I first discovered Zulawski in 2003 through his most infamous and well known title, the schizo/horror/divorce allegory, Possession (1981), featuring one of the most visceral performances ever committed to film by the beautiful Isabelle Adjani (who won Best Actress at Cannes that year). Denounced as one of the nefarious video nasties of the early 80's, I was able to rent a weatherworn VHS copy after ravaging the stacks of a Hollywood Video in Minneapolis, MN. Unfortunately, the quality of the tape was a definite impediment to the film, with a terrible audio track and murky visials. Then, in 2007, I purchased a Region 2 copy of the film from Spain, the artwork featuring the voluptuously stunning French artwork of a Medusa with a snake strand biting the woman's bosom, a stunningly sensual, serpentine, and cannibalistic image. Finally, I was able to witness this utterly strange and fascinating film, hosting a memorable movie night in celebration.
While the rest of Zulawski's titles were equally as hard to track down, the retrospective afforded me the opportunity to watch two of his rarest titles, The Blue Note (1991), and his film version of a Hungarian opera, Boris Godunov (1989), which had never been screened before in the US. Divisive, intelligent, confoundingly emotional, undoubtedly impressive, Andrzej Zulawski may very well stand as my favorite director of all time. There isn't a filmmaker that comes close to capturing such consuming emotion on screen. Here's my list of his films, from best to least favorite (not including two shorts he directed in the late 1960s), but all are extraordinary pieces of filmmaking and worth your time.
12. Boris Godunov (1989)
11. The Public Woman (1984)
10. La Fidelite (2000)
9. The Devil (1972)
8. L'amour Braque (1985)
7. My Nights Are More Beautiful Than Your Days (1989)
6. On the Silver Globe (1988)
5. The Blue Note (1991)
4. The Third Part of the Night (1971)
3. Szamanka (1996)
2. The Important Thing Is To Love (1975)
1. Possession (1981)
