavior and the people around often depict him as a child. He befriends Rudoph, a young boy who owns a postage stamp album. The names of the stamps trigger in Joseph a wealth of association and adventure. Among the many occurrences in this visually potent phantasmagoria
include Joseph re-entering childhood episodes with his wildly eccentric father (who lives with birds in an attic), being arrested by a mysterious unit of soldiers for having a dream that was severely criticized in high places, reflecting on a girl he fantasized about in his boyhood and commandeering a group of historic wax mannequins. Throughout his strange journey, an ominous blind train conductor reappears like a death figure.
Has also adds a series of reflections on the Holocaust that were not present in the original texts, reading Schulz's prose through the prism of the author's death during World War II
and the demise of the world he described.
, but also includes sequences from other works by Bruno Schulz
. Regarding the possibility of a film adaptation of a book written by Schulz, director Wojciech Jerzy Has said: "Schulz's poetic prose was the reading of my early youth. It influenced my films. That is why the realization of The Hourglass Sanatorium was a must for me. My aim was not to make a literal adaption of the work, but rather to do justice to what we call the work's poetics: its unique, isolated world, its atmospherics, colours and shapes." The time period of the film is a mixture of elements from the turn-of-the-century Galicia where Schulz grew up, and Has' own pre-World War II memories of the same region. The film was produced by Zespół Filmowy Silesia. Principal photography took place at the Wytwórnia Filmów Fabularnych studios in Łódź.
, but the director managed to smuggle a print abroad so the film could be screened at the festival. The Cannes jury, led by actress Ingrid Bergman
, honoured the film with the Jury Prize. The Polish premiere took place on 11 December 1973.
Jan Nowicki
Jan Nowicki is a Polish actor. He has appeared in 90 films and television episodes since 1967.-Selected filmography:* Colonel Wolodyjowski * Family Life * The Hour-Glass Sanatorium * Spiral...
, Tadeusz Kondrat, Mieczysław Voit, Halina Kowalska and Gustaw Holoubek
Gustaw Holoubek
Gustaw Holoubek was a Polish actor, director, member of the Polish Sejm, and a senator.Holoubek participated in the September Campaign and was a prisoner of war during the Nazi German Occupation of Poland...
. It is also known as The Sandglass in English speaking countries. The story follows a man who visits his father in a mystical sanatorium where time does not behave normally. The film is an adaptation of Bruno Schulz
Bruno Schulz
Bruno Schulz was a Polish writer, fine artist, literary critic and art teacher born to Jewish parents, and regarded as one of the great Polish-language prose stylists of the 20th century. Schulz was born in Drohobycz, in the province of Galicia then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and spent...
's story collection Sanatorium Under the Sign of the Hourglass
Sanatorium Under the Sign of the Hourglass
Sanatorium Under the Sign of the Hourglass is the English title of Sanatorium Pod Klepsydrą, a novel by the Polish writer and painter Bruno Schulz, published in 1937.-Plot introduction:...
. It won the Jury Prize at the 1973 Cannes Film Festival
1973 Cannes Film Festival
The 26th Cannes Film Festival was held on May 10–25, 1973. At this festival two new non-competitive sections were added: 'Étude et documents' and 'Perspectives du Cinéma Français' ....
.
Plot
Joseph (Jan NowickiJan Nowicki
Jan Nowicki is a Polish actor. He has appeared in 90 films and television episodes since 1967.-Selected filmography:* Colonel Wolodyjowski * Family Life * The Hour-Glass Sanatorium * Spiral...
) travels through a dream-like world, taking a dilapidated train to visit his dying father, Jacob, in a sanatorium
Sanatorium
A sanatorium is a medical facility for long-term illness, most typically associated with treatment of tuberculosis before antibiotics...
. When he arrives at the hospital, he finds the entire facility is going to ruin and no one seems to be in charge or even caring for the patients. Time appears to behave in unpredictable ways, reanimating the past in an elaborate artificial caprice.
