Three Colors
Encyclopedia
The Three Colours Trilogy is the collective title of three film
s – a trilogy
– directed by Krzysztof Kieślowski
, two made in French
and one primarily in Polish
: Trois couleurs: Bleu (Three Colours: Blue) (1993), Trzy kolory: Biały (Three Colours: White) (in French: Blanc) (1994), and Trois couleurs: Rouge (Three Colors: Red) (1994). All three were co-written by Kieślowski and Krzysztof Piesiewicz
(with story consultants Agnieszka Holland
and Sławomir Idziak) and have musical scores by Zbigniew Preisner
.
The films were Kieślowski's first major successes in the West, and are his most acclaimed works after The Decalogue
.
in left-to-right order, and the story of each film is loosely based on one of the three political ideals in the motto of the French Republic: liberty, equality, fraternity
. As with the treatment of the Ten Commandments
in The Decalogue
, the illustration of these principles is often ambiguous and ironic. As Kieślowski noted in an interview with an Oxford University student newspaper, “The words [liberté, egalité, fraternité] are French because the money [to fund the films] is French. If the money had been of a different nationality we would have titled the films differently, or they might have had a different cultural connotation. But the films would probably have been the same.”
The trilogy are also interpreted respectively as an anti-tragedy, an anti-comedy, and an anti-romance.
and performed by Silesian Philharmonic choir along with Sinfonia Varsovia.
got also 100 % based on 32 reviews. Second part of the trilogy, White
, was ranked with 90 % based on 32 reviews, while its final film, Red, was certified "Fresh" on the same website and got 98 % "fresh tomatoes" from the critics.
Roger Ebert
included the trilogy in its entirety to his "Great Movies" list.
Ranked #11 in Empire
magazines "The 33 Greatest Movie Trilogies" in 2010.
Ranked #14 in Empire
magazines "The 100 Best Films Of World Cinema" in 2010.
Three Colors: White
Three Colors: Red
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
s – a trilogy
Trilogy
A trilogy is a set of three works of art that are connected, and that can be seen either as a single work or as three individual works. They are commonly found in literature, film, or video games...
– directed by Krzysztof Kieślowski
Krzysztof Kieslowski
Krzysztof Kieślowski was an Academy Award nominated influential Polish film director and screenwriter, known internationally for The Double Life of Veronique and his film cycles The Decalogue and Three Colors.-Early life:...
, two made in French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and one primarily in Polish
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
: Trois couleurs: Bleu (Three Colours: Blue) (1993), Trzy kolory: Biały (Three Colours: White) (in French: Blanc) (1994), and Trois couleurs: Rouge (Three Colors: Red) (1994). All three were co-written by Kieślowski and Krzysztof Piesiewicz
Krzysztof Piesiewicz
Krzysztof Marek Piesiewicz is a Polish lawyer, screenwriter, and politician, who is currently a member of the Polish Parliament and head of the Ruch Społeczny or Social Movement Party....
(with story consultants Agnieszka Holland
Agnieszka Holland
Agnieszka Holland is a Polish film and TV director and screenwriter. Best recognized for her highly political contributions to Polish cinema, Holland is one of Poland's most prominent filmmakers.-Personal life:...
and Sławomir Idziak) and have musical scores by Zbigniew Preisner
Zbigniew Preisner
Zbigniew Preisner is a Polish film score composer, best known for his work with film director Krzysztof Kieślowski.-Life:Zbigniew Preisner studied history and philosophy in Kraków. Never having received formal music lessons, he taught himself music by listening and transcribing parts from records....
.
The films were Kieślowski's first major successes in the West, and are his most acclaimed works after The Decalogue
The Decalogue
The Decalogue is a 1989 Polish television drama series directed by Krzysztof Kieślowski and co-written by Kieślowski with Krzysztof Piesiewicz, with music by Zbigniew Preisner...
.
Themes
Blue, white, and red are the colours of the French flagFlag of France
The national flag of France is a tricolour featuring three vertical bands coloured royal blue , white, and red...
in left-to-right order, and the story of each film is loosely based on one of the three political ideals in the motto of the French Republic: liberty, equality, fraternity
Liberté, égalité, fraternité
Liberté, égalité, fraternité, French for "Liberty, equality, fraternity ", is the national motto of France, and is a typical example of a tripartite motto. Although it finds its origins in the French Revolution, it was then only one motto among others and was not institutionalized until the Third...
. As with the treatment of the Ten Commandments
Ten Commandments
The Ten Commandments, also known as the Decalogue , are a set of biblical principles relating to ethics and worship, which play a fundamental role in Judaism and most forms of Christianity. They include instructions to worship only God and to keep the Sabbath, and prohibitions against idolatry,...
in The Decalogue
The Decalogue
The Decalogue is a 1989 Polish television drama series directed by Krzysztof Kieślowski and co-written by Kieślowski with Krzysztof Piesiewicz, with music by Zbigniew Preisner...
, the illustration of these principles is often ambiguous and ironic. As Kieślowski noted in an interview with an Oxford University student newspaper, “The words [liberté, egalité, fraternité] are French because the money [to fund the films] is French. If the money had been of a different nationality we would have titled the films differently, or they might have had a different cultural connotation. But the films would probably have been the same.”
The trilogy are also interpreted respectively as an anti-tragedy, an anti-comedy, and an anti-romance.
