marcin_kukuczka

'Whoever will understand a fairy tale and will live according to its rules has grasped the fern flower. Their eyes are now the eyes that can see, their ears are the ears that can hear. They live by the wisdom of nature." (the author of the novel SUMMER OF FOREST PEOPLE)

A Polish novelist Maria Rodziewiczowna wrote LATO LESNYCH LUDZI (Summer of Forest People) at the beginning of the 20th century. She dealt with the theme of people and their relation to nature, which was worrying even at that time. Years later, in 1984 this series was made and, as it is always the case with many film adaptations, this one too takes lot of liberties with the original literary source. In a more convenient manner to its time, it tells the story of a boy from a town who is sent by his grandfather to spend the summer vacation in the forest with the people he seems to find rather weird at first. It is important to note that he is a boy who actually has no name representing any boy of his generation. The forest people he meets call him "Coto" (meaning "what's that?") because whatever he sees puzzles him at first. However, he soon changes his mind and his views completely undergoing a total change from a title 'guest' to a member. Life full of adventures, unexpected events, necessity to stand for all that he comes to love and finds precious appear to be a great chance of self-making.

Even if you have not read the novel or you are not particularly fond of Polish films of the time (the 1980s was the time when films were far from technical awe), the 5 episode - series is a true gem of its time. I would refer to it as a moving picture resembling the beauty of nature on the screen. Not only is it nature as animals and plants, woods and lakes but nature of human as well. These moments are filled with gentle and catchy soundtrack by Jerzy Matuszkiewicz and a pure adventure of the boy Coto discovering beauty around him. The locations leave a viewer stunned by the magnificence of forests, lakes, animals, birds. Indeed, the series can boast some special images.

The story is also meaningful because it resonates with our times. The difference between the people who want to protect nature and the people who do not care or those who even disturb, destroy is striking. Rafal Wieczynski delivers a spendid performance as a character with genuine honesty and embodies a coming-of age story - the boy slowly becomes a young man in the most natural surroundings, the surroundings sometimes filled with drama that leads to growth and sometimes filled with humour that leads to relief. Difficulties, challenges and hardship make him mature. I particularly liked the scene when he saves the cow that could be drowned in the mud and the horse that was shocked by the noise of motorcyclists.

Coto also finds a girl and falls in love with her. Her name is Justyna, he calls 'Stynka' in a cute way (played by young Dominika Mincer who, unfortunately, did not make any special career later but at least is not associated with any other role). This plot resembles that growth clearly. Their scenes are sweet, sometimes naive but sometimes quite profound and captivating. Quite a different world of innocence, gentleness and youthful enthusiasm as counterfeit to deception, corruption and ambiguity that our civilization offered us.

But mainly the story is meaningful due to the people that he encounters, the people that change him, the people among whom he grows: what names they have: Antek Panther, Rosomak. They are the people amidst whom there isn't anything fake. They are the true forest people.

Although the leading role of the boy Coto is played by a rather newcomer at the time Rafal Wieczynski, there are many famous Polish actors in the supporting roles. Jerzy Binczycki known to many film fans from THE QUACK (1982) and NIGHTS AND DAYS (1974) gives a unique performance here as a former partisan with memories and traumas. There is Wiktor Zborowski known for WITH FIRE AND SWORD (1999) and Artur Barcis. They help the boy grow and show him the importance of the forest's intact beauty endangered by man's action. This he must protect....this we all must protect. It is also a message conveyed to us in the 2020s. I particularly loved the scenes when he cuts the nets put in river as traps for fish and sets them free. Here, we see how active and caring he has become and how different from what he was: a careless city youngster.

But, as I appreciate the film's appeal to modern audiences, it is very important to state one thing: these days we hear a lot about ecology, protection of nature and human as the true evil-doer. This aspect, in some cases even politized, seems to be something we got used to and do not take as seriously as we should. What we see here is something far more appealing, something that first makes us stunned, awed by the beauty that we all would like to protect. We learn to love woods and then we know what we all need to protect. Therefore, there is this clear contrast between 'forest people' and intruders, those who do not respect silence, those who hunt, damage, disturb.

So when you decide to see the whole series, you must understand that it is not for everyone. You need to be ready to grasp the moments of peace, to notice genuine harmony when man and nature cooperated, you need to be touched by the sight of innocent wilderness, horses running freely, birds making their autumn leaves, squirrels climbing trees. As I mentioned that in many reviews on similar movies, you need a childlike heart capable of hearing the forest's whisper, of praising the Lord for his creation and listening carefully to the ode that genuine hearts sing to nature and live according to its widom.

Encountering the films with the title character of Hercules Poirot, I must admit that I was not very much acknowledged with the stories. First, my wife and I enjoyed some long evening watching DEATH ON THE NILE, EVIL UNDER THE SUN filmed in our beloved island of Mallorca, and other films with Peter Ustinov in the main role. Great tension and some vivid moments that aroused our interest but the moment we discover David Suchet as the famous Belgian detective, I say: THIS IS IT, the character as penned by the author that all fans of detective stories know: AGATHA CHRISTIE.

A lot of reviewers actually focused on different aspects of the films, their different strngths. I would like to emphasise solely the main character, Hercules Poirot and the absolutely fabulous portrayal by David Suchet without whom the films would be just pale and easily forgotten.

A lot of different stories, lots of action, mystery, profound characters' development are just a few aspects that make the film with David Suchet a true embodiment of what the author meant and how she imagined the character. Mr Suchet supplies Poirot with charm and mystery, provides viewers with moments of doubt and disbelief and subtely brings us all into the world of his detection. No matter what episode you start with, you are soon into this specific world of suspense and mystery when you just wait to see what will happen and who is guilty of a crime not met before. His gestures, his voice, his facial expression, his typical moments of realizing when he suddenly knows the key to the riddle - simply awesome.

That is why I heartily recommend anyone to see these films simply because when the performance is top notch, some little flaws might be forgiven.

I.