Though Joseph is always shown as an adult, his behavior and the people around often depict him as a child. He befriends Rudoph, a young boy who owns a postage stamp album. The names of the stamps trigger in Joseph a wealth of association and adventure. Among the many occurrences in this visually potent phantasmagoria
Phantasmagoria
Phantasmagoria can refer to:* Phantasmagoria, a type of show using an optical device to display moving images* Phantasmagoria, a video game* Phantasmagoria: A Puzzle of Flesh, a video game sequel to Phantasmagoria...
include Joseph re-entering childhood episodes with his wildly eccentric father (who lives with birds in an attic), being arrested by a mysterious unit of soldiers for having a dream that was severely criticized in high places, reflecting on a girl he fantasized about in his boyhood and commandeering a group of historic wax mannequins. Throughout his strange journey, an ominous blind train conductor reappears like a death figure.
Has also adds a series of reflections on the Holocaust that were not present in the original texts, reading Schulz's prose through the prism of the author's death during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and the demise of the world he described.
Cast
- Jan NowickiJan NowickiJan Nowicki is a Polish actor. He has appeared in 90 films and television episodes since 1967.-Selected filmography:* Colonel Wolodyjowski * Family Life * The Hour-Glass Sanatorium * Spiral...
as Józef - Tadeusz Kondrat as Jakub, Józef's father
- Irena Orska as Józef's mother
- Halina Kowalska as Adela
- Gustaw HoloubekGustaw HoloubekGustaw Holoubek was a Polish actor, director, member of the Polish Sejm, and a senator.Holoubek participated in the September Campaign and was a prisoner of war during the Nazi German Occupation of Poland...
as Dr. Gotard - Mieczysław Voit as train conductor
- Bożena Adamek as Bianka
- Ludwik Benoit as Szloma
- Henryk Boukołowski as firefighter
- Seweryn Dalecki as Teodor the clerk
- Jerzy PrzybylskiJerzy PrzybylskiJerzy Przybylski was a Polish actor. He made over 25 appearances in film and television. He starred in the 1986–1987 television series Zmiennicy.-External links:...
as Mr. de V. - Julian Jabczyński as dignitary
- Wiktor Sadecki as dignitary
- Janina Sokołowska as nurse
- Wojciech Standełło as Jew
- Tadeusz Schmidt as officer
- Szymon Szurmiej as Jew reciting verses from EcclesiastesEcclesiastesThe Book of Ecclesiastes, called , is a book of the Hebrew Bible. The English name derives from the Greek translation of the Hebrew title.The main speaker in the book, identified by the name or title Qoheleth , introduces himself as "son of David, king in Jerusalem." The work consists of personal...
false - Paweł Unrug as ornithologist
- Filip Zylber as Rudolf
- Jerzy Trela as jester
Production
The Hour-Glass Sanatorium is not solely an adaptation of Sanatorium Under the Sign of the HourglassSanatorium Under the Sign of the Hourglass
Sanatorium Under the Sign of the Hourglass is the English title of Sanatorium Pod Klepsydrą, a novel by the Polish writer and painter Bruno Schulz, published in 1937.-Plot introduction:...
, but also includes sequences from other works by Bruno Schulz
Bruno Schulz
Bruno Schulz was a Polish writer, fine artist, literary critic and art teacher born to Jewish parents, and regarded as one of the great Polish-language prose stylists of the 20th century. Schulz was born in Drohobycz, in the province of Galicia then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and spent...
. Regarding the possibility of a film adaptation of a book written by Schulz, director Wojciech Jerzy Has said: "Schulz's poetic prose was the reading of my early youth. It influenced my films. That is why the realization of The Hourglass Sanatorium was a must for me. My aim was not to make a literal adaption of the work, but rather to do justice to what we call the work's poetics: its unique, isolated world, its atmospherics, colours and shapes." The time period of the film is a mixture of elements from the turn-of-the-century Galicia where Schulz grew up, and Has' own pre-World War II memories of the same region. The film was produced by Zespół Filmowy Silesia. Principal photography took place at the Wytwórnia Filmów Fabularnych studios in Łódź.
