Thursday, August 12, 2010

KNIFE IN THE WATER (1962)

Though not as great as his ‘Apartment Trilogy’ and other masterpieces; Polanski’s this breakthrough low budget film shows the spark of his talent. The thin plot is like reading an open-ended short story consists of three characters at disposal. A mid age arrogant husband and his young beautiful wife accompanied the company of a naïve young hitchhiker in their weekend pleasure boat ride. It’s attitude which gives tension on the boat. The object of tension here is off course hitchhiker’s knife but at the same time it’s also lies in the company of bikini clad dame and her desirable skin. The film is shot beautifully in black and white frames and the fine background score reminds me Scorsese’s ‘Taxi driver’.

Polanski in a quite subtle way abstained the film from any unnecessary violence or melodrama, the trouble is more personal and psychological. It’s ‘Repulsion’ released next to this, brought Polanski’s talents as an auteur who got grip over the medium which he exploits brilliantly throughout his career.

Ratings-7.5/10

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