Pola Negri - Bestia | The Polish Dancer (1917/1921)

UPC: 5908259554457

Overview

A tragic love triangle unfolds in the silent film Bestia (The Polish Dancer), originally produced in Poland in 1917 and later distributed in the United States in 1921. Pola, a young provincial girl, persuades her admirer Dmitri to help her escape her mundane life. In the bustling city, she transforms into a famous dancer and meets a wealthy man named Alexis, but Dmitri follows her trail. This film, starring the iconic Pola Negri, one of early cinema's first international stars, is the oldest and only surviving movie from her Polish period. Its survival is largely due to its American distribution under the title "The Polish Dancer," a clever marketing move by a New York lawyer. To celebrate its centennial anniversary, the film was digitally restored in stunning 4K resolution by the National Film Archive – Audiovisual Institute in 2017.

Product Features

• Title: Bestia / The Polish Dancer

• Director/Script: Aleksander Hertz

• Cast: Pola Negri (Pola Bashnikelf), Witold Kuncewicz (Alexis), Jan Pawłowski (Dmitri), Maria Dulęba (Sonia), Mia Mara (Dancer)

• Music: Włodek Pawlik (2018)

• Music Editor: Łukasz Pawlik

• Mastering: Grzegorz Jędrach

• Format: 1080p HD, transferred at 18 to 25 fps

• Length: 67 minutes

• Audio: Stereo

• Language: Silent with intertitles, subtitles available in English and Polish, additional options in German and French

• Color: Black and White

• Restoration: Digitized and restored in 4K by DI Factory, ReKino under the supervision of the National Film Archive - Audiovisual Institute, co-financed by the Polish Film Institute in 2017

Interesting Facts

• Bestia is the oldest surviving film featuring Pola Negri, one of the earliest international film stars who later found fame in Hollywood.

• The film is notable for its complex depiction of a love triangle, showcasing early 20th-century storytelling in Polish cinema.

• The American release under the title The Polish Dancer helped the film reach a broader audience, ultimately aiding in its preservation. This transformation from the original Polish title "Bestia" was part of a successful marketing strategy to appeal to American viewers, leveraging cultural resonance and audience familiarity to make the film more accessible and attractive to the American market.

• To celebrate its 100th anniversary, the film was digitally restored in 2017, followed by the addition of music by Włodek Pawlik in 2018, with restoration led by the National Film Archive - Audiovisual Institute.

• This restoration was not only a technical achievement, preserving the visual and narrative elements of the film but also a cultural effort to highlight Poland's contribution to early cinema.

Publishers

• Production: National Film Archive - Audiovisual Institute (2019)

Hashtags

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