Wojciech Has - Sanatorium pod klepsydra aka The Hour-Glass Sanatorium (1973)

The film presents a poetic, visually refined journey through the convolutions of time as experienced by the protagonist, Joseph (Jan Nowicki). The young Joseph finds himself travelling through a dream-like world, taking a dilapidated train to visit his dying father in a sanatorium. When he arrives at the hospital, he finds the entire facility is going to ruin and no one seems to be in charge, or even caring for the patients. Time appears to behave in unpredictable ways, reanimating the past in an elaborated artificial caprice.





Did I watch this film or did I dream it. This may be your initial response after watching "the Hourglass Sanatorium". Those who are fans of Fellini, Jodorowsky, Peter Greenaway and Andrej Zulawski will feel right at home. Originally the film was based on a novel, and the story deals with a man who takes a train to see his sick father at a sanatorium. The sanatorium feels Gothic and abandoned. Time seems to be non existent there. Since time has slowed down the father goes on living and the son gets lost in the many rooms of the sanatorium. His journey is as comical as it is frightening. Memories and history become reality and the main character walks throughout many strange scenarios from the past and from his childhood. A simple action like crawling under a bed, can transfer him to a different time and place. Among the strange images in the film which are the most breathtaking are, the Jewish Rabbis breaking out into a song number, people who are part human and part wax figures, dead zombie like soldiers, people in strange bird masks, elephants, and odd philosophical discussions. This is one movie that is so complex and confusing that if you miss 1 minute (or even if you don't miss anything) you'll feel lost. After the film was over, I was left scratching my head; it was like I had just woken up from a bizarre dream. This is one of the most breathtakingly surreal film experiences I have ever had. Film is a visual art, so words can't come close to describing "the Hourglass Sanitorium". You have to see it for yourself! (IMDB comment)







El Sanatorio de la Clepsidra
Poco antes de la 2ª Guerra Mundial, un joven se encuentra en un extraño tren donde viaja hasta un sanatorio para visitar a su padre enfermo. Durante el viaje, experimenta extrañas visiones de muerte y surrealismo que lo confunden y lo apartan de la realidad. Cuando llega al sanatorio, descubre que el lugar está invadido por una extraña atmósfera de locura donde macabras figuras, luces y sombras, lo introducen en un mundo donde se mezcla el pasado, el presente y el futuro, en un amalgama de muerte y apocalípsis.



La Clepsydre
Jozef vient voir son père en traitement dans un sanatorium, où le docteur Gotard entretient une très mystérieuse atmosphère. Une porte allégorique garde l'entrée du sanatorium; dès qu'on la franchit, on pénètre dans le monde de la fantaisie, issu du subconscient. Prix spécial du jury au Festival de Cannes 1973.





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