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THE HOURGLASS SANATORIUM (1973) — a rarely screened masterpiece of Polish surrealism w/ Polish animation pre-show @ 6 pm
May 31 : 7:00 pm – 9:25 pm
“AN ABSOLUTE MASTERWORK… My jaw dropped at the sheer spectacle (in glorious—and I mean glorious—color) spread across the screen” – If You Want the Gravy
A visually stunning phantasmagoric journey through the labyrinth of the mind, THE HOURGLASS SANATORIUM creates a cinematic universe composed with byzantine sets, hallucinatory images and a gallery of grotesque characters. Based on the interconnected short stories of Jewish writer Bruno Schulz, this magical-realist vision of pre-WWII Poland follows a young man named Józef (Jan Nowicki) on his journey through the through the many rooms of the remote sanatorium where his father (Tadeusz Kondrat) has stopped breathing, yet hasn’t died. Time seems to stand still in this strange place, where each room conjures new worlds composed of Józef’s memories, dreams and nightmares. This “fundamental milestone in the history of the cinematographical language” (Le Monde) dispenses with traditional narrative yet remains utterly gripping, fashioning an audiovisual mosaic that blurs the line between reality and fantasy. If you enjoyed our screening last year of On the Silver Globe, you simply must see THE HOURGLASS SANATORIUM.
THE HOURGLASS SANATORIUM is not available on streaming, out of print on Blu-ray, and never released on Region 1 DVD. Your only (legit) chance to see this jaw-dropping masterpiece of Polish surrealism is right here at Arkadin!
A pre-show spotlighting the weird, wonderful world of Polish animation will start at 6 pm, so come out early for some extra mind-blowing entertainment!
Please note this film is playing twice, on May 30 and 31, at 7 pm. Select your date at checkout.
In recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, Arkadin presents INSTITUTIONALIZED: MENTAL INSTITUTIONS ON FILM, a series of movies that depict asylums, sanitariums, and psychiatric hospitals — some with unvarnished realism, others with surrealism, whimsy or horror. At several screenings, academics and mental health experts will introduce the film with a talk that unpacks the film’s treatment of mental healthcare and provides context on the history of psychiatric institutions.
Arkadin does not generally provide advisories about subject matter or potentially triggering content in films, as sensitivities vary from person to person. However, we encourage researching titles to determine if a screening may contain content that could be upsetting to you. Please feel free to contact us for guidance on specific films. Information about content can also be found on Common Sense Media, IMDB and DoesTheDogDie.com, as well as through general internet searches.
Theater Policies
- All seats are first-come, first-served.
- The theater opens 30 minutes prior to showtime, except for “Happy Hour” events and pre-shows when the theater opens at the listed start time.
- All ages are welcome at Arkadin except for Drinkolas Cage events, which are restricted to 21+. We follow the MPAA rating guidelines for all other films.
- Tickets can be purchased using the BUY TICKETS link above. Upon ordering, you will receive a confirmation email from Square. Tickets may also be purchased on the day of the show at the concession counter.
- If you’ve purchased advance tickets, when you arrive, please give your name at the concession counter to check in.
- Tickets are returnable by sending a request through the contact form located on our About Us page prior to showtime.
- When an event is sold out, we reserve the right to release open seats to customers on the waitlist. If you have a pre-purchased ticket and arrive late and there is no seat for you, your ticket will be refunded.
- All screenings are held in our indoor theater unless indicated otherwise in the event description above.
- Please respect your fellow movie-goers by remaining quiet and refraining from using your cell phone throughout the screening.
May 31 : 7:00 pm – 9:25 pm