The Decalogue - 1 & 5
The Decalogue is a series of films about the Ten Commandments. Decalogues 1 & 5 are thought provoking and pull the strings of feelings that all humans share, regardless of religion, race, etc.
The first film in the Decalogue is about the the First Commandment; "I am the Lord thy God; thou shalt not have strange gods before Me". The film focuses on a father and son, having a very close relationship. The father is a professor at a university, and places all of his trust within formulas, calculations, and anything that is backed by fact or reason. The father represents someone who lacks faith and does not search for truths that cannot be attained through calculations or proof. The father's God is represented by his computer, where he trusts his calculations blindly. His son is young and innocent, asking questions that we all have wondered at some time in our own lives. The father cannot provide his son with adequate answers for these deep and profound questions of life because these particular questions cannot be calculated. As the film progresses, the son is gifted with a pair of ice skates and wishes to skate on the frozen lake immediately. The weather throughout the film had been extremely cold, we witnessed a dog that froze to death as well as broken frozen bottles of water, and when the father made calculations proving that the ice was thick enough to skate on, he gives his son approval to skate the ice. Unfortunately, the ice breaks and the young boy falls through the ice and dies. The viewers are stricken with the same feelings of confusion, grief, and sadness because such a young and innocent life was taken so unexpectedly and unexplainably. During the fathers time of grieving, he makes his way to the local church where he destroys the shrine and in the process knocks over the candles that were illuminating the church. This is a particularly powerful scene because these candles cause the melted wax to drip down the painting of Mary, causing Mary to appear as if she is crying and grieving with the father over the death of his son. This is the scene when the father connects with the profane, sharing the grief with Mary over the loss of their only son. The viewers can make sense of the film when the father returns to his study and stares at the computer screen, his form of truth and reason in the world and we understand that one cannot worship a false God, in this case technology.
The fifth film in the Decalogue is about the Sixth Commandment; "You shall not murder". The film follows the life of a young troubled adult as well as a twisted taxi cab driver. Both of these individuals do not conduct their lives with honor. The viewers witness the taxi cab driver grotesquely "check out" a young girl and deny several people rides for no apparent reason at all. The troubled adult is observed defacing a restaurant, throwing rocks into oncoming traffic, and hurting people throughout the film before eventually killing the taxi cab driver through a senseless and cruel act of murder. The young adult is eventually caught by the police and is persecuted in the court of law and condemned to death for his actions. At this point in the film we begin to follow the troubled teens lawyer, who is distraught with his inability to save the boys life from capital punishment and the lawyers own personal beliefs of taking another's life. Before the death sentence is carried out the lawyer and the adult have a final conversation together, where the young man asks to be buried along side his father and younger sister, who was tragically killed in a accident which he clearly feels somewhat responsible for. The viewers begin to sympathize with the otherwise senseless killer and begin to hope that his life is spared. The film concludes with the death sentence being carried out and the viewers are left confused whether or not justice was brought to the world. The fifth film in the Decalogue makes the viewer wonder if there is any form of death that is justified? The answer is; there isn't. Taking anyone's life is a direct violation of the Sixth Commandment and challenges the viewers beliefs in what is right or wrong.
Both films did an excellent job at striking the core of an individuals faith as well as their ethical foundation. After watching the two films I was left wondering how my other classmates interpreted the second film we watched; do you believe in the death sentence? If so, how can you justify taking ones life, assuming the role of God, casting judgement on another's actions and carrying out a justified act of murder?
The first film in the Decalogue is about the the First Commandment; "I am the Lord thy God; thou shalt not have strange gods before Me". The film focuses on a father and son, having a very close relationship. The father is a professor at a university, and places all of his trust within formulas, calculations, and anything that is backed by fact or reason. The father represents someone who lacks faith and does not search for truths that cannot be attained through calculations or proof. The father's God is represented by his computer, where he trusts his calculations blindly. His son is young and innocent, asking questions that we all have wondered at some time in our own lives. The father cannot provide his son with adequate answers for these deep and profound questions of life because these particular questions cannot be calculated. As the film progresses, the son is gifted with a pair of ice skates and wishes to skate on the frozen lake immediately. The weather throughout the film had been extremely cold, we witnessed a dog that froze to death as well as broken frozen bottles of water, and when the father made calculations proving that the ice was thick enough to skate on, he gives his son approval to skate the ice. Unfortunately, the ice breaks and the young boy falls through the ice and dies. The viewers are stricken with the same feelings of confusion, grief, and sadness because such a young and innocent life was taken so unexpectedly and unexplainably. During the fathers time of grieving, he makes his way to the local church where he destroys the shrine and in the process knocks over the candles that were illuminating the church. This is a particularly powerful scene because these candles cause the melted wax to drip down the painting of Mary, causing Mary to appear as if she is crying and grieving with the father over the death of his son. This is the scene when the father connects with the profane, sharing the grief with Mary over the loss of their only son. The viewers can make sense of the film when the father returns to his study and stares at the computer screen, his form of truth and reason in the world and we understand that one cannot worship a false God, in this case technology.
The fifth film in the Decalogue is about the Sixth Commandment; "You shall not murder". The film follows the life of a young troubled adult as well as a twisted taxi cab driver. Both of these individuals do not conduct their lives with honor. The viewers witness the taxi cab driver grotesquely "check out" a young girl and deny several people rides for no apparent reason at all. The troubled adult is observed defacing a restaurant, throwing rocks into oncoming traffic, and hurting people throughout the film before eventually killing the taxi cab driver through a senseless and cruel act of murder. The young adult is eventually caught by the police and is persecuted in the court of law and condemned to death for his actions. At this point in the film we begin to follow the troubled teens lawyer, who is distraught with his inability to save the boys life from capital punishment and the lawyers own personal beliefs of taking another's life. Before the death sentence is carried out the lawyer and the adult have a final conversation together, where the young man asks to be buried along side his father and younger sister, who was tragically killed in a accident which he clearly feels somewhat responsible for. The viewers begin to sympathize with the otherwise senseless killer and begin to hope that his life is spared. The film concludes with the death sentence being carried out and the viewers are left confused whether or not justice was brought to the world. The fifth film in the Decalogue makes the viewer wonder if there is any form of death that is justified? The answer is; there isn't. Taking anyone's life is a direct violation of the Sixth Commandment and challenges the viewers beliefs in what is right or wrong.
Both films did an excellent job at striking the core of an individuals faith as well as their ethical foundation. After watching the two films I was left wondering how my other classmates interpreted the second film we watched; do you believe in the death sentence? If so, how can you justify taking ones life, assuming the role of God, casting judgement on another's actions and carrying out a justified act of murder?
Comments
Post a Comment