Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired

Not very often I comment here about documentaries I watch but this one truly deserves a commentary, as it is one mesmerizing and art full film because the story it tells and mostly because the incredible editing that produces what looks and feels more like a movie than a simple documentary.

From what I read mainly in Cannes summaries (the doc was shown as Special Screenings at 2008 Cannes) I imagined that the doc would be a Polanski’s point-of-view on his life; well, I was wrong. The doc tells a daunting story about American legal issues and law enforcers’ sordid behavior that even if I recall most of what they tell, I never was exposed to all the facts that surrounded this story, as probably many of you were not also. Also tells about Polanski’s tragic life (yes Sharon Tate story included) and gives you insights on his decision to leave one day before sentence was told.

There are facts about the infamous judge and how he was more concerned about what the toxic press coverage would do than about anything else and there are facts about what happens behind the close doors of a courthouse, with a judge, a prosecutor and a defense lawyer playing with the flexibility of law. But in this case at least there are consequences to the unbelievable actions done by the judge.

But the most interesting value of this documentary is that with amazing real archive footage, chilling typing of white letters on black screen of Polanski and others declarations, clips from Polanski’s movies (Repulsion, Knife in the Water, Chinatown, The Tenant, the short The Fat and The Lean, and mostly from Rosemary’s Baby) that awesomely exemplify whatever is told in the moment and allows you to live a surreal experience of how fiction can be used to explain reality. This is just amazing and a BIG chapeau to director Marina Zenovich for creating a mesmerizing, outstanding, and truly hypnotic visual and narrative experience.

I wont tell you that I changed or not my perceptions about Polanski case as I do not believe that the extraordinary filmmaker Marina Zenovich intention was to change perceptions, as this is an incredibly researched and produced film that in my opinion it just gives you more information and it is up to you to decide what to do with it. This is also remarkable as Marina Zenovich was able to produce a film with a touchy scandal involved and do not take sides, just tells facts.

Anyway it is one documentary that is a must be seen for serious cinema lovers because its art full production values and if you want to know about this brilliant director’s life and circumstances surrounding his decision to leave the USA, then I suggest you do not miss it.

Big Enjoy!!!