Through and Through Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.0
Overall		4.0

Through and Through Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman August 19, 2025

Radiance has been exploring some interesting nooks and crannies of Polish cinema recently with releases like Essential Polish Animation (for Region B) and this release. Both the animated shorts and this kinda sorta feature length offering (it runs a bit longer than an hour) are quite experimental and should appeal to the Art House crowd on the lookout for something unusual. Through and Through, despite overt stylistic flourishes suffusing both its visual and audio presentational proclivities, is in essence a hardscrabble "kitchen sink" drama documenting the travails of a couple struggling to make ends meet in a just barely pre-World War II Poland. Evidently based at least in part on actual true life events, the film is nonetheless probably less riveting in terms of its narrative underpinning than in how that narrative is offered to the viewer (and listener).

Jan (Franciszek Trzeciak, who bears an uncanny resemblance to Scottish actor Steven Robertson) and Maria (Anna Nieborowska) are a couple barely hanging on, and while their desperation ultimately leads to relatively petty crime and then murder, Through and Through is not a thriller in the ordinary sense. Instead there's a Kafka-esque quality running through both the story and especially its presentation, which weirdly reminded me at times of the Orson Welles version of The Trial that came out in 1962. Everything from framings to editing to sound design are assembled (or perhaps more accurately, disassembled) to keep the audience unsettled. Writer and director Grzegorz Królikiewicz may arguably stumble a bit in the film's last act with some navel gazing and probably too much "interior exposition", at least given what has gone on before, but the overall effect of this highly distinctive film is decidedly disturbing.

Through and Through Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Through and Through is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Radiance Films with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.37:1. Radiance's insert booklet provides the following information on the transfer:

Through and Through was restored in 2K by Wytwórnia Filmów Dokumentalnych i Fabularnych (WFDIF) under the supervision of cinematographer Bogdan Dziworski at reKINO and DI Factory. The sound was restored by Aeroplan Studios. The restoration was co-financed by the European Regional Devlopment FUnd, the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage and the Polish Film Institute. The film was supplied to Radiance Films as a digital file and is presented in the original aspect ratio.

This is a really stunning looking transfer that boasts beautiful contrast which helps to support the often nightmarish visuals. While a lot of the framings can be at least somewhat shrouded (and at times more than simply "somewhat"), detail levels are remarkably consistent throughout, elevated by the repeated use of extreme close-ups. Fine detail on the two focal characters' faces and outfits is typically excellent throughout. Occasionally the overwhelming darkness can slightly swallow background information in the shadows, but that probably only helps to generate more angst. There are a few extremely minor blemishes that can be spotted. Grain resolves very tightly throughout.

Through and Through Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Through and Through features a DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono track in the original Polish, though the spoken aspects of this soundtrack are probably less notable than the weird, almost hallucinogenic, layering of odd sound effects and ambient environmental effects that suffuse the aural landscape here, all of which add up to a really unique and unsettling listening experience. The actual dialogue is presented cleanly and clearly throughout. Optional English subtitles are available.

Through and Through Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Michał Oleszczyk (HD; 37:49) offers the professor and critics giving his thoughts on the film, its director and its reception in Poland.


• Grzegorz Królikiewicz Short Films

Everyone Gets What They Don't Need (HD; 11:38) is from 1966 and revolves around the death of a swimmer.




Brothers (HD; 6:53) is from 1970 and focuses on two sibling gymnasts.




Don't Cry (HD; 9:51) is from 1971 and shows new military recruits enjoying their last moments of freedom.

An insert booklet offers an interesting essay by Ela Bittencourt.

Through and Through Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Through and Through is a remarkable film probably less for its underlying story than for its really kind of amazing style. Technical merits are first rate and the two on disc supplements as well as the writing in the insert booklet are enjoyable. Recommended.