Release
Despite being a major production, the finished film was met by reluctancy from the Polish authorities. Not only was the crumbled sanatorium interpret as a prallel to the poor condition of many institutions and manor houses in contemporary Poland; Has had also chosen to emphasize the Jewish aspects of the source material, and this soon after an antisemitic campaign the government had launched in 1968, which had prompted around 30,000 Polish Jews to leave the country. The authorities forbid Has to submit The Hour-Glass Sanatorium for the 1973 Cannes Film Festival1973 Cannes Film Festival
The 26th Cannes Film Festival was held on May 10–25, 1973. At this festival two new non-competitive sections were added: 'Étude et documents' and 'Perspectives du Cinéma Français' ....
, but the director managed to smuggle a print abroad so the film could be screened at the festival. The Cannes jury, led by actress Ingrid Bergman
Ingrid Bergman
Ingrid Bergman was a Swedish actress who starred in a variety of European and American films. She won three Academy Awards, two Emmy Awards, and the Tony Award for Best Actress. She is ranked as the fourth greatest female star of American cinema of all time by the American Film Institute...
, honoured the film with the Jury Prize. The Polish premiere took place on 11 December 1973.
External links
The Hour-Glass Sanatorium is a 1973 Polish film directed by Wojciech Jerzy Has, starring Jan NowickiJan Nowicki
Jan Nowicki is a Polish actor. He has appeared in 90 films and television episodes since 1967.-Selected filmography:* Colonel Wolodyjowski * Family Life * The Hour-Glass Sanatorium * Spiral...
, Tadeusz Kondrat, Mieczysław Voit, Halina Kowalska and Gustaw Holoubek
Gustaw Holoubek
Gustaw Holoubek was a Polish actor, director, member of the Polish Sejm, and a senator.Holoubek participated in the September Campaign and was a prisoner of war during the Nazi German Occupation of Poland...
. It is also known as The Sandglass in English speaking countries. The story follows a man who visits his father in a mystical sanatorium where time does not behave normally. The film is an adaptation of Bruno Schulz
Bruno Schulz
Bruno Schulz was a Polish writer, fine artist, literary critic and art teacher born to Jewish parents, and regarded as one of the great Polish-language prose stylists of the 20th century. Schulz was born in Drohobycz, in the province of Galicia then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and spent...
's story collection Sanatorium Under the Sign of the Hourglass
Sanatorium Under the Sign of the Hourglass
Sanatorium Under the Sign of the Hourglass is the English title of Sanatorium Pod Klepsydrą, a novel by the Polish writer and painter Bruno Schulz, published in 1937.-Plot introduction:...
. It won the Jury Prize at the 1973 Cannes Film Festival
1973 Cannes Film Festival
The 26th Cannes Film Festival was held on May 10–25, 1973. At this festival two new non-competitive sections were added: 'Étude et documents' and 'Perspectives du Cinéma Français' ....
.
Plot
Joseph (Jan NowickiJan Nowicki
Jan Nowicki is a Polish actor. He has appeared in 90 films and television episodes since 1967.-Selected filmography:* Colonel Wolodyjowski * Family Life * The Hour-Glass Sanatorium * Spiral...
) travels through a dream-like world, taking a dilapidated train to visit his dying father, Jacob, in a sanatorium
Sanatorium
A sanatorium is a medical facility for long-term illness, most typically associated with treatment of tuberculosis before antibiotics...
. When he arrives at the hospital, he finds the entire facility is going to ruin and no one seems to be in charge or even caring for the patients. Time appears to behave in unpredictable ways, reanimating the past in an elaborate artificial caprice.
Though Joseph is always shown as an adult, his behavior and the people around often depict him as a child. He befriends Rudoph, a young boy who owns a postage stamp album. The names of the stamps trigger in Joseph a wealth of association and adventure. Among the many occurrences in this visually potent phantasmagoria
Phantasmagoria
Phantasmagoria can refer to:* Phantasmagoria, a type of show using an optical device to display moving images* Phantasmagoria, a video game* Phantasmagoria: A Puzzle of Flesh, a video game sequel to Phantasmagoria...
include Joseph re-entering childhood episodes with his wildly eccentric father (who lives with birds in an attic), being arrested by a mysterious unit of soldiers for having a dream that was severely criticized in high places, reflecting on a girl he fantasized about in his boyhood and commandeering a group of historic wax mannequins. Throughout his strange journey, an ominous blind train conductor reappears like a death figure.
