Cracow monsters and why it's become a favorite of mine

As most people who know me are well aware I have insane interest in Slavic mythology and folklore (probably because I'm a Slav myself) and I feel like it doesn't get the appreciation and representation it deserves in a proper big budget spectacle.

In order to understand exactly why I feel this way we need to look at a few examples of previous supernatural shows from Slavic languge countires.

The Hexer (original title: Wiedzmin) was a 2001 Polish dark fantasy miniseries very loosely based on The Witcher series of novels by Andrzej Szapkowski. And by very loosely I mean that the one thing it shares in common with the novels is that the main character is named Geralt. It was also a flatout terrible piece of filmmaking to begin with, having lackluster effects, generic writing and poor performances. To this day Szapkowski still hates this version and I can certainly see why.

Black Wedding (original title: Crna svada) is a Serbian supernatural neo-noir murder mystery following an investigation of a calm man in a small village in Eastern Serbia suddenly shooting twelve of his neighbours with ancient forbidden rituals and practices being the main reason for the misfortunes. Unlike the previously mentioned Hexer however I actually really enjoyed this one. It had a bleak and atmospheric tone and a gripping mystery that perfectly blends within itself supernatural and non-supernatural elements.

The second season of the Croatian neo-noir mystery Rest in Peace (original title: Počivali u miru) takes heavy inspiration from Histrian witchcraft and folklore, however with a heavy dosage of realism showing that there is certainly a place for folklore and mythology on Croatian television.

Diaries of Temnyj (original title: Schodennyky Temnogo) was the first Ukrainian horror tv series. It showed a lot of promise with an intriguing premise of a journalist arriving to a small town which nobody can possibly leave and where time and death have no meaning, add to the fact that the population the town are shapeshifters, vampires, ghosts, warlocks and other beasts that stalk the night. If we ignore the fact that this is a Ukrainian show filmed entirely in Russian, this generally good premise was completley botched by weak acting, terrible dialoge, an attempt to make it less of a supernatural small-town mystery and more off a anthology, a terrible soundtrack and some of the worst visual effects I ever layed my eyes upon just to name a few.

As you can see there were many hits and many misses, but Kasia Adamik, Olga Chajdas, Anna Sienska, Gaja Grezgorewska and Magdalena Lankosz's supernatural Netflix thriller is the very first show that I believe does some justice to the vast, dark and beautiful world of Slavic mythology, folklore and magic.

For starters let's talk about why it worked for me.

As I mentioned I love Slavic mythology and will watch or read anything about it, no questions asked. But it also includes my favorite fictional trope in all of media: monster hunting and research which is the main goal of the protagonists. Add in a geniuenly well constructed mystery, strange supernatural abbilities and traditional slavic witchcraft and you've got yourself a perfect show for me.

Now let's talk about objective reasons as to why the show works:

The Performances

Every actor gives a career defining performance in this one in my opinion. Wheater they're playing a human or a monster, their acting always sells it. They're all very grounded and realistic, none are over-the- top or underwelhming, even during some scenes which might come off as moreso ridicolous. It's hard to single out an actor who gave the best performance as I loved them all equally, but if I had to pick one which I believe deserves an Emmy or atleast a Saturn, that would be Barbara Liberek as Aleksandra "Alex" Walas because I don't remember a European actress giving a performace this good in, well, anything.

The Writing

No matter the genre I always like for the writing to be grounded in reality: characters make realistic choices, have realistic reactions to things and dialoge that doesn't feel forced or unnatural. All of these are staples of Cracow monsters' writing. It's not the deepest thing I've ever heard spoken on television, sure, but it's every conversation feels like a discussion led between actual individuals, I see myself in every decision the characters make and every reaction they show.

The Effects

Whilst I heard that the visual effects in the show were pretty shawdy before starting it I wasn't discouraged. However, when I finally gave it a shot I was actually surprised. The practical effects, costumes, prosthetics and makeup are amazing as always (but I have a soft spot for these in anything) and CGI whilst not on the same level as a James Cameron flick still looks remarkabley good for a European production, big props to men and women over at PFX for doing such a great job at bringing monsters, gods and demons to life.

The Soundtrack

Apart from the two memes (Polish cow and Spinning Polsih Toilet) I knew almost nothing about the Polsih music industry before watching this show. However both the original soundtrack and the licensed music help it stand out a lot amongst the sea of other non-English shows, by conveying a moody and urban feel. If I had to single out a song it would probably be Ludzie Psy (lit. translated as Mad Dogs) by Maria Peszek.

The Cinematography

I've never visited Krakow before seeing this, but now I really bloody want to, especially because of this shows gorgeous cinematography and editing. It's impecably atmospheric, showing the city in both vintage and new light. That light is very urban, melancholic and claustrophobi which just so happens to be my favorite style of filmmaking and giving us gorgeous views of the city itself as well as the Polsih countryside.

Overall I highley enjoyed this show and would even go so far as to call it my favorite show of the year and even my favorite Netflix shows. It's a must for fans of dark fantasy and Slavic mythology.

Trailers: