Why
Language
Fails

In February 2011, I subtitled 5/6 parts
of Lech Majewski's masterpiece Wojaczek.

The film is in Polish;
I do not understand any Polish.

But I know the film is a portrait of a suicidal poet,
so, I subtitled what I think the characters said.

The result is a film with two scripts:
spoken polish and written english.

Each part is 15 minutes long.

1

In part 1, Wojaczek
tries to suicide twice,
meets his parents,
talks to a wall,
ridicules some soldiers,
and tries out a grave.

2

In part 2, Wojaczek
arrives by train,
writes several poems,
fucks a nurse,
and argues with his doctor.

3

The lovers (Wojaczek & nurse) visit a church,
he confesses to her and leaves.

He visits his alternate apartment,
prostrates by himself,
watches tv with the horny landlady.

In the bar he pours a drink onto another's head.

4

It continues in the bar.

After more self-mutilatory calisthetics
and a flirtatious absinthe purchase,
Wojaczek finds his ultimate alcoholic drinking buddy.

When a bottle breaks,
they lick alcohol and broken glass off the floor.

At the bar, Secret perform
and poets drink their way into oblivionary discourse.

5

More drinking and delusional discourse.
Totally trashed they meet a sober famous poet.

The hangover strikes.

Wojaczek waits for a poem,
recites a Berger quotation,
then jumps out a window.

At the hospital, his nurse fucks him.

In the bar,
the band plays,
the impressario counts money.

6

FINAL EPISODE : NOT - SUBTITLED....

out of respect for the genius of Majewski
and because I was tired.

watch it without subtitles on youtube

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