The Greatest Sci-fi Film Never Made

Science fiction is arguably cinema’s most expansive genre. There are an enormous amount of incredible stories told within this space in a variety of ways. However, there are few films quite like On The Silver Globe, from its director to its production history, it’s a fascinating story that I wanted to explore and share with the world. More people should definitely know about this one !
This video is not only my longest but took me a tonne of time to research and edit so I hope you enjoy me when I’m a bit more comprehensive haha.
Thank you as always for your support. I shall do my best to keep improving and make videos worth your time ❤️
Joe
Chapters:
Intro 0:00
Maverick 1:09
Halted 5:58
When World’s Collide 11:01
#film #videoessay #scifi

[@AuteurCinema]

Hey everyone ! There seems to be some confusion on some things I said within this video so I would like to clarify them here. Firstly in regards to the ban of Possession, which @greghenrikson952 has kindly elaborated on. “To clarify, it was banned as a “video-nasty” in the UK, but the same process didn’t exist in the US. It’s simply that theatres wouldn’t play it until it was drastically re-cut. There was and is no government censor’s office in the US at the federal level” Secondly the hard drive issue in regards to the filming. My initial source for this was a special feature on the Eureka Entertainment release of On The Silver Globe titled “The Cinematography of On The Silver Globe.”However there seems to be doubt in regards to these existing. As per Wikipedia’s page, the hard drive was invented in June 1956. Furthermore Smaller diameter media came into usage during the 1970s and by the end of the decade standard form factors had been established for drives using nominally 8-inch media (e.g., Shugart SA1000) and nominally 5.25-inch media (e.g., Seagate ST-506). These hard drives are clearly a long way away from the technology of today, but they were used here. You can see clearly from the footage that some means of portable storage had to be used especially for the first person shots in Jerzy’s section. I do not seek to spread any misinformation here and should you have any doubts I am more than happy to elaborate. Thank you for your support on this video ! Joe

[@greghenrikson952]

To clarify, it was a banned "video nasty" in the UK, but the same process didn't exist in the US. It's simply that theaters wouldn't play it until it was drastically re-cut. There was and is no government censor's office in the US at the federal level.

[@AuteurCinema]

Thank you for this ! I have pinned it for others to see. I felt it best to simplify this part for the narrative but this is still great information to know 💚

[@terenceokane]

The costuming and set design looks like something from the 90s. Looks very unique for its age.

[@AuteurCinema]

Completely agree ! Way ahead of its time. Thank you for watching ❤️

[@Ammo08]

I'm surprised that no one in Hollywood has tried to film "The Stars My Destination", "The Mote In God's Eye", or "A Canticle For Leibowitz"..

[@AuteurCinema]

Hollywood is so risk averse nowadays honestly. If it isn’t a huge existing franchise they don’t usually care, but you never know it could happen one day !

[@ozzymandius666]

...or "The World of Tiers", or "To Die in Italbar", or "The Stone God Awakens" or "Jack of Shadows" or "Protector" or "Planet of Adventure" or "Suldrun's Garden" or...

[@crs290]

I think Canticle would make a fantastic miniseries. 6-7 episodes on Netflix would do it justice.

[@Yatukih_001]

Dictatorships do not like creative and original works so they try to bury them.

[@live1poem]

I have played with the idea of writing a screen play for The Stars My Destination all my life. I believe the story would make a pivotal film.

[@metallawnalien4190]

Paused it when you started talking about the movie directly and went and watched it. Incredible. Love the channel and for shining light on these movies. Great work!

[@AuteurCinema]

Ah man thank you so much for saying this ! I love cinema with all my heart so the fact that this video encouraged you to watch this film means a lot. One of my key goals with this channel is exposing people to films they may otherwise never know about. It’s certainly a lot to digest, but what did you think of the film ?

[@nathanieldrake6658]

Please make a video about how Kubrick’s Eyes Wide Shut appropriated quite a lot from Zulawski’s The Important Thing is to Love

[@AuteurCinema]

This is a good idea ! When I work through Kubrick’s films more I shall definitely look into this. Thank you for your suggestion ❤️

[@foxybingo1112]

This is literally my favourite film, thank you for giving it the recognition it deserves.

[@AuteurCinema]

What an amazing favourite film to have ! I am so glad more people are discovering and watching On The Silver Globe because of this video, it deserves to be seen so much more and I will continue to advocate for it haha 😂

[@jovicavolkanoski7071]

what is the name of the movie?

[@TylerNorCal]

Very fascinating video as usual, absolutely love Possession and been wanting to check out more of his work...so this is very cool to learn about.

[@AuteurCinema]

Thanks for stopping by again Tyler ! Zulawski was an incredibly unique filmmaker and I’d love to hear your thoughts on his other films when you get chance, especially On The Silver Globe. I saw you watched a lot of Haneke last month and he’s someone I absolutely need to get into myself !

[@teenprez]

I’ve never even heard of this or the lunar trilogy before! Thanks for bringing it to my attention with such a thoughtfully-written script.

[@AuteurCinema]

I am so glad I could introduce you to this work my friend ! One of the things I’m most passionate about is trying to showcase more obscure cinema to the world. Thank you so much for your kind comment and for watching ❤️

[@goofygoofster07]

This was a fascinating watch. I love the script and your voice really brings it all together, your channel deserves wayyy more attention, the editing & the quality are great! It's cool to see others talk about polish directors/films, especially about the ones I haven't heard of. I will definitely check out a few of his films because of this video!

