Knife in the Water: Criterion Collection

Criterion | minutes | | | Standard DVD reviewed by: Fusion3600

Andrezj (Leon Niemczyk) is a middle-aged man with a lot of arrogance, which often irritates his wife, Krystyna (Jolanta Umecka). She is much younger than her husband, as she is a beautiful and sensual woman. But their relationship has hit a lot of speed bumps over time, mostly due to the husband's braggart ways. The two are traveling toward a lake for some time on their boat, when the isolated road reveals a hitchhiker. The young man tries to wave down the couple's car, but comes a little too close and almost gets run over. Andrezj decides to pick him up and seeing a chance to show off his successful lifestyle, he invites the young man (Zygmunt Malanowicz) to join them for the weekend. His invitation isn't one of kindness of course, instead he simply wishes to show up the boy and build up his own lifestyle. He does just that once they arrive, letting the boy know he is a self made man and enjoys a comfortable lifestyle. This doesn't please his wife that much, but she is more disinterested than anything else. As time passes, the three begin to experience some problems and personalities soon clash. With three very different people in such a small, confined location, can they temper their emotions until they reach shore again?

In more recent times, suspense thrillers have become so complicated, plot holes outnumber characters at times. This is because filmmakers seem to think audiences want to be confused, then given a resolution which has no basis within the film's structure. But in truth, the more simple thrillers tend to be some of the best ones. Then again, you need good writing, direction, and acting to make a film like that work, which are elements most recent thrillers couldn't muster. Knife in the Water is a fine example of how a simple premise can yield great results, as Roman Polanski's feature film debut stands as a potent thriller. The premise puts us on a boat with three people, a married couple and a young stranger, then pushes the entire situation out to sea. As time passes, we learn about the characters, their situations, and things begin to happen. The tension is well crafted in Knife in the Water, thanks to Polanski's skilled direction and some great performances. A film this basic might have looked like a filmed stage play if in the wrong hands, but Polanski, even with his inexperience and limited resources, ensures it looks like a motion picture, not a stage play. The visuals shine here also, which good news, since dialogue is sometimes sparse. I highly recommend Knife in the Water, especially in this terrific edition from Criterion.

He has made numerous films in his career, won several awards, and established himself as a fine filmmaker, but it all started here. Knife in the Water marked the directorial debut of Roman Polanski, who has had a successful and controversial career. His personal life has often pulled in more attention than his movies, especially his involvement with an underage female. That is why he cannot return to America, but that hasn't prevented him from creating some excellent pictures. I have always preferred Polanski's earlier works, but of course, his most famous work is the recent The Pianist, which won him an Oscar. Even so, I still hold his earlier movies as his finest work and even though it was his first effort, Knife in the Water is a superb picture. He doesn't just flash potential here, he fulfills his potential and makes his debut a forceful one. The tension is thick and well created in this movie, which has about as much suspense as one can handle. Polanski was even nominated for an Oscar with this first picture, though of course, he didn't take it home. Other films by Polanski include Rosemary's Baby, The Fearless Vampire Killers, The Ninth Gate, Repulsion, Chinatown and Death and the Maiden. The cast includes Leon Niemczyk (Return of the Wolf, The Death Sentence), Jolanta Umecka (Red Berets), and Zygmunt Malanowicz (Battlefield).

Knife in the Water is presented in full frame, as intended. This is a great looking visual effort, thanks in no small part to Criterion's restoration work. The print is simply stunning at times, a massive improvement over previous editions. As this was a low budget film on low end stock back in 1962, you have to forgive some inherent flaws, but rest assured, Criterion has removed tons of nicks, specks, and grain from the elements. The result is an image that has more depth and detail than ever before, so the visuals really shine here. The black & white visuals come off as stark and refined, thanks to smooth and well balanced black levels. This is a very visual picture, so I am pleased Criterion put so much effort into this presentation.

The original Polish soundtrack is preserved here, via a restored mono option that more than handles the material's needs. As I mentioned before, this movie often goes stretches with minimal dialogue, so the sound effects have to come in and maintain the atmosphere. So we often hear the sounds of the water, as well as random sounds from within the boat. As expected, the mono soundtrack offers little room for presence, but given the minimal audio presence needed here, I have no complaints. I heard a few age related flaws, but when compared to previous releases, this one sounds much cleaner. So for what it is, this is a more than acceptable treatment. This disc also includes optional English subtitles. In a very welcome move, Roman Polanski himself supervised the subtitles, which is quite cool indeed.

The first disc includes some rare publicity and production stills, as well as an interview with Polanski and co-screenwriter Jerzy Skolimowski. I would have loved an audio commentary track on this release, but no such luck. The second disc houses a collection of Polanski's short films, including Mammals, When Angels Fall, The Lamp, Teeth Smile, Murder, The Fat and the Lean, Two Men and a Wardrobe, and Break up the Dance. In other words, a treasure trove for fans of Polanski's work, without a shadow of a doubt.