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The Decalogue (Complete Set) | 
| Actors: Maria Koscialkowska, Krzysztof Globisz, Tadeusz Lomnicki, Grazyna Szapolowska, Henryk Bista
Studio: Facets Video
List Price: $99.95
Buy New: $24.00
You Save: $75.95 (76%)
New (4) Used (9) Collectible (1) from $12.93
Rating:  62 reviews
Sales Rank: 31213
Format: Box Set, Color, Original Recording Reissued, Subtitled, Ntsc
Languages: English (Subtitled), Polish (Original Language)
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Media: VHS Tape
Region: 0
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Number Of Items: 1
Running Time: 584 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.4
Dimensions (in): 7.3 x 4.2 x 1.1
ISBN: 1565802756
UPC: 736899374532
EAN: 9781565802759
ASIN: B00004KHDU
Theatrical Release Date: 1988
Release Date: August 19, 2003
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: BRAND NEW factory sealed 5 VHS set, in Stock and Ready to ship. Always original - no copies! First quality guranteed!
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com essential video
Superlatives abound when describing Krzysztof Kieslowski's The Decalogue, a series of 10 one-hour dramas originally made for Polish TV between 1988 and 1989 and seen throughout the world in film festivals and cinematheque and museum programs. Though each episode is inspired by one of the Ten Commandments of the Bible, these are not Sunday school fables illustrating some simplistic moral lesson--the connections to the individual commandments are not always obvious and are often downright curious--but powerful, profound stories of love and loss, faith and fear. Kieslowski explores ordinary people flailing through inner torments, hard decisions, and shattering revelations, grounding his stories in the faces of their deeply human characters. Each episode is self-contained, from "Decalogue I" ("I Am the Lord Thy God"), the touching story of a boy who starts asking the hard questions of life from his rationalist father and religious aunt, to "Decalogue X" ("Thou Shalt Not Covet Thy Neighbor's Goods"), a comic tale of estranged brothers who bond through a winding ordeal involving their father's priceless stamp collection. There are stories of tragedy and triumph, both expansive and intimate, some profoundly moving and others delicately shaded--but all are warmed by Kieslowski's sympathetic direction and his eye for resonant, fragile imagery. Initially drawn together by location--the series is set in a dreary Warsaw apartment complex--a web of associations forms as characters pass through other stories, sometimes only briefly, and themes reverberate through the series. The Decalogue is ultimately a personal spiritual investigation into the soul of man, a work of quiet attention and deep emotion marked by astounding images and vivid characters. Each volume is also available individually on VHS. --Sean Axmaker
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| Customer Reviews: Read 57 more reviews...
Engages The Mind June 30, 2008
Kurt Harding (Boerne TX)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Had it not been for a friend who has the time and the intellectual curiosity to seek out films like these, I would still remain blissfully ignorant that The Decalogue even existed. But thanks to her, I have something new to evangelize to friends and acquaintances.
I am not going to rehash the stories here. Other reviewers have done so, some in great detail. What I will say is that Krzysztof Kieslowski's masterpiece is a fascinating and often spellbinding set that engages the mind and stays with you long after you put it back in the box. The films are spiritual without being overtly religious and the viewer is forced to consider all the vagaries of the human experience. Zbigniew Preisner's penetrating and often melancholy score adds permanence to the impression made on the viewer by these remarkable films.
Though sometimes you may have to think hard about what the connection between a particular commandment and a particular story is, the connection is there even if that connection is tenuous. I like all the films to a certain degree, but if I had to pick a favorite, it would be Decalogue Ten. Title of least favorite would go to Decalogue Three.
As at least one reviewer said, you may find it useful to listen to Roger Ebert's commentary on this set before you begin viewing. I don't usually put much stock in a five-star review if only a couple of reviews of an item have been written. But in this case, with more than sixty reviews written by such a disparate group, near-unanimity actually means something. The Decalogue is one of the most thought-provoking films I have ever seen, and is a set I will watch many times more.
