The Procession to Calvary is one of thousands of images painted by the masters of the journey of Christ to the hill at Golgotha where he was crucified. What makes Bruegel's image so spectacular is the sheer scale of the image and the creativity of the paintings construction. The Procession to Calvary is painted as though this Passion Play took place contemporaneously with Bruegel's daily life. The characters in the image are dressed as modern Flemish commoners would be dressed, and the painting prominently features a modern windmill among its many features. These details lend modern historians intriguing clues as the the paintings subtext and social significance, which Majewski attempts to illuminate in his film.
The film is not really bound by any sort of plot. Characters mingle and interweave throughout one another's stories, crossing paths and moving along their merry way. Some of the characters are not so lucky. We see at least one man executed, presumably for religious reasons. We also see snippets of daily life that would seem to be somewhat inane, but brought to glorious life by Lech Majewski and his technical team. The Mill & the Cross has almost no dialogue, but without a linear story to tell, this is hardly a fault. The film is all about becoming enveloped by the imagery and living inside the painting, as Majewski has since he was a child, and he conveys that feeling remarkably well.
Among the film's many assets is the extraordinary cinematography by Majewski and his DP, Adam Sikora. The film is beautifully shot and at times heart-breakingly art directed. Majewski manages to convey an abundant wealth of emotion without dialogue in a way that few films today even attempt, let along manage successfully.
I haven't even mentioned the cast, which is really a due to the innate strength of the filmmaking that the actors themselves seem like malleable tools to serve Majewski's will. Rutger Hauer appears in the film on several occasions as Pieter Bruegel, managing and setting up his models and attempting to explain his process. Also included in the stellar cast are Michael York as his patron and Charlotte Rampling as Mary, certainly not a cast to sneeze at. All of the name actors perform admirably and without any hint of ego, which is refreshing and truly helps the films attain its goal.
The Mill & the Cross is one of the most creatively imagined films of 2011, and if I'd seen it last year, it very well may have made one of my top ten lists. I'm always excited to find films that challenge and expand my notions of what cinema can be, and this film certainly accomplishes that in spades. You may not love it like I did, but if you give it a chance, you'll sure as shit respect it. Highly recommended.
The Disc:
Majewski and Adam Sikora shot The Mill & the Cross digitally, and as is Kino's policy, they did no intrusive post-production on the image in getting it to Blu-ray. As a result, the film looks unbelievably amazing, among the finest Blu-ray images I've ever seen. Colors are rich, detail is deep, and there are no signs of undue manipulation. The sound is equally involving, and though secondary to the image, still a well-presented part of this glorious whole.
The sole extra is a 40+ minute making of documentary chronicling Majewski's journey and his obsession with the painting from a very young age. Through this piece we are able to understand his complex filmmaking in minute detail. It is obvious that The Procession to Calvary holds immense meaning for Lech Majewski, and his understanding of the painting and it's subtext is quite impressive. Just when I thought I couldn't enjoy the film more, this making of featurette helped me to understand why it struck such a chord with me. Definitely recommended stuff.
I had no idea what to expect going into The Mill & the Cross, however, one of the biggest benefits of this job is the ability to discover gems that other people often gloss over, and I feel privileged to present this review of such an incredible film. Please, check it out.