Decalogue V (1989)
This is basically a shorter version of A Short Film About Killing and most of what I wrote about that still applies. The TV version has a more immediate focus on the lawyer, and gives about equal screen time to the taxi driver and the killer. I think the lawyers story is the most interesting and it is clearly the focus here with the shorter running time, whereas the feature length version added a good deal of extra scenes with the killer. Neither version attempts to give any explanation for the killers motive, but this shorter version he is portrayed even more as just a savage murderer. Because he is not the point and it isn’t really about what might drive people to commit murder, but forces us to think more directly about the concept of capital punishment where killing is processed by the state. I liked that more intense focus of this TV version, but also missed some very effective and longer scenes from the movie version.
Rating: 4