The mark of good films? They stay with you June 24, 2008
Scott FS (Sacramento, CA United States)
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
At the present time, there are upwards of sixty reviews of this series of 10 films made for Polish television by the director Krzysztof Kieslowski. There are individual reviews for individual episodes, and, as could be expected, some episodes are stronger than others.
I'm going to comment on the whole package. I do agree with some of the reviewers that the quality of the films leaves something to be desired. However, the fact that these films are even available at all tempers my criticisms on the film quality. They are often dark with details hard to see (and is it ever sunny in Poland?) but they are watchable, and the setting (the iconic communist monolithic apartment complexes) as well as the cinematography is certainly more than OK, and inspired many times. The film quality doesn't detract from the stories at all. You'll get the message(s).
As far as the writing, the themes, the subject matter, well, you'll never see qualities exhibited by this series anywhere near American television ('The Mole' or 'Farmer Wants a Wife, anyone?). Serious, brooding, thought-provoking; this is television that you just can't expect to see anywhere on commercial television in the United States, sad to say.
Highly recommended. Buy a copy. You'll want your friends to watch at least a couple of the episodes. As I mentioned in this review's headline, this series will stay with you. Maybe one day the series will be remastered and the quality improved. Still, it's worth the price.
A Meditation on Morality February 22, 2008
Timm Breyel (Subang Jaya, Selangor, MALAYSIA)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Krzysztof Kieslowski's "Decalogue" is a series of ten short films set in a block of towering flats in modern Warsaw. Co-written by Kieslowski and Krzysztof Piesiewicz for Polish television in the late 1980s, the ten one-hour-long episodes explore each of the Ten Commandments, although many of the Commandments actually overlap one another.
The series is profoundly meditative, without being boring. The actors are remarkably believable, especially when Kieslowski relies on close-ups of the face; the soul of their character is practically laid bare. Very intimate. I was particularly struck by the guardian angel or witness - a young man (Artur Barcis) - who appears in eight of the episodes, just before a Commandment is broken.
It's hard to say which episodes are the best. Each one projects a powerful moral message, forcing you to consider both sides of the issue and to realise these time-honoured laws have many ramifications in our daily lives, even today. My personal favourites include episodes 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 10.
Roger Ebert's commentary at the beginning is an excellent primer to those unfamiliar with Kieslowski and the synopsis behind "Decalogue", and I would recommend viewing it before the series.
Lastly, one need not understand the Polish language or culture to appreciate "Decalogue". For that matter one need not come from a Judeo-Christian background. "Decalogue" is a film full of emotion and intelligence that can be universally understood and appreciated by all. Absolutely beautiful!!!
I would also recommend Kieslowski's Three Colors Trilogy (Blue / White / Red).
This might be the pinnacle of achivement in all film history February 8, 2008
Andrew (the Bronx)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I read a quote from Stanley Kubrick reagarding the Decalogue where he refers to the film's ability to convey thier meanings so purely. I didn't understand what Kubrick meant before I saw the 10 short films, but after viewing them, I understood and agreed with him. These films created feelings within me that no words could describe. They touched me profoundly on a sub-conscious level. I was haunted by the memories of these films for months. No other film viewing experiace has ever affected me like this. In my opinion, the only other film in history that is as profound as the Decalogue is 2001: a Space Odyssey. I should add that Roger Ebert considers this one of the ten best films of all time.
A most impressive director January 2, 2008
Gunnar Berg (NH, United States)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I was introduced to director Krzysztof Kielowski through the three colors trilogy, Blue, White and Red. Red jumped into my top 5 favorite movies of all time, which prompted me to have a look at Decalogue.
Put quite simply, you just can't go wrong with any of his works. The volume of emotion he is able to transmit through his films is amazing, as is his attention to detail and imagery. He seems to come about this talent quite naturally as it never appears forced or contrived. The plot twists are subtle and rate right up there with the best. These are some of the very few films where you don't even realize that you are reading subtitles. They are that engrossing. I would highly recommend his films to anyone.
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