[@AuteurCinema]

I’m really glad you enjoyed this one and that you now know about Zulawski, that makes me incredibly happy ☺️ I always try to do my best with all of my videos and while they’re not perfect it’s nice to know that I’m on the right track. Thank you so much once again for your kind words and for watching ❤️

[@Sarke2]

Such a great video, i put this movie on a watch list 10 years ago, somehow i forgot on it, and thanks to this video you reminded me to do the task, i will watch it now for sure :)

[@AuteurCinema]

Thank you so much for watching my friend ! You seeing this video was fate haha 😆. Excited to hear your thoughts once you’ve seen it ❤️

[@selwynr]

A fascinating director with a remarkable cinematic language. Sometimes overwrought, perhaps, but he dealt with extreme subject matter, so the form mirrors the content. Besides, he makes most directors these days look rather anemic and tame. btw, it's dissertation, not desertion. That's not a diss.

[@AuteurCinema]

Oh man I can’t believe I misread that one in my script haha 😂. My bad there but thank you for pointing it out. A truly fascinating director with a pretty incredible filmography, I think it’s always great to see such risk takers as they’re the ones who innovate and continue to move things forward. Thank you for watching and your comment ❤️

[@cracklingsoda]

Loved this essay. Gonna watch the film tonight. A 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes.

[@AuteurCinema]

Thank you so much my friend ! I’d love to hear your thoughts after you’ve watched it. It’s a truly fascinating work !

[@lukebm5555]

Would you recommend watching the film first or the essay first?

[@AuteurCinema]

@@lukebm5555 so I don’t go into details of the film until around 12 minutes into this essay, I mainly focus on it’s production, but even the parts I do detail are quite vague. Your choice my friend !

[@cracklingsoda]

It shows how much effort went into this and now it's your second-most viewed video. Congrats!

[@AuteurCinema]

@@cracklingsoda thanks a lot my friend ! Really appreciate you acknowledging my effort haha 😆

[@PeterSmith-go9ef]

Excellent profile of a true visionary, the remaining film footage looks extraordinary. Thank you for this insightful video.

[@AuteurCinema]

Beautifully put ! Scorsese said it best when he asked Zulawski “How many billions of dollars did it cost ?.” It’s an incredible cinematic achievement especially considering when it was shot. Thank you so much for your comment and for watching ❤️

[@yudhajitmukherjee1440]

Great video man. Will definitely check this one out.

[@AuteurCinema]

Yooo thank you so much man ! Please let me know your thoughts after you’ve seen it ! P.S great pfp, Bowie’s the man ! ❤️

[@splums]

Thank you for enlightening me, stumbled on your video whilst looking up cyberpunk (generally pretty rank on YT), really interesting content.

[@AuteurCinema]

I am very glad you found some value from my video ! Thank you for watching ❤️

[@sky44david]

This is a such a well documented presentation on one great filmmaker, Thanks!

[@AuteurCinema]

I am so glad you found value in this video my friend ! Thank you so much for watching ❤️

[@adrianbenedictmendoza6818]

Zulawski is the dark polarity of Tarkovsky. His style is the inverse of sculpting in time, movement and acting were expressive. Both are emotionally and spiritualy driven.

[@AuteurCinema]

Fascinating comparison ! I shall keep this in mind as I plan to explore Tarkovsky’s work very soon ❤️

[@chrisbfreelance]

Tarkovsky does so much with so little (minus the flawless cinematography)

[@chrisbfreelance]

Tarkovsky does so much with so little (minus the flawless cinematography)

[@chrisbfreelance]

Tarkovsky does so much with so little (minus the flawless cinematography)

[@chrisbfreelance]

Tarkovsky does so much with so little (minus the flawless cinematography)

[@benjaminl429]

This was amazing. Thank you.

[@AuteurCinema]

Thank you so much for watching Ben ! I still have a lot to learn but I really appreciate it ❤️

[@SpeedoGunJ]

Holy! I've only ever seen possession of all his films and it's fantastic. On The Silver Globe's costumes look cooler than any of the Dune adaptations...

[@AuteurCinema]

Dude you have to check this one out ! The costumes are absolutely fantastic. The costume designer actually had to create a civilisation from scratch as it wasn’t based on any known epoch. Let’s see what Dune P2 has in store in terms of costumes !

[@danielcantiego9374]

Amazing video esaay . Liked and subscribed

[@AuteurCinema]

Thank you so much my friend ! Lots to come I promise ❤️

[@Ammo08]

The Darkover series is another set of books that would make a great mini-series.

[@AuteurCinema]

That would be awesome for sure !

[@marineris]

Very interesting Clip. Thank you.

[@AuteurCinema]

No need to thank me, I’m the one who should be thanking you for watching so thank you haha ❤️

[@bettycrocker6692]

At 6:16, the word you want is "dissertation", with four syllables and meaning "a long essay'. "Desertion" has three syllables and means "the abandonment of a person, place, or cause".

[@AuteurCinema]

You’re 100% right, I misread it in my script 😂 I made several pronunciation mistakes here 😆 thanks for pointing it out and for watching ❤️

[@jeffreydaniels7519]

Madness and the grotesque seems to be trending and has donned the moniker of Genius. I have to question its motives.

