Ga-ga: Glory to the Heroes
Entry updated 31 August 2026. Tagged: Film.
Polish film (1986; original title Ga, Ga – Chwala bohaterom). Zespol Filmowy "Perspektywa". Directed and written by Piotr Szulkin. Actors include Katarzyna Figura, Daniel Olbrychski and Jerzy Stuhr. 84 minutes. Colour.
In the twenty-first century everyone seems so happy that the tough life of the cosmonaut no longer appeals, yet there is still a desire to explore space. Thus prison Spaceships (see Crime and Punishment) are built and the inmates sent to land on newly discovered but unexplored planets to claim them in the name of Earth; they are assured they will be pioneers. We follow one such prisoner, Scope (Olbrychski), who is pushed into a shuttle and informed it will automatically return 29 days after landing, with him on board if still alive; apparently no prior check is made as to whether the planet is habitable. After choosing the shuttle Computer's persona he has no further responsibilities until landing; the computer, perhaps an AI, comments, "Isn't it magnificent, to be free and not have to decide on anything?"
Scope lands and is about to plant the flag when a car pulls up: the driver, an over-friendly official named Chudy (Stuhr), welcomes Scope to "Australia 458", calls him a hero, gives him a wallet and the car; then introduces him to the young prostitute, named Once (Figura), in the back seat.
The planet is inhabited by humans, who idolize the "heroes" that land in the shuttle, providing them with gifts and benefits, though these are underwhelming. The civilization itself is run-down; as usual in Szulkin's films, it resembles Poland in the 1980s. Scope is unimpressed and uncomfortable, though he likes Once. His suspicions are confirmed by his experiences: collecting clothes, he is grabbed by an arm that appears from an adjacent locker, though it is surprisingly easily torn off the unseen torso; buying hot dogs from a café that boasts "natural food", he discovers their filling is human fingers (misinterpreting his disgust, the owner apologies and cuts the fingernails). Given a flat, he watches a television documentary on whales and how they beach themselves, apparently committing Suicide. Chudy returns with gifts of Weapons and enthusiastically explains how heroes are supposed to commit an extremely violent crime and then be publicly killed – taken to a stadium and, amidst much fanfare, impaled through the rectum by a spike. Scope responds unenthusiastically, but does get the opportunity to have Sex with Once, only to be interrupted by the police breaking in, arresting him for raping a minor and, when one of the policemen throttles him and the struggle tears off their arm, adding the charge of mutilating an officer. However, the authorities are disappointed: an official assures him they appreciate his efforts, but the charges are not spectacular enough, though adequate for the gutter press. In the twenty-first century, television rules the mind of the mob (see Media Landscape) and more blood and violence is needed. The official explains: "Our intentions are pure ... the great benefits which the community derives from witnessing the exemplary punishment ... how rare it is to watch a crime which is punished." He tries to get Scope to sign an agreement to this, but he writes "ga-ga" instead – "the sound that children make".
Planning to buy Once from her pimp, Scope robs a bank without hurting anyone, only for another "hero" to burst in and machine-gun everyone else there: Scope shoots him. He and Once flee to the shuttle only for the computer to refuse to lift off until they confirm the flag has been planted, but Once – who acts like a child – starts smashing the computer, making it acquiesce and ask whether they want to fly to the Earth? Scope replies it should take them to "the nearest planet without people". The shuttle lifts off and we are told, "They lived happily ever after".
Prisoners are not being sent to unexplored planets but to an already colonized one (see Colonization of Other Worlds): there is clearly a history of sending prisoners to Australia 458 to become executed "heroes". Possibly other colonies exist (the 458 might suggest so) and have similar visits; the use of Australia is presumably a reference to that continent's earlier use as a dumping ground for criminals (it is possible of course that the planet is Earth, but it seems unlikely). Scope – of whom it can be inferred that he is a political prisoner – notices there are three impaling spikes in the stadium, but is told only the left and right are ever used, never the centre one (see Politics). It is unclear why some people's arms are so easily torn off and why they are so blasé about the experience (perhaps this ties in with the cannibalism, with some people are bred to be food animals?). Whilst Once looks like a young adult, she behaves like a child, particularly at the end: doubtless this links with the idea that the best way to cope with such a society is to behave childishly ("ga-ga"), but having the film's supposedly sympathetic lead in a sexual relationship with an underage girl is uncomfortable. Szulkin's distrust of television, and condemnation of the manipulation of the people by political and religious leaders, are again evident; as is minor officialdom engaging in wheedling self-justification (and insisting the paperwork be signed), while those who carry out their orders are bullies who enjoy their work. However, the general population itself is not flatteringly portrayed either. Ga-ga: Glory to the Heroes is the fourth of Szulkin's sf tetralogy, the others being Golem (1979); Wojna światów – Następne stulecie (1981; vt The War of the Worlds: Next Century) and O-bi, o-ba. Koniec cywilizacji (1985; vt O-Bi, O-Ba: The End of Civilization). Though good, Ga-ga is the least of them (the third is probably the best), for though the grotesque is a notable feature of them all, it is rather unremitting here. But the fingernails joke is good. [SP]
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