Knife in the Water

Polanski's contribution to Polish national cinema is actually his development of many norms that would define 1960s art house cinema. It never became a genre, but it did have tendencies and similarities in a lot of films. Knife in the Water features a story about a couple on a yachting trip who take along a mysterious traveler. Things start out fine until emotions are played with and the happy threesome becomes disjointed. The story is not interested in promoting a conflict and resolution, but to allow the tension to swirl. All the characters end the story on an uncertain note about what is next. The film's focus on a real situation and small moments gives it a realism that was different in the 60s. Even Italian neo-realism had stale plots in their films. Polanski made a classic example of a film and story that could be something else. Very memorable.