Soundtrack
Music for all three parts of the trilogy was composed by Zbigniew PreisnerZbigniew Preisner
Zbigniew Preisner is a Polish film score composer, best known for his work with film director Krzysztof Kieślowski.-Life:Zbigniew Preisner studied history and philosophy in Kraków. Never having received formal music lessons, he taught himself music by listening and transcribing parts from records....
and performed by Silesian Philharmonic choir along with Sinfonia Varsovia.
Reception
The trilogy was praised by critics. The whole trilogy received ranking of 100 % on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 5 reviews. The first part, BlueThree Colors: Blue
Three Colors: Blue is a 1993 French drama film written, produced, and directed by the acclaimed Polish director Krzysztof Kieślowski. Blue is the first of three films that comprise The Three Colors Trilogy, themed on the French Revolutionary ideals of liberty, equality, and fraternity; it is...
got also 100 % based on 32 reviews. Second part of the trilogy, White
Three Colors: White
Three Colors: White is a 1994 Polish mystery comedy-drama film co-written, produced, and directed by Krzysztof Kieślowski...
, was ranked with 90 % based on 32 reviews, while its final film, Red, was certified "Fresh" on the same website and got 98 % "fresh tomatoes" from the critics.
Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert
Roger Joseph Ebert is an American film critic and screenwriter. He is the first film critic to win a Pulitzer Prize for Criticism.Ebert is known for his film review column and for the television programs Sneak Previews, At the Movies with Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, and Siskel and Ebert and The...
included the trilogy in its entirety to his "Great Movies" list.
Ranked #11 in Empire
Empire (magazine)
Empire is a British film magazine published monthly by Bauer Consumer Media. From the first issue in July 1989, the magazine was edited by Barry McIlheney and published by Emap. Bauer purchased Emap Consumer Media in early 2008...
magazines "The 33 Greatest Movie Trilogies" in 2010.
Ranked #14 in Empire
Empire (magazine)
Empire is a British film magazine published monthly by Bauer Consumer Media. From the first issue in July 1989, the magazine was edited by Barry McIlheney and published by Emap. Bauer purchased Emap Consumer Media in early 2008...
magazines "The 100 Best Films Of World Cinema" in 2010.
Principal cast
Three Colors: BlueThree Colors: Blue
Three Colors: Blue is a 1993 French drama film written, produced, and directed by the acclaimed Polish director Krzysztof Kieślowski. Blue is the first of three films that comprise The Three Colors Trilogy, themed on the French Revolutionary ideals of liberty, equality, and fraternity; it is...
- Juliette BinocheJuliette BinocheJuliette Binoche is a French actress, artist and dancer. She has appeared in more than 40 feature films, been recipient of numerous international accolades, is a published author and has appeared on stage across the world. Coming from an artistic background, she began taking acting lessons during...
- Julie - Benoît RégentBenoît RégentBenoît Régent was a French motion-picture actor.He was born in Nantes. He died in Zürich, Switzerland.-Filmography:*Noir comme le souvenir *...à la campagne *En mai, fais ce qu'il te plaît...
- Olivier - Florence PernelFlorence PernelFlorence Pernel is a French actress born on June 30, 1966 in Paris.She is well-known and appreciated for her various performances in quality period TV movies mostly, and some remarkable supporting roles in cinéma.- External links :*...
- Sandrine
Three Colors: White
Three Colors: White
Three Colors: White is a 1994 Polish mystery comedy-drama film co-written, produced, and directed by Krzysztof Kieślowski...
- Julie DelpyJulie DelpyJulie Delpy is a French-American actress, director, screenwriter, and singer-songwriter. She studied filmmaking at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts and has directed, written, and acted in more than 30 films, including Europa Europa , The Voyager , Three Colors: White , Before Sunrise...
- Dominique - Zbigniew ZamachowskiZbigniew ZamachowskiZbigniew Zamachowski is a Polish actor.Zamachowski graduated the actor's faculty in "PWSFTViT" in Łódź. He began his acting career in 1981 and in 1989 had a co-starring role in Part Ten of director Krzysztof Kieślowski's film series, The Decalogue...
- Karol - Janusz GajosJanusz GajosJanusz Gajos is a Polish actor.He graduated in 1965 from the National Film School in Łódź as one of its best students despite having been rejected during entrance exams for three times. He debuted while he was still in film school in children's film Panienka z okienka in 1964...
- Mikolaj - Jerzy StuhrJerzy StuhrJerzy Stuhr is one of the most popular, influential and versatile Polish actors. He also works as a screenwriter, film director and drama professor...
- Jurek
Three Colors: Red
- Iréne JacobIrène JacobIrène Marie Jacob is a French-born Swiss actress considered one of the preeminent French actresses of her generation. Jacob gained international recognition and acclaim through her work with Polish film director Krzysztof Kieślowski, who cast her in the lead role of The Double Life of Véronique...
- Valentine - Jean-Louis TrintignantJean-Louis TrintignantJean-Louis Trintignant is a French actor who has enjoyed an international acclaim. He won the Best Actor Award at the 1969 Cannes Film Festival.-Career:...
- Joseph - Jean-Pierre LoritJean-Pierre LoritJean-Pierre Lorit is a French actor.His most recognizable role is in the film Three Colors: Red.In 2005, He performed Strindberg's "Créanciers" directed by Hélène Vincent, with Lambert Wilson and Emmanuelle Devos...
- Auguste - Frederique Feder - Karin