Matka Joanna od Aniolów

This has nothing to do with the reality of the so called devils of Loudun and the case of the local vicar Urbain Grandier and his conflict with Cardinal Richelieu, eventually leading to his burning at the stake. This is an entirely Polish paraphrase on the phenomenon set somewhere in the wilderness in an apocalyptic landscape of desolation with no trees, no music except monastic monodies, sterile surroundings and a bleak environment, like changing the whole situation into some dark medieval times. Instead, this is a thoroughly stylistic film using the obsession of the nuns for ballet-like performances of striking cinematography and efficient beauty, while there is no actual story here. A young priest comes to the convent of the nuns to do something about their obsessions, which he ultimately fails in, as he himself becomes infatuated with the beautiful abbess mother Joan, who dominates the entire film. A previous priest has been burnt at the stake for being alleged to have seduced the nuns and caused their obsession, here is the one parallel to the case of Urbain Grandier, but all the rest is Polish conjecture. The film is worth seeing for its stylistic treats, but there has never been made any correct or convincing film of what really happened at Loudun. The only one who has tried to investigate the case thoroughly, as far as I know, was Aldous Huxley.

In what could be viewed as a sequel to Ken Russell's The Devils (1970), Jerzy Kawalerowicz's bleak but brilliant drama tells the infamous story of the so-called 'Loudon Possessions', in which a convent of nuns were said to have been possessed by a variety of demons, seducing men and indulging in sinful activities while the Church sent priests to exorcise them. It resulted in the death of French Catholic priest Urbain Grandier, who was burned at the stake after suggestions were made that he had succumbed to evil himself, forging a 'diabolical pact' that bound his soul to the Devil. It's an event that has caught the imagination of many artists, including the aforementioned Russell, as well as Aldous Huxley. but never has it been portrayed with such terrifying foreboding as in Mother Joan of the Angels.

Father Suryn (Mieczyslaw Voit) is sent to a Polish convent in the seventeenth century, where talk amongst the sparse townsfolk are of the wicked acts committed by the nuns of the convent that looms over the town like a ghost. At the head of this apparent possession is Mother Joan (Lucyna Winnicka), who tells Suryn of the fate of the previous priest, whose charred remains still lie at the burning post. Suryn is so horrified by what he sees as the purest of evils that he promises to rid Joan of her affliction, even if it is at the expense of his own soul, becoming a martyr in the fight against Satan's influence.

The picture is black and white and the cinematography is dark and empty, capturing the hopelessness of this small, insignificant and nameless town. It resembles the minimalistic work of Ingmar Bergman and Carl Theodor Dreyer, and shares many of the conflicted representations of religion that frequented the auteur's back catalogue. The film occasionally branches out into horror, with close-ups and shadows used to powerful effect as Satan's influence creeps into Suryn's soul, leading him to reach out in desperation to a rabbi in what is one of the film's most powerful scenes. It's also a twisted love story between Joan and Suryn, transcending mere desire into something deeper and unspoken. Complex and courageous, Kawalerowicz's film will most likely always be overshadowed by Russell's more provocative work, but this is one of the finest works to come out of 60's Poland.

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A priest is sent to a small parish in the Polish countryside which is believed to be under demonic possession and there he finds his own temptations awaiting.

I had never heard of this before it ended up on one of my lists and the title did not instill much confidence. Instead, it shocked and amazed me. Whether this is a "horror" film or not is open to debate. I think it is, but it is done in such a way that it will appeal to a wider audience than just the horror crowd. At the time his film was made, how many possession movies existed? To my knowledge, not very many.

The gritty lack of color, this is a film that deserves to be highlighted by scholars and movie lovers alike. I understand Martin Scorsese gave it some love, but perhaps there is more that can be done.

Religion is control on what makes us human and in touch with nature. Is control on our bodies and to deny it what he craves. At least that's what the extreme one want to accomplish.

To most blatant theatrical show was the exorcism in the church where all the nuns put on the show in front of the clergymen...all for the purpose of indoctrinate the live spectators but also the ones in the movie theaters. This is what religion is. The fight between good and evil sprinkled with some fear of death and oblivion.

But in this film it's all about desire and sexuality. About man and woman and the forever war between them. All because the need to repress your most true desires.

Good thing I moved on to this fantastic part of humanity and have chosen the scientific method. I feel it's more part of myself than divinity.

It's a pity this movie isn't available on dvd or vhs - it certainly deserves a wider audience. In my opinion it is not only Kawalerowicz's ultimate masterpiece, but one of the most profound and rewarding polish movies. Based upon a novel by a foremost polish writer Jaroslaw Iwaszkiewicz, it plunges deeply into the intricacies of human psyche and existence, touching both the philosophical and theological issues. Very good performances, especially by Voit and Winnicka, make the story even more compelling. The movie somewhat reminds me of Andriej Tarkovsky's cinematographic explorations.