[@AuteurCinema]

There is more to Zulawski than that I promise ❤️

[@raycathode]

Excellent video, just subscribed. There was a Andrzej Zulawski boxset released by Eureka last year that I missed out on, but luckily all three films are being released separately on 26th Feb.

[@AuteurCinema]

Thank you my friend ! I’m really glad Eureka are putting out the standard versions as they’re all wonderful releases ! I used a lot of the set as research for this video ❤️

[@raycathode]

@@AuteurCinema I'm quite jealous you have that box set! 😅 It's wonderful more people will get to see the films thanks to Eureka, I've got them pre-ordered.

[@AuteurCinema]

@@raycathode haha the bonus packaging is always nice but what really matters is the content ! Completely agree, it’s great that more people are discovering Zulawski because of Eureka and their releases ! Excited to hear your thoughts on the discs when they release ☺️

[@SuperFatPuppy]

Great essay my dude.

[@AuteurCinema]

Yooo thank you so much for watching my friend ❤️

[@ZachAttackReviews]

Its nuts someone was trying to create their vision that waa ahead of their timr and it was just cut short. Probably happens all the time. Great vid

[@AuteurCinema]

Thank you so much Zach ! I hope you’re keeping well ❤️

[@MidnightatMidian]

I've watched a restored version of this film, back in 2008, still have it in my old hard drive. The images stuck with me. Very oniric film, the color treatment is unique. I remember some parts were reeeally long.

[@AuteurCinema]

It’s a film that absolutely sticks with you. A very intense experience like all of Zulawski’s work, but it might be a good time to revisit it given how long ago it has been since you saw it haha 😆 ❤️

[@MidnightatMidian]

@@AuteurCinema Yes, good suggestion!! I really must re-watch ''Possession''. This one hit me really hard as I was going through a bad break up with a girl. I wonder how I will see it now with my current state of mind.

[@AuteurCinema]

@@MidnightatMidian I have to admit I am yet to see Possession ! I am patiently waiting for the second sight 4K release to finally watch it. I’m really excited to see it though given it’s Zulawski’s defining work ☺️

[@citrus4239]

The added context of him recently divorcing his wife and Poland being a Soviet puppet state really shined a new light on the film for me. Marek leaving to fight for his people only to have Izhael immediately run into the arms of their oppressors mirrors how Zhulowski probably felt about his wife. The true nature of the Sherns not being psychic beings that show man truths greater than themselves, but rather as half machine creatures programmed to dominate human minds with false ideology that leads not to their salvation but oppression seems to be a condemnation of the Soviets and the communist Polish government of the time.

[@AuteurCinema]

Couldn’t have said it better myself, I completely agree !

[@CodeNameX001]

So I watched the film before seeing this review, and... whooo-boy. That was a LOT. I totally agree with the idea of Zulawski projecting his life through his protagonists, and I think he put quite a lot of himself into both Jerzy and Marek. In Jerzy, we see a man who fled from his home, eventually cutting himself off from interacting with the world around him, and seemingly remaining young while seeing the world fly by and his contemporaries die young. Those contemporaries are elevated as Gods by the new society and him a Demi-God, and he finds himself thrust in front of that same camera. Compare to Zulawski's exile from Poland and his study and production of film, before finding a new footing in France. His three directorial works before "On the Silver Globe" were "Possession", "The Public Woman", and "L'Amour Braque". The first two were both acclaimed and controversial, as well as award winning. "L'Amour Braque" on the other hand was critically dismissed and a box office flop. This is where Marek comes in: A man hurt by his past relationships, exiled a distant land, now elevated as messianic figure. At first he refutes it, but the demand that his IS the conqueror they wrote of in scripture. Eventually, he gets a big head and starts acting like a leader, all while the religious authorities begin to suspect him. After a failure in battle, he is betrayed and deemed a fake, where he is crucified. "L'Amour Braque" forced Zulwaski to acknowledge his faults, and how quickly he could fall out of favor. The ending is the most tragic irony: Two figures who rejected Marek are allowed to return to Earth, with no knowledge of what they will find when the arrive. In the same way, Zulawski was allowed to return to Poland to make "On the Silver Globe", except we know how it ended.

[@AuteurCinema]

Dude it’s definitely a lot to process haha 😂 In regard to Possession, The Public Woman & L’Amour Braque, although they were released prior to On The Silver Globe, they were not filmed before it. On The Silver Globe was shot in 75-76 and no new footage was shot except the street footage for it’s eventual release in 1988. However Zulawski’s relationship had broke down during the original filming, and your point still stands. When Zulawski went to France to film “that most important thing called love” He was exiled in a distant land and elevated as a “messianic” figure over there. You could tie the crucifixion to a lot of things, from the cancellation of On The Silver Globe, or even Zulawski’s own treatment by his crew, as they turned on him also. Context really adds a different level of depth to this film. It is such a fascinating work. Thank you so much for watching and your insightful comment !

[@jesustovar2549]

Wow, these films look interesting, never heard of the man, but I think I'm gonna check out his work, he was really ahead of it's time, tho I don't think this film would have predated Star Wars, but it is an incredible coincidence, I wonder if Lucas ever heard of this film. Being honest, at first I thought you were talking about Alejandro Godorowski's Dune.

