Based on the book by the highly-esteemed Count Jan Potocki, the film version is reputedly a respectful, mostly faithful adaptation of this literary cat’s cradle set in the weird fantasy landscapes of arid 17th-century Spain.

The films creates a magical, sometimes disturbing, world of the supernatural so it’s no surprise that this was a counterculture classic and Jerry Garcia’s favourite. He, along with Martin Scorsese, put up part of the money to have it restored to its full length. Besides the convoluted structure, characters pop in and out of each other’s stories with the random logic of a trip.

The characters includes sexy ghost princeses, demon-possessions and many a corpse. The intriguing stylistic flourishes sit against the wonderful soundtrack, which was composed by Krzyszt Penderecki, famous for the scores of The Shining and Wild At Heart.

Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola, Luis Bunuel and Jerry Garcia have at various times described The Saragossa Manuscript as their favorite film.

“Simulateously horrific, erotic and funny … this is one mother of a film” DAVID LYNCH
“ I love the Saragossa Manuscript…exceptional” LUIS BUNUEL
“ Compelling blur into a surreal comic vision of a world in which reality and fantasy are indistinguishable” NY TIMES
“Its expert stylization, imaginative period recreations and gutsy playing by a valorous Zbigniew Cybulski as the man on the quest.” VARIETY
“Polish genius” LE MONDE

English Subtitles / Polish Language IMDB rating: 8.1
1965 / B&W / 2:1 anamorphic 16:9
Running time 180'
Polish title Rekopis znaleziony w Saragossie
Starring Zbigniew Cybulski, Kazimierz Opalinski, Ig Cembrzynska-Kondratiuk, Joanna Jedryka, Aleksander Fogiel, Barbara Krafftówna, Pola Raksa
Cinematography: Mieczyslaw Jahoda
Production Designer: Tadeusz Myszorek, Jerzy Skarzynski
Film Editor Krystyna Komosinska
Written by Tadeusz Kwiatkowski from the novel by Jan Potocki
Directed by Wojciech Has