A new documentary that focuses on the controversy surrounding famed director Roman Polanski, his statutory rape trial and eventual fleeing to Europe, may be cause enough to finally close the case:

In a phone interview on Tuesday, his (Polanski’s) lawyer, Douglas Dalton, said Mr. Wells’s (former prosecutor) self-described contacts with the judge appeared to violate California law and legal ethics. At the time, Mr. Wells worked in the Santa Monica courthouse of the Los Angeles County Superior Court, but, after some initial involvement, he was not assigned to the Polanski case.

“There could be a motion to dismiss based on prosecutorial misconduct,” Mr. Dalton said. [NYTimes]

Hmmm… I guess we’ll have to wait and see. It would be interesting and somewhat fitting if a film, not unlike Errol Morris‘ The Thin Blue Line, was able to finally clear Polanski, or at least deem his trial dismissed. The documentary entitled “Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired,” aired on HBO and is starting to come to theaters.

Regardless of what you think about Polanski’s conduct (putting the prosector’s aside) it is hard to deny his directorial talent.

So while we wait to see if anything comes of out the legal rumors, why not catch up on some Polanski films, trailers and links are below. And because rape is a very serious matter and I don’t want to downplay that, takepart and become involved with Take Back the Night, a group that” invites you to become part of the solution, part of the end to sexual violence.”

Repulsion:

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Knife in the Water:

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The Pianist:

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And of course, Chinatown:

*Photo by Bob Willoughby