[@AuteurCinema]

I am so glad to have introduced you to Zulawski and On The Silver Globe ! Star Wars was in production at the same time, so it’s hard to say which way it would have gone. That particular quote I pulled from one of the crew members, although there may be some bias there I admit haha. It would be interesting to know if George Lucas did know about On The Silver Globe but it’s unlikely we will ever know the answer to that. Either way it’s a fascinating film and story, if and when you check out some of Zulawski’s work I’d love to know your thoughts on them ! Thank you for your comment and for watching ❤️

[@karlstone6011]

Julian May's The Many Coloured Land would make an awesome series of films. I read the books as a young man, and I'd love to see them filmed. Precis - someone invents a one way time travel portal to the Pleistocene Epoch - a period in Earth history after the dinosaurs, but with mamalian megafauna and huge insects. When humans get there they find an alien race with amazing telepathic/telekenetic powers, who enslave the humans - a few of whom, also have mental powers when enhanced by alien technology. Be like a cross between Dr Who, Jurassic Park, Dr Strange and Roots!

[@AuteurCinema]

That sounds fascinating ! Might be a series I have to checkout ! I could definitely see that being a very interesting film or series of films based off of your synopsis. Thank you so much for sharing and watching ❤️

[@karlstone6011]

@@AuteurCinema My pleasure. 20 minuets well spent. One question - was Żuławski exiled from Poland, invited back, and then exiled again? Or do you mention the 48 hour passport story twice?

[@AuteurCinema]

@@karlstone6011 He was exiled, then invited back, then exiled once again. So yes he was exiled twice but under different circumstances (first for the devil, secondly for On The Silver Globe) Quite the story !

[@karlstone6011]

@@AuteurCinema Very interesting; particularly as I didn't know about him before, and also because I'm into philosophy and politics. I'd have to speculate his exploration of the concept of 'being' bordered too closely upon individualism for the likes of the communist government of the USSR.

[@AuteurCinema]

@@karlstone6011 Absolutely agreed, Zulawski was far too expressive for a communist government.

[@Ammo08]

RINGWORLD would be another great one...

[@AuteurCinema]

Thank you as always for your recommendations ❤️

[@geckoplayz747]

I’m so happy Andrezji zulawski finally getting his flowers ‼️‼️‼️

[@AuteurCinema]

He deserves so much more recognition. Thanks for watching and happy holidays ❤️

[@CPSPD]

really good video but omg haha i definitely recommend looking up pronunciations of names, theyre so different than what it looks like in English latin characters. "jerzy" is closer to "yesh-yh" rather than "jersey". i see that you pronounced "wroclaw" really close though! i watched it in polish and yeah the insanely philosophical monologues are definitely present there too :P im not surprised to learn that his grand uncle translated Nietzsche into Polish! the dude must have been well versed. there's things in there that really jump out at you if youve ever studied philosophy or the history of sociology, that dont seem to be just "spouting exposition" as another commenter here said :P i tried to analyse the worldviews and ideals of the different eras and factions, maybe putting them into more concrete categories as i watched, but i dont think you fully can box them in. they change and are changed throughout the film. i really cant imagine what people must have thought about this in the 1970s. i have family members who were alive (and adults!) back then, and idk. i think the Jesus imagery in the film would have been crazy. we have a cult of worship in our country around john paul the second, the polish pope, and reaching into the late 1980s and 1990s youd find a picture of him and a painting of Jesus in every single home. so to have Marek hoisted on a crucifix, and the events beforehand kind of criticising the violence and moral relativity of key characters and eras representing the genesis of the christian faith, or saying that "jesus" would arise and be almost inevitable on different planets but be someone else rather than the one true son? idk. i wouldnt be surprised to find that people thought that blasphemous! haha. now im not so sure. it feels like something my dad would mock if it was playing on TV and not take seriously, just because of the topics it talks about. and i think that is kind of a colloquial experience for a lot of polish people who enjoy/have the time to think more openly philosophically lmao. for a couple generations in a row now theres been a sad distrust in people to think about themselves for themselves, and it keeps manifesting in different ways. from years of communist propaganda and censorship to fresh-into-capitalism hustling brain rot, to yesterday's church censorship (that mirrors the communist censorship we fought to shed lol), to today's war on education (deranged overly political and revisionist textbooks, denigrating liberal arts and universities) and lack of funds. at least those aforementioned problems of today are kind of being addressed by our new 2023 government lol. but its a worthy watch imo. it definitely took me an interlude in the middle to finish it :)

[@AuteurCinema]

I am so sorry for my awful pronunciation 😂 Thank you for letting me know more about Poland and it’s current situation, I wasn’t aware of a lot here, especially in regard to John Paul & the Polish pope. I could definitely see the Marek scene causing controversy given what you mentioned haha. Thank you so much for watching and your insightful comment ❤️

[@luminousdragon]

Have you watched Love Death and Robots? In the last episode of season three there is a short film that REALLY reminds me of the footage shown here. It would seem whoever made it took heavy inspiration. I do not know any details at all, but the connection could lead down some interesting rabbit holes.

[@AuteurCinema]

I haven’t seen it actually although my brothers always recommend it to me. I will have to look into this as it could be very interesting haha ! Thank you for watching ❤️

[@Norther56]

@@AuteurCinema Seconding the recce for "Love Death & Robots." One of the best SF/speculative fiction Tv series I've ever seen, and I've been watching them for over 55 years. lol

[@AuteurCinema]

@@Norther56 Haha I shall definitely make time for it then ! I’ve mainly been editing recently but when I have had chance I’ve been watching the anime Vinland Saga, it’s been good so far but it isn’t sci fi. For Sci fi I have heard a show called Scavenger’s reign is meant to be really good, but it isn’t out in the UK just yet !

