Monday, April 7, 2014

The Hourglass Sanatorium (1973)



Film Polski (Poland)
Directed by Wojciech Has
My rating: 3 stars out of 4
IMDb
(Blu-ray, DMMS Poland)

A man visits his dead (or dying) father in a creepy sanatorium. The doctor explains that time has been altered so that he can speak to and visit his father even though he is, or will be, dead. He wanders the halls of the decrepit building having encounters with various people from their past. Recurring characters include his mother, a young boy with a stamp album and the owner of a wax museum. Historical figures play a role, as do elderly Jewish men and topless women. Ultimately he ends up back where he started. Strikingly original set design is a major asset, but the nightmarish world and dream logic can be difficult to comprehend.

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