8/7/22
Newsletter65
The Crack of Dawn
Both of Roman Polanski’s parents were murdered in Auschwitz concentration camp during WWII, but he miraculously survived—he was very lucky. In 1962 Polanski made his first feature film, Knife in the Water, with a music score by his good buddy, Krzysztof Komeda. Costing almost nothing—it’s three people on a boat—the film was so well-made and well-received that it won many awards and the world took notice. Polanski then made the terrific horror film, Repulsion (1965), that was a critical and box office hit (although Polanski was unable to get Komeda for the score, he instead got jazz great, Chico Hamilton). Polanski made two more films in Europe, both scored by Komeda. Roman Polanski was then hired by Paramount Pictures to make Rosemary’s Baby (1968), and he got Komeda for the score. The film was an enormous hit. Komeda’s inventive score is mainly a nursery rhyme hummed by the film’s star, Mia Farrow. Both men were now big-shot Hollywood celebrities. Roman Polanski was considered by many to be the most-talented young director in the world. Krzysztof (now Christopher) Komeda got a recording contract and cut a very good jazz piano album, then immediately scored the film, Riot (1969). But luck is fickle. Also in 1969, at a party in the Hollywood Hills, Komeda got drunk, fell off the balcony, broke his neck and died. Soon thereafter, the Manson family broke into Polanski’s house and killed his pregnant wife, Sharon Tate, and four friends. Apparently, Komeda and Polanski’s luck had run out. And even though Polanski still made one more great film, Chinatown (1975), the fates weren’t done with him. Polanski was convicted for having sex with a minor, served a year in jail, fled the country, is a now a fugitive from justice, and can’t return to the U.S. Even still he managed to win an Oscar for Best Director in 2003 for The Pianist. He’s about to turn 89 on Aug. 18, the day after my birthday.
Happy birthday, Roman.
I saw Rosemary’s Baby at the theater when I was ten years old. They shouldn’t have let me in, but I was with my older sister, and they hadn’t invented movie ratings yet. The movie was so great; so profound of a cinematic experience; and scared me so badly that I have never been the same since. Upon reflection, I don’t think that any movie I have ever seen since then has had that much impact on me.
And a new day has dawned.