[@toddterrace153]

Fantastic

[@AuteurCinema]

Thank you so much for watching ❤️

[@mattresbert]

Brilliant stuff ❤ Cool video Could you please tell me the piece of music at 3:07

[@AuteurCinema]

Thank you so much for your support Matt ! Yes of course the song at 3:07 is Carnelian by Christoffer Moe Ditlevsen. It can be found on epidemic sound. Please let me know if you have any further questions and thank you once again for watching ❤️

[@SmartCookie2022]

I wouldn't call it the greatest sci-fi film never made. Perhaps Steven Spielberg's "Night Skies", or Stanley Kubrick's "Childhood's End", or even Philip Kaufman's "Star Trek: Planet of the Titans" deserves that honour.

[@AuteurCinema]

And that’s completely ok ! We all have our own opinions ! Thanks for watching ❤️

[@TerbInYourFace]

Or, Clair Noto's "The Tourist"

[@qwastnm7320]

where can i watch this? ive tried to find it everywhere

[@AuteurCinema]

It’s actually on KZbin ! Alternatively you can wait for the Eureka Blu-Ray due out in February which is how I watched it (limited edition set at the time)

[@1183newman]

A Topiary is often mentioned in lists such as this, surprised it was absent.

[@AuteurCinema]

My apologies, what do you mean by a Topiary ? I have never seen this word before haha

[@davidwilliams7552]

A topiary is a pruned garden shrub.

[@AuteurCinema]

@@davidwilliams7552 I didn’t know this, thanks for letting me know !

[@ikept_the_jethryk2421]

The question of 2001 is "Will we destroy ourselves"

[@AuteurCinema]

For sure ! I cannot summarise 2001 in just one sentence, but you’re right that is another theme it explores.

[@CIS101]

As of 16:35 hard drives ? In 1976 Poland ?

[@AuteurCinema]

My source here was an essay by Daniel Bird, it was one of the special features on the Eureka Entertainment On The Silver Globe release. I will admit there is some contradictions in regards to this film but I tried my absolute best to eliminate any that I thought were questionable !

[@Devon_maloy]

. I’ve seen a hard disk 1 meter diameter

[@AuteurCinema]

@@Devon_maloy thanks for this my friend !

[@allegramullan5137]

Does anyone know where it would be possible to watch this?

[@AuteurCinema]

Hey there ! It’s on KZbin actually. Just type in On The Silver Globe and you should be able to find it no problem. ❤️

[@allegramullan5137]

@@AuteurCinema thank you so much!

[@middleway5271]

Brilliant,

[@AuteurCinema]

Thank you so much for your kind words ! Happy Holidays ❤️

[@everyonexist]

amazing

[@AuteurCinema]

Thank you so much for watching ! ❤️

[@davidfleming7887]

This looks like it was made today. So far ahead of time

[@AuteurCinema]

Dude for sure ! Zulawski was a real visionary and this whole film is really something to behold. Thank you for watching ❤️

[@user-if8sj1pq6j]

What about, "The day the earth stood still."? Excellent film.

[@AuteurCinema]

Definitely one I need to check out ! Did that film also have production issues that stopped it from being completed ?

[@user-if8sj1pq6j]

@@AuteurCinema NO. It was an older film with Michael Renne and Patricia Neal. Good film.

[@AuteurCinema]

@@user-if8sj1pq6j I shall add it to my list ! Thank you for the recommendation !

[@sam21462]

Thanks for agreeing with me as to the correct pronunciation of the word "biopic".

[@AuteurCinema]

Haha no problem ! I think you can say it in both ways ! Although if this video has proved anything it’s that I can’t pronounce a lot of things correctly so take it with a pinch of salt 😂😂

[@sam21462]

@@AuteurCinema - My cardiologist says I shouldn't. 😑

[@AuteurCinema]

@@sam21462 😂😂

[@JinKee]

It's like the shots of japan in End of Evangelion

[@AuteurCinema]

Lol I guess it does have a similar sort of aesthetic !

[@CIS101]

Across the internet there's too much use of "referencing", and incorrectly. How about the more correct "referring to his childhood" for example ?

[@AuteurCinema]

Totally understand this one. Zulawski lived a deprived childhood, which is how his little sister died of starvation. There are interviews from Zulawski himself concerning this, but the main one I saw was apart of the documentary Escape to the silver globe 2021, if you would like to check it out. I have included all sources at the end of the video as well but I’m more than happy to provide more source information for you !

[@DeeperStoriesbyTT]

The central question of 2001 was "Are we alone"?

[@AuteurCinema]

2001 is difficult to categorise and I would say it would be reductive to say it only focuses on the question of “Are we alone?”. However yes it’s a primary theme within the film, The monolith is present from the very start, and instigates the investigation on the moon and the mars expedition. It is the evidence that alien life exists in the universe ! Then seeing Bowman return in a new form at the end of the film, it confirms the idea that “We’re not alone.” This is a very rough summary but I hope it’s useful haha, thank you for watching ❤️

[@jasonkinzie8835]

Like any work of art, you can't really explain what 2001 is about with a single sentence.