Has also adds a series of reflections on the Holocaust that were not present in the original texts, reading Schulz's prose through the prism of the author's death during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and the demise of the world he described.
Cast
- Jan NowickiJan NowickiJan Nowicki is a Polish actor. He has appeared in 90 films and television episodes since 1967.-Selected filmography:* Colonel Wolodyjowski * Family Life * The Hour-Glass Sanatorium * Spiral...
as Józef - Tadeusz Kondrat as Jakub, Józef's father
- Irena Orska as Józef's mother
- Halina Kowalska as Adela
- Gustaw HoloubekGustaw HoloubekGustaw Holoubek was a Polish actor, director, member of the Polish Sejm, and a senator.Holoubek participated in the September Campaign and was a prisoner of war during the Nazi German Occupation of Poland...
as Dr. Gotard - Mieczysław Voit as train conductor
- Bożena Adamek as Bianka
- Ludwik Benoit as Szloma
- Henryk Boukołowski as firefighter
- Seweryn Dalecki as Teodor the clerk
- Jerzy PrzybylskiJerzy PrzybylskiJerzy Przybylski was a Polish actor. He made over 25 appearances in film and television. He starred in the 1986–1987 television series Zmiennicy.-External links:...
as Mr. de V. - Julian Jabczyński as dignitary
- Wiktor Sadecki as dignitary
- Janina Sokołowska as nurse
- Wojciech Standełło as Jew
- Tadeusz Schmidt as officer
- Szymon Szurmiej as Jew reciting verses from EcclesiastesEcclesiastesThe Book of Ecclesiastes, called , is a book of the Hebrew Bible. The English name derives from the Greek translation of the Hebrew title.The main speaker in the book, identified by the name or title Qoheleth , introduces himself as "son of David, king in Jerusalem." The work consists of personal...
false - Paweł Unrug as ornithologist
- Filip Zylber as Rudolf
- Jerzy Trela as jester
Production
The Hour-Glass Sanatorium is not solely an adaptation of Sanatorium Under the Sign of the HourglassSanatorium Under the Sign of the Hourglass
Sanatorium Under the Sign of the Hourglass is the English title of Sanatorium Pod Klepsydrą, a novel by the Polish writer and painter Bruno Schulz, published in 1937.-Plot introduction:...
, but also includes sequences from other works by Bruno Schulz
Bruno Schulz
Bruno Schulz was a Polish writer, fine artist, literary critic and art teacher born to Jewish parents, and regarded as one of the great Polish-language prose stylists of the 20th century. Schulz was born in Drohobycz, in the province of Galicia then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and spent...
. Regarding the possibility of a film adaptation of a book written by Schulz, director Wojciech Jerzy Has said: "Schulz's poetic prose was the reading of my early youth. It influenced my films. That is why the realization of The Hourglass Sanatorium was a must for me. My aim was not to make a literal adaption of the work, but rather to do justice to what we call the work's poetics: its unique, isolated world, its atmospherics, colours and shapes." The time period of the film is a mixture of elements from the turn-of-the-century Galicia where Schulz grew up, and Has' own pre-World War II memories of the same region. The film was produced by Zespół Filmowy Silesia. Principal photography took place at the Wytwórnia Filmów Fabularnych studios in Łódź.
Release
Despite being a major production, the finished film was met by reluctancy from the Polish authorities. Not only was the crumbled sanatorium interpret as a prallel to the poor condition of many institutions and manor houses in contemporary Poland; Has had also chosen to emphasize the Jewish aspects of the source material, and this soon after an antisemitic campaign the government had launched in 1968, which had prompted around 30,000 Polish Jews to leave the country. The authorities forbid Has to submit The Hour-Glass Sanatorium for the 1973 Cannes Film Festival1973 Cannes Film Festival
The 26th Cannes Film Festival was held on May 10–25, 1973. At this festival two new non-competitive sections were added: 'Étude et documents' and 'Perspectives du Cinéma Français' ....
