Watch The Collector

The Collector (Original Version) from 2005 is a Polish thriller directed by Feliks Falk. The movie’s storyline is about a taxidermist named Wojciech who has an obsession with collecting beautiful women. He picks up his prey from bars, clubs, or any place where he can find them alone. One day, he traps a young woman named Bozena in his basement, planning to keep her there forever. His hopes of keeping her captive indefinitely are dashed when her sister, Kamila, starts snooping around, looking for any trace of her missing sibling.

The film’s opening credit sets the creepy tone by giving viewers a tour of the taxidermist's workplace. Numerous preserved animals are displayed in vividly gruesome ways, creating an eerie atmosphere that sets the stage for the movie. The Collector is a disturbing portrayal of a disturbed man, constantly haunted by his addiction to the twisted idea of collecting women. His modus operandi is meticulous and alarming: he scouts independent, loose women, entices them into his car, drugs them, and takes them to his basement.

We are introduced to Wojciech's captivity lair where he keeps his victims. The basement is a grungy, dismal place of horror, complete with a narrow bed, a dingy bathtub, and upholstered walls. It is here where he keeps Bozena hostage, leaving her tethered to a large vehicle chain that hangs from the ceiling. Wojciech’s behavior is disconcerting, disturbing, and entirely chilling. He amuses himself by playing a game that involves music, flashing lights, and matching colors, and he rewards his captive's successes with pieces of clothes.

As the story progresses, it becomes evident that Kamila is not one to rest until she unravels the mysteries surrounding her sister's disappearance. She embarks on a mission to investigate with dogged determination, searching for clues, and asking probing questions. Her persistent snooping eventually leads her to discover Wojciech's true nature.

What makes The Collector stand out is its relentless technical precision. Falk pays close attention to the camera's movements, the lighting, the use of angles, and the color palette to create a distressing ambiance. The close-ups and the camera’s movements add a palpable sense of claustrophobia and isolation, emphasizing the fear that permeates Wojciech's captive's experience. The use of color in the movie is striking, featuring a muted palette of grey and blue that blurs the lines between the basement and the outside world.

The movie’s music score is eerie and haunting, enhancing the film’s visual dynamics. It is easy to note the intensity of a particular scene by listening to the music, and Falk’s included use of silence is equally effective in building tension. A standout performance from Andrzej Chyra as Wojciech, the collector, leaves every viewer disturbed, with chilling conviction that distinctly separates this movie from the run-of-the-mill horror-flick. Chyra delivers dialogue with an unnerving precision that leaves an undesirable chill, and his mannerisms effectively convey his twisted mentality.

The Collector is not without its flaws, however. The storyline at times feels a bit stretched out, and there is a sense of meandering as the story progresses. Moreover, the film's characterizations are not as fully fleshed out as one would expect, and critics of the movie have noted that the side characters lack depth, which makes it hard for viewers to emphasize.

In conclusion, The Collector (Original Version) from 2005 is a taut, unsettling, slow-burning thriller that is sure to stir feelings of dread and palpable fear. It stands out as a classic piece of Polish cinema, captivating and engrossing viewers with its ominous undertones and chilling storyline. It is a movie that will leave an indelible mark on viewers, producing unsavory feelings of unease long after the credits have rolled. Fans of the horror and thriller genre are in for an intense and unsettling ride that will keep them on the edge of their seats from start to finish.