[@AuteurCinema]

@@jasonkinzie8835 completely agree, especially one just off the cuff haha

[@JohnTandy74]

Just as you think you know every important science fiction works one has to admit I know nothing!! Reminds me of Andrei Tarkovsky, stalker & Solaris are genius level works that reminds me of this. Luna although i don’t know much about it it has hints of Hyperion regarding issues of lost people forgetting past for primitive religious doctrine

[@AuteurCinema]

Cinema is just too big to know everything ! I really hope you check this one out and would love to hear your thoughts on it ! Thank you for watching and your comment ❤️

[@franek_izerski]

Never heard of this guy before either and Tarkovsky comes to mind if only for the torturous production of Stalker.

[@Drforbin941]

You have some good taste my friend. May I make some other film suggestions?

[@AuteurCinema]

Haha thank you man ! Of course I’m always open to film suggestions ! Please feel free to share them with me ❤️

[@Drforbin941]

@@AuteurCinema Hey, try 'Footprints on the moon' Luigi Bazzoni. I think it's a near classic.

[@AuteurCinema]

@@Drforbin941 I shall be sure to check it out my friend ! Thank you for the recommendation !

[@Drforbin941]

@@AuteurCinema Kinski is also in it. Vittorio Storaro is cinematographer .

[@Drforbin941]

@@AuteurCinema let me know what you think.

[@toastedavalanche]

Wait did you say that hard drives were built into the costumes...? I'm a little confused. So he did shoot new stuff besides the street footage?

[@AuteurCinema]

Hello my friend ! For the Jerzy section of the film, hard drives and prop cameras were built into the costume to achieve the first person effect. This filming however occurred during the initial shooting of the film in 1976-1977. Hard drives were super cutting edge at the time, and had rarely been used in film production at that point. So apart from the street footage nothing new was shot (some scenes were dubbed over however to repurpose some scenes) Please let me know if you have any other questions my friend and thank you for watching !

[@toastedavalanche]

@@AuteurCinema Wow. That's really fascinating! Thank you for taking the time to inform me. I look forward to watching the movie and experiencing it fully.

[@AuteurCinema]

@@toastedavalanche No problem at all my friend ! I would love to hear your thoughts on the film when you get chance to watch it ❤️

[@mofolee]

Jerzy = "Yeah-zhy" not "Jersey" otherwise nice video. The film itself looks great and who knows what might have been if he'd been allowed to finish it, but in its surviving form it's a bit of a slog, I found.

[@AuteurCinema]

I do apologise for that one so please forgive me there ! I am curious how you watched the film, did you watch it before any of his other films ? And did you watch it in one sitting ? Zulawski’s films are so intense that I can definitely see why it would be a slog. Because I was familiar with his earlier works I knew what to expect, and then I broke my viewing into the Jerzy and Marek section over 2 days. It is such a singular cinematic experience that I only have praise for. Maybe it’s worth a revisit at some stage ? Thank you for your comment and for watching ❤️

[@mofolee]

@@AuteurCinema I think I saw it on a download from some site in HD. I'd only seen Possesion (which I loved) and L'Amour Braque (which I hated) prior to it. The way he directs actors reminds me of late career Godard in a way - it's deliberately alienating and unnatural. The set pieces and the costumes were amazing, and the film itself had bits I enjoyed. But overall I got the impression that he put together everything that was in a usable form that he could salvage into some sort of narrative shape, but that the finished movie would have cut out or cut short. A good point of contrast is "Difficult to be a God" - also a narrative slog but with great set design and costumes. The cheaper and more dated German TV movie of the same novel actually works better because of pacing and editing that gives it narrative clarity. Anyway, I have the new Box Set on my shelf waiting for a suitable time for a rewatch so maybe I'll change my mind.

[@AuteurCinema]

@@mofolee the Eureka release ? It’s a really great set ! Zulawski definitely had a way with his actors and I bet he was difficult to work with. He seemingly pushed everyone to their limit. Your assessment is definitely right and he even dubbed over certain scenes as well, to salvage some sort of narrative. I’d be interested to hear your new thoughts when you’re able to rewatch it !

[@johngriffiths118]

8.57 mins WHAT !

[@AuteurCinema]

Indeed ! It would most likely of predated Star Wars if everything went according to plan. Thanks for watching !

[@CIS101]

Never heard of this, but it sure is sad, and depressing. As of 9:41 the filming, and production design looks interesting but that disintegration seemed inevitable. Eastern European cinema is difficult to appreciate. I really liked Solaris, but the beginning seemed to drag. I'm not sure what to make of Stalker, and I found It's Hard to be a God unwatchable.

[@AuteurCinema]

It is a very bleak film no doubt about it and it’s definitely not for everyone, in all honesty Europe has never made all that much Sci-fi, so it’s all interesting to explore the ones that do exist !

[@roc7880]

I saw his movie and it was great, although bwyond sane.

[@AuteurCinema]

Haha I agree with you there 😂

[@dimitrispapadimitriou5622]

Plan 9 from outer space

[@AuteurCinema]

Classic 😂

[@noahpollack6914]

12:52-“hard drives were built into the costumes” in the 70’s? You’re making things up. This video essay is speculative fiction.