, but the director managed to smuggle a print abroad so the film could be screened at the festival. The Cannes jury, led by actress Ingrid Bergman
Ingrid Bergman
Ingrid Bergman was a Swedish actress who starred in a variety of European and American films. She won three Academy Awards, two Emmy Awards, and the Tony Award for Best Actress. She is ranked as the fourth greatest female star of American cinema of all time by the American Film Institute...
, honoured the film with the Jury Prize. The Polish premiere took place on 11 December 1973.
External links
The Hour-Glass Sanatorium is a 1973 Polish film directed by Wojciech Jerzy Has, starring Jan NowickiJan Nowicki
Jan Nowicki is a Polish actor. He has appeared in 90 films and television episodes since 1967.-Selected filmography:* Colonel Wolodyjowski * Family Life * The Hour-Glass Sanatorium * Spiral...
, Tadeusz Kondrat, Mieczysław Voit, Halina Kowalska and Gustaw Holoubek
Gustaw Holoubek
Gustaw Holoubek was a Polish actor, director, member of the Polish Sejm, and a senator.Holoubek participated in the September Campaign and was a prisoner of war during the Nazi German Occupation of Poland...
. It is also known as The Sandglass in English speaking countries. The story follows a man who visits his father in a mystical sanatorium where time does not behave normally. The film is an adaptation of Bruno Schulz
Bruno Schulz
Bruno Schulz was a Polish writer, fine artist, literary critic and art teacher born to Jewish parents, and regarded as one of the great Polish-language prose stylists of the 20th century. Schulz was born in Drohobycz, in the province of Galicia then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and spent...
's story collection Sanatorium Under the Sign of the Hourglass
Sanatorium Under the Sign of the Hourglass
Sanatorium Under the Sign of the Hourglass is the English title of Sanatorium Pod Klepsydrą, a novel by the Polish writer and painter Bruno Schulz, published in 1937.-Plot introduction:...
. It won the Jury Prize at the 1973 Cannes Film Festival
1973 Cannes Film Festival
The 26th Cannes Film Festival was held on May 10–25, 1973. At this festival two new non-competitive sections were added: 'Étude et documents' and 'Perspectives du Cinéma Français' ....
.
Plot
Joseph (Jan NowickiJan Nowicki
Jan Nowicki is a Polish actor. He has appeared in 90 films and television episodes since 1967.-Selected filmography:* Colonel Wolodyjowski * Family Life * The Hour-Glass Sanatorium * Spiral...
) travels through a dream-like world, taking a dilapidated train to visit his dying father, Jacob, in a sanatorium
Sanatorium
A sanatorium is a medical facility for long-term illness, most typically associated with treatment of tuberculosis before antibiotics...
. When he arrives at the hospital, he finds the entire facility is going to ruin and no one seems to be in charge or even caring for the patients. Time appears to behave in unpredictable ways, reanimating the past in an elaborate artificial caprice.
Though Joseph is always shown as an adult, his behavior and the people around often depict him as a child. He befriends Rudoph, a young boy who owns a postage stamp album. The names of the stamps trigger in Joseph a wealth of association and adventure. Among the many occurrences in this visually potent phantasmagoria
Phantasmagoria
Phantasmagoria can refer to:* Phantasmagoria, a type of show using an optical device to display moving images* Phantasmagoria, a video game* Phantasmagoria: A Puzzle of Flesh, a video game sequel to Phantasmagoria...
include Joseph re-entering childhood episodes with his wildly eccentric father (who lives with birds in an attic), being arrested by a mysterious unit of soldiers for having a dream that was severely criticized in high places, reflecting on a girl he fantasized about in his boyhood and commandeering a group of historic wax mannequins. Throughout his strange journey, an ominous blind train conductor reappears like a death figure.
Has also adds a series of reflections on the Holocaust that were not present in the original texts, reading Schulz's prose through the prism of the author's death during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and the demise of the world he described.
