Roman Polanski

Behind the Scenes of His Classic Early Films

Roman Polanski: Behind the Scenes of His Classic Early Films is a rare portrait of the artist in the act of creation.

Between his 1962 debut A Knife in the Water and the 1968 blockbuster Rosemary’s Baby, Roman Polanski directed three movies—Repulsion, Cul-de-Sac, and Dance of the Vampires (a.k.a. The Fearless Vampire Killers)—that remain a crucial but too often overlooked piece of his filmography. In this remarkable behind-the-scenes look at the director's early output, Jordan Young gives us a revealing look at Polanski at work in the years before his rise to global renown. Drawing on new research and interviews with principals on both sides of the camera—including direct access to the director—Young shares eye-opening, freshly unearthed details. We witness Polanski making movies under some of the worst possible conditions, contending with financing nightmares (both Repulsion and Cul-de-Sac were underwritten by exploitation-film peddlers), poisonous enmities amongst cast and crew, and collaborators who, in the director's words, "did their best to make me feel like a monster." Polanski the provocateur is in full view here, placing actors in physical peril and deploying such unusual methods as slaughtering chickens to provide real blood for a death scene. While never shying away from unflattering or shocking details, Young still provides a nuanced and measured portrait of his subject—a rare look at a controversial artist in the act of creation.

Contributor: Ewa Mazierska (Foreword by)

UK Delivery:

• Free delivery on all orders of £10 or more.
• £1.49 delivery fee on orders below £10.
• UK orders are shipped via Royal Mail 2nd Class.

International Delivery:

• Flat rate delivery charges vary by country.

Dispatch and Delivery Times:

• All orders are shipped from our warehouse in Northampton, UK within 48 hours of receipt during working hours.
• UK mainland orders typically arrive within 3-5 working days via Royal Mail 2nd Class.
• International estimated delivery times:
• Europe & Channel Islands: 7 to 10 working days
• USA: 7 to 15 working days
• Rest of the World: 9 to 21 working days

View our full delivery infomation here.