Wojciech Has's 1965 film The Saragossa Manuscript, a surrealist period comedy set in 18th-century Spain, is being re-released. The film follows officer Alfonse Van Worden, played by Zbigniew Cybulski, as he careens through farcical encounters and erotic episodes in a wild narrative ride.
The story begins during the Napoleonic wars in Saragossa, where an officer is distracted by a book about his own grandfather. The narrative then flashes back to Alfonse, who travels through the Sierra Morena mountains, encountering grim gallows, Muslim princesses, and the Spanish Inquisition.
The film's surrealism lies in the bewildering juxtaposition of tales and anecdotes, creating a kaleidoscopic effect. It draws comparisons to Cervantes, Borges, Alejandro Jodorowsky, and Monty Python, with its farcical encounters and lack of irony.
Shot in crisp monochrome, The Saragossa Manuscript offers a head-spinning adventure that challenges conventional storytelling. Alfonse's own words capture the film's essence: 'I no longer know where reality ends and fantasy begins.'