Cast
- Jan NowickiJan NowickiJan Nowicki is a Polish actor. He has appeared in 90 films and television episodes since 1967.-Selected filmography:* Colonel Wolodyjowski * Family Life * The Hour-Glass Sanatorium * Spiral...
as Józef - Tadeusz Kondrat as Jakub, Józef's father
- Irena Orska as Józef's mother
- Halina Kowalska as Adela
- Gustaw HoloubekGustaw HoloubekGustaw Holoubek was a Polish actor, director, member of the Polish Sejm, and a senator.Holoubek participated in the September Campaign and was a prisoner of war during the Nazi German Occupation of Poland...
as Dr. Gotard - Mieczysław Voit as train conductor
- Bożena Adamek as Bianka
- Ludwik Benoit as Szloma
- Henryk Boukołowski as firefighter
- Seweryn Dalecki as Teodor the clerk
- Jerzy PrzybylskiJerzy PrzybylskiJerzy Przybylski was a Polish actor. He made over 25 appearances in film and television. He starred in the 1986–1987 television series Zmiennicy.-External links:...
as Mr. de V. - Julian Jabczyński as dignitary
- Wiktor Sadecki as dignitary
- Janina Sokołowska as nurse
- Wojciech Standełło as Jew
- Tadeusz Schmidt as officer
- Szymon Szurmiej as Jew reciting verses from EcclesiastesEcclesiastesThe Book of Ecclesiastes, called , is a book of the Hebrew Bible. The English name derives from the Greek translation of the Hebrew title.The main speaker in the book, identified by the name or title Qoheleth , introduces himself as "son of David, king in Jerusalem." The work consists of personal...
false - Paweł Unrug as ornithologist
- Filip Zylber as Rudolf
- Jerzy Trela as jester
Production
The Hour-Glass Sanatorium is not solely an adaptation of Sanatorium Under the Sign of the HourglassSanatorium Under the Sign of the Hourglass
Sanatorium Under the Sign of the Hourglass is the English title of Sanatorium Pod Klepsydrą, a novel by the Polish writer and painter Bruno Schulz, published in 1937.-Plot introduction:...
, but also includes sequences from other works by Bruno Schulz
Bruno Schulz
Bruno Schulz was a Polish writer, fine artist, literary critic and art teacher born to Jewish parents, and regarded as one of the great Polish-language prose stylists of the 20th century. Schulz was born in Drohobycz, in the province of Galicia then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and spent...
. Regarding the possibility of a film adaptation of a book written by Schulz, director Wojciech Jerzy Has said: "Schulz's poetic prose was the reading of my early youth. It influenced my films. That is why the realization of The Hourglass Sanatorium was a must for me. My aim was not to make a literal adaption of the work, but rather to do justice to what we call the work's poetics: its unique, isolated world, its atmospherics, colours and shapes." The time period of the film is a mixture of elements from the turn-of-the-century Galicia where Schulz grew up, and Has' own pre-World War II memories of the same region. The film was produced by Zespół Filmowy Silesia. Principal photography took place at the Wytwórnia Filmów Fabularnych studios in Łódź.
Release
Despite being a major production, the finished film was met by reluctancy from the Polish authorities. Not only was the crumbled sanatorium interpret as a prallel to the poor condition of many institutions and manor houses in contemporary Poland; Has had also chosen to emphasize the Jewish aspects of the source material, and this soon after an antisemitic campaign the government had launched in 1968, which had prompted around 30,000 Polish Jews to leave the country. The authorities forbid Has to submit The Hour-Glass Sanatorium for the 1973 Cannes Film Festival1973 Cannes Film Festival
The 26th Cannes Film Festival was held on May 10–25, 1973. At this festival two new non-competitive sections were added: 'Étude et documents' and 'Perspectives du Cinéma Français' ....
, but the director managed to smuggle a print abroad so the film could be screened at the festival. The Cannes jury, led by actress Ingrid Bergman
Ingrid Bergman
Ingrid Bergman was a Swedish actress who starred in a variety of European and American films. She won three Academy Awards, two Emmy Awards, and the Tony Award for Best Actress. She is ranked as the fourth greatest female star of American cinema of all time by the American Film Institute...
, honoured the film with the Jury Prize. The Polish premiere took place on 11 December 1973.