Przyszlem czyli jak pisalem scenariusz o Lechu Walesie dla Andrzeja Wajdy by Janusz Glowacki
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

In "Przyszlem" Janusz Glowacki writes about his work on the scenario for Andrzej Wajda's movie about Lech Walesa, "Man of Hope". Mr. Glowacki is one of the best Polish writers of the recent 50 years, and he again delivers. Ostensibly, this is a book about the Lech Walesa movie, but it is much more than that; it provides a realistic portrayal of Poland in the 1970's and 1980's. What's more, Mr. Glowacki writes about the past events from 2013 perspective. The attempts to repossess and rewrite history are rampant now in Poland, and many Polish people have been deceived into thinking that Lech Walesa was an agent of state security apparatus. It is obvious that Mr. Walesa has many faults, but the claims of him being an agent are idiotic and politically motivated.

Instead of reviewing the book, I am providing an amateurish translation of the fragment that I find the funniest. It describes the author's dream.

"Now, as in Slowacki's 'Kordian', lightning strikes ten times and it begins to rain demons; the most horrible one has Putin's face [...]

Next, as in the 'Terminator' movie, President Bronislaw Komorowski, and following him, Prime Minister Donald Tusk, illuminated by a beam of light, fall down naked to the ground. [...]

Loud steps are heard [...], knights are rising from their graves, and the Polish choir intones 'But who's coming. Who is it? It is him, the avenger, led by God. Just, gentle, and merciless, he holds a sword in his hand, a sword honed on the gravestones of heroes' [...]

A bit of Apocalypse now: a loud splash is heard - the president, the prime minister, as well as the devil who deceived them, all fall into a lake of sulfur and fire. Their screams of terror are heard as they beg for forgiveness and mercy. Too late! [...]

The dawn of freedom is rising, and the steps are getting closer. There enters..."

Mr. Glowacki's dream ends there, and we will never know for sure who enters, but my bet is that the avenger's initials are JK.

Four stars.

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