[@AuteurCinema]

No I am not. My source for this is Daniel Bird on Eureka Entertainment’s special feature. The hard drive was invented in 1956 and In the 1970s smaller hard drives came into usage. Of course they look nothing like the hard drives of today and were much bigger, but you’re more than welcome to check these facts out yourself.

[@AuteurCinema]

I have made a full statement responding to this to clear up any confusion.

[@noahpollack6914]

@@AuteurCinema The Blu-ray releases at the end of February, so I will have to wait until then to hear Daniel Bird’s commentary (not Andrew Bird according to the Eureka website.) Audio digital recording was still in its infancy in the mid-70’s, so I am curious what technology Zulawski used to make his full-color movie.

[@AuteurCinema]

@@noahpollack6914 oh my bad yes you’re correct Daniel Bird is the name. The specific feature in question is: The Cinematography of On The Silver Globe. So sorry for the confusion here ! All the special features are a great watch so I’m excited to hear your thoughts !

[@spacetimerunner]

Path Of Exile: The Movie

[@AuteurCinema]

Lol I’m not familiar with that game but I’ll take your word for it 😂

[@zookaru]

slap that footage and the books into AI and let's goooo

[@AuteurCinema]

Haha I actually think it’s more interesting in its incomplete form !

[@delsinnisled9443]

so he was just sad in the future

[@AuteurCinema]

Zulawski certainly had a pessimistic outlook on life for sure.

[@mikemcaulay9507]

I think it’s a bit strange to say “never made” versus “never completed.” I certainly wouldn’t call it clickbait but I thought it was incredibly strange there was a thumbnail that seemed to show a movie that was never made. Not a big complaint to be honest, just something that stuck out to me.

[@AuteurCinema]

"Made" is used to indicate that the process of creation is finished. As the process was cut short here, the term Never made is wholly appropriate.

[@mikemcaulay9507]

@@AuteurCinema huh. I don’t really spend a lot of time in this area but I’m always happy to learn something new. I was obviously thinking of made in the colloquial sense versus a specific industry term. Thanks for responding. :)

[@captainlengthwidth6692]

8:41 "had it been released on time it would have even predated Star Wars and would have been one of the earliest European sci-fi films ever made." ??? Sorry but this is just wrong wrong wrong. In addition to Metropolis which you quote Lang also directed Frau Im Mond about a trip to the moon, but even before that the Russians released Aelita Queen of Mars in 1924. Ikarie XB1 (1963) is a stonkingly brilliant Czech film about an interplanetary mission, Barbarella (1968), Tarkovsky's Solaris (1972) Der Schweigende Stern (1960 another Lem adaptation), Man in Outer Space Czech (1961) Goddard's Alphavile... there were a LOT of European SF films before this.

[@AuteurCinema]

I am well aware of those I mentioned as well as Metropolis of course, it is still a very early example of a European Sci-fi film. You’re within a few years by quoting Solaris, so it becomes subjective as to what you consider early. It’s funny I actually changed this line, as during the documentary Escape To The Silver Globe one of the interviewees said it would have been the first European Sci-fi film ever made. I’m not sure why they said this as this isn’t correct which is why I changed the line. I stand by what I said as there is no definitive time period considered ‘early’. I would say anything pre Star Wars is ‘early’ for example. But thank you for raising this, I do not seek to spread misinformation so should anyone seek clarification they can view your comment and I hope there’s no hard feelings. Thanks for watching❤️

[@bbartky]

@@AuteurCinemaI really enjoyed your video since I’m fascinated by East European cinema but I also disagree with that comment. To me, the first European sci-fi film and the first sci-fi film ever is “Le voyage dans la lune” by Georges Méliès. Yes, it’s short and also a farce, but I think it counts.

[@AuteurCinema]

@@bbartky That’s ok my friend ! Remember I did say “one of the earliest” not the first. There is an important distinction between the two. I still categorise On The Silver Globe as a very early example of European Sci-fi but I can completely understand where you’re coming from. Thanks for watching and your comment ❤️

[@VincenzoC749]

This guy really talks at .75 speed.

[@AuteurCinema]

True !

[@Rabbleroust]

Do you need a subway surfer video spliced in?? 🤓

[@Bhatt_Hole]

Why do you reply to each and every comment? Why? ANSWER ME NOW! Hurry up dammit, I have to be somewhere in less than a half hour. HOW MUCH LONGER MUST I WAIT!!!

[@Bhatt_Hole]

I WON'T BE IGNORED!!!!!!

[@Bhatt_Hole]

Your silence is cruel, and biting!

[@Bhatt_Hole]

Lastly, I had a cyst removed from my left scrotal hemisphere late in 2019. The experience....changed me.

[@Bhatt_Hole]

What's your favorite oven temperature?

[@AuteurCinema]

Lol dude I had to sleep 😂

[@Concreteowl]

Cannes is pronounced Can'n

[@AuteurCinema]

My apologies ! I made several pronunciation mistakes in this video, from the Polish names, this and I even pronounced Dissertation wrong by mistake haha 😂 I shall be sure to correct this in future thank you for watching !

[@Concreteowl]

@@AuteurCinema it was a good video. It's one of the few of his films I haven't seen. It looks incredible.

