Komeda – A Soundtrack for a Life

Krzysztof Komeda (1931–1969) – doctor, jazz pianist and film composer. As a jazz pianist he gained cult-status in Poland. As a film composer he made it into Hollywood’s first ranks. In the 1950s and 1960s Komeda composed music for more than 60 films, many of them directed by Roman Polanski. One recognizes Komeda’s experience as a jazz musician immediately from listening to some of these soundtracks. With compositions like the lullaby for Polanski’s Rosemary´s Baby, Komeda succeeded in writing his own chapter in the history of soundtracks.

Claudia Buthenhoff-Duffy’s film essay follows Komeda’s dramatic life story by the means of the melodic sounds of his music. Her film essay is a reflection on Komeda’s soundtracks, which changed the common film scores forever. It is a contemporary document about the attitude to life in a time of social, political and cultural change after WW II, about the work and exodus of Polish artists in the 50s and 60s. A story about how film music is created and how it affects people.