In Krystsztof Kieslowski's film "Decalogue" each of the 10 commandments are interpreted and acted out in 10 one hour episodes. Kieslowski uses a style of interpretation used in Hebrew scripture, Midrash. These episodes focus on the deep meaning of each commandment and forces it’s viewers to feel and reflect internally on their own life.
The first episode we watched focused on the first commandment, Thou shall have no other Gods before me. We see an agnostic father whom only believed in what could be quantified and proven. After completed his calculations on the computer, the father was confident that the lake outside of his home was solid enough for his son to ice skate. When the ice cracked and his son passed away, he questioned his reliance on calculations for the first time. When his son’s body if recovered from the freezing water, the bystanders are very upset and most of them are crying or showing some sort of distress. The boy’s father just stands there with a blank expression, feeling lost and in complete disbelief. Personally I believe Kieslowski did a great job portraying the importance of having faith and trusting in a God that cannot be physically seen or proven with numbers, but that can be felt. It is unfortunate the father had to go through the tragedy of losing his only son, but sometimes traumatic events like this are the only way to wake us up and expose our idols. Rudolf Otto writes in The Idea of the Holy, “It is not that the actual feeling gradually changes in quality… but rather that I pass over to make the transition from one feeling to another as the circumstances change” (Otto, pg. 42-43). The father’s circumstances definitely changed when his computer failed him and it cost him his son’s life. After losing his son, the father in this film may have had more appreciation for God’s sacrifice of his one and only son because he could now relate on a personal level about the amount of pain felt when losing a child.
The second episode focused on the fifth commandment, Thou shall not commit murder. I experienced many emotions when viewing this film. The audience watches as the main character of this film mistreats most people that he comes into contact with, with the exception of a group of younger girls. The more people the main character mistreats, the more the audience wishes he would get some sort of revenge or face some sort of consequences for his actions. As the main character violently murdered an innocent cab driver, I felt anger and could not help but hope he would experience the punishment he deserved. When the man showed a personal side and opened up about his sister, mother, and his desire to be buried with his father it reminded me that he was a human as well and it caused me to question my morals. Does this man, that violently murdered an innocent man and caused harm to many others, deserve to die because of his actions or is this man a human that is struggling through mental issues and should just be given time in prison to think about his actions? I see both sides of the issue and find myself going back and forth. Towards the end of the film the murderer says, “They are against me” in which a different man responds, “No, they are against what you did.” Does someone actions define who they are? Is the main character seen only as a murderer now, and not as a human being?
God gave us 10 commandments to follow here on Earth and because of my personal life and my faith I felt very connected to this film and the importance of understanding the deeper message Krzysztof Kieslowski was attempting to convey through Midrash. I believe Kieslowski did a wonderful job portraying the importance of God’s love above any Earthly love.
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