[@AuteurCinema]

@@Concreteowl thank you my friend ! It’s an incredible film, truly one of a kind ! I’d be interested to hear your thoughts when you’ve seen it ❤️

[@EmpireMP]

Hard drives in cameras???? 😝☺

[@AuteurCinema]

Lol that’s not what I said ! I said “prop cameras and hard drives were built into the costumes” Sorry for any confusion ❤️

[@EmpireMP]

But these were the days of film? What did I miss??? :) @@AuteurCinema

[@AuteurCinema]

@@EmpireMP Hard drives were very cutting edge in the 70’s when On The Silver Globe was being filmed so that was the main reason for mentioning them as their use was almost unheard of at that time. They were only used for the Jerzy section of the film to capture the first person perspective, other cameras/film as you say were used in the other sections. I hope this answers your question please let me know if it doesn’t haha ❤️☺️

[@EmpireMP]

Now I have to do some research!!!! WOW@@AuteurCinema

[@AuteurCinema]

@@EmpireMP Glad I could help haha 😂

[@retrotronics1845]

If somebody scanned and uploaded the book made by Jodorowski for his planned 1970s Dune movie you could do all but the music with AI tools right now. 1 person could finish his dream and let him see it before he dies.

[@AuteurCinema]

Dude honestly that would be cool to see ! Hopefully someone does do that.

[@retrotronics1845]

@@AuteurCinema I think most copies, sent to movie studios, are now lost and each was hand made but he kept one for himself so it's still not too late. You can get some things for the Sony Pictures documentary about it.

[@AuteurCinema]

@@retrotronics1845 I shall definitely try and watch that doc ! Seems super interesting !

[@mr2981]

@@retrotronics1845 I think there are still two known copies, Jodorowski's and the French producer (I forget his name).

[@retrotronics1845]

@@mr2981 Yes of all the copies sent to all the studios those are the only 2 left intact and complete. in the documentary you see Alejandro's copy as he flicks through it. He is still alive and 94 years old. The producer is Michel Seydoux I think. For an expert prompter team and a lot of help from the AI community I think the movie could be done in 6 months to reasonable quality. Criminal that nobody has started it yet, Maybe a few short scenes done to commercial quality would get the ball rolling.

[@mistermoo7602]

I was really with you until that last soliloquy. Humanity is always changing. Whether that change is for the better or for worse, is circumstantial.

[@AuteurCinema]

For sure ! Everything is constantly changing. I deliberately left things vague as I wanted to pose a question oppose to an answer, and the viewer can ultimately form their own interpretation. My thoughts “change” too much to be definitive haha 😂. Thank you for watching and your comment !

[@mistermoo7602]

@@AuteurCinema You definitely made me question how his later films would've looked had Zulawski been permitted to remain with his family intact, abroad together or in Poland. I agree with you that the contemporary footage over the missing scenes elevates the impact quite a bit. As someone who had only ever seen Possession, thanks for shining a spotlight on the rest of his filmography, I've been missing out!

[@AuteurCinema]

@@mistermoo7602 For sure ! Things would of been much different. I doubt we would ever have gotten Possession or On The Silver Globe if his family had remained intact. You have been missing out ! Haha. Would love to hear your thoughts after you’ve managed to see some of his other works, he sure was a visionary 🙌🏼 Thank you once again for watching ❤️

[@joeyj6808]

The world would be a better place, over recent history, if Polish people 1) were more respected and b) had more self-respect. There. It needed to be said.

[@AuteurCinema]

I really wish I knew more about the situation in Poland ! My research was only very brief for this video.

[@lazovkalazovovska5119]

*NOTE: THESE ARE SCIENTISTS? :(((

[@AuteurCinema]

What are you referring to here exactly ?

[@gavinmillar]

I dunno about "greatest." There's some cool imagery but as a movie it's pretty terrible. Half the movie is just people wailing and moping and the rest is nonsensical philosophizing. I give the costume designer way more credit than the director.

[@AuteurCinema]

That’s fair ! It is certainly an intense experience and definitely isn’t for everyone. I will say additional context certainly elevates the film, and with that context I would argue there is substance to a large portion of the dialogue. Thank you for watching ❤️

[@justincurll1110]

This movie is so boring. All it is is people spouting exposition. You gotta do more than have characters talk about philosophy to make your movie philosophical.

[@AuteurCinema]

Sorry to hear you didn’t like On The Silver Globe. We all have our preferences when it comes to art. Thanks for watching and your comment ❤️

[@sumbohdee2luv]

you know, if you speak any slower, you might succeed in fooling some people what you’re saying is deep, but for the rest of us you’ll still just be insufferable.

[@AuteurCinema]

I do apologise ! I know my pronunciation speed isn’t the quickest, but I try my best. I think it’s also important to consider that if English is someone’s second language, then a slower speed is more manageable for their ears. Thank you for watching ❤️

[@sumbohdee2luv]

the problem really isn’t the slowness it’s the fact that your video is nothing more than a reading of a wikipedia article without any insight or perspective from you, and you’re just using a slow, dramatic heavy inflection to trick people into thinking you are saying anything of weight

[@AuteurCinema]

@@sumbohdee2luv I don’t think I used Wikipedia once for this video, but yes this was more of a factual/objective based essay oppose to a subjective one, although I still explored some of my perspective towards the end. I always approach essays in different ways, and I have done essays which are much more perspective based, it all depends on the story I’m trying to tell. The focus of this video was to introduce Zulawski to more people, as he isn’t a well known director it is difficult to dive into the subjective.