Amazon.com

Frenchman Jean Valjean (Liam Neeson), imprisoned for stealing bread, is paroled after nearly two decades of hard labor. A gift of silver candlesticks from a kindly priest helps him begin anew. Forging a decent and profitable existence, he finds success as a businessman and as the mayor of a small town. He even takes in a pregnant young woman (Uma Thurman) and raises her daughter as his own. When a former prison guard (Geoffrey Rush) recognizes Valjean, his past catches up to him. Director Bille August culls mesmerizing performances from his cast, but loses us with an ending that panders to teen audiences. The focus shifts dramatically, and uncomfortably, from the haunted Neeson and his hawk-like pursuer, to his daughter (Claire Danes) and her romance with a handsome revolutionary. After this narrative shift, the script leaves behind the Victor Hugo classic's themes of revenge and redemption to focus improbably on teen angst--hardly what Hugo had on his mind. --Rochelle O'Gorman ... Read more

Reviews (160)

Absolutely beautiful!
I had never read the book, but had heard of the story numerous times. I'm a huge Liam Neeson fan, so I wanted to see it. I've now watched it six times! It is a wonderful story! Plenty of things going on to keep you waiting to see what will happen next. The characters are so real! You can't help but love and respect Valjean and all the changes he goes through. If only we could all learn from our mistakes as he does! To love a woman so much in so short a time to consent to raise and love her daughter as his own! Oh! Claire Danes is adorable as Cosette (of course!) And Marius - well lets just say it would be entirely possible to fall in love with him at first sight! The passion in his eyes when he speaks to her is enough alone! As I said, I hadn't read the book, so I had no idea what would happen to them and their newfound love. How stressful! I won't spoil it by saying what happens in the end, but let's just say it is well worth the watch! I have told all of my friends and family to get this movie! I have since read the book and am now saving my own copy of the letters Marius wrote to Cosette. If only men these days spoke of love in those words! I promise you, you will love this movie!

A Terrible Adaptation
This is a good movie. I mean, not badly cast. Lovingly done. The acting is great. Yeah, you should enjoy it. Assuming you know absolutely nothing about Victor Hugo's original story. The truth is, if I didn't know better, I'd say whoever wrote the script never read Hugo's masterpiece and based it completely on the 1935 version. Come to think of it, I don't know better. That's probably exactly what happened.

I never thought I'd say this, but I am so glad Hugo didn't have to live to see this movie.

If you've read the book, you will hate this film. TRUST me. The plot, especially toward the end, is mercilessly butchered and rewritten. At some points it becomes utterly unrecognizable. Many of the revisions completely miss or even destroy the essence of characters, and some do not even make sense, the movie ending with Jean Valjean jubilant over the death of Javet, whose life he has made an enormous sacrifice to save.

Likewise, Javert would never attack Cosette; he was obsessively professional, not cruel. Nor would end his life (with minimal explanation, no less) in front of Valjean. Marius would NEVER act like Enjolras (oh, I forgot, there IS no Enjolras). Neither Marius NOR Enjolras would smile at remarks about making love to Cosette, so I find it hard to believe that some mutant hybrid Marjolras would. Cosette would never consider leaving Marius, her soulmate, to stay with Valjean, her adoptive father. And above all, Jean Valjean would NEVER, EVER fall in love with Fantine. The mere suggestion of this limits the portrayal of his charity to people he takes a special interest in.

Small variations are to be expected in any film adaptation of a book, but these all completely distort characters. The people who made this movie may have gotten the message (love, charity, etc.), but they missed the point.

If you've never read the book, see this movie. It is touching and carries a good message.

But it is not Les Misérables.

Great movie, but.....
Great movie, but the book was better...The movie is about the ex-convict, Jean Valjean, trying to help Fantine, a poor woman trying to make enough money to pay the Thenardiers to take care of her child Cosette, and later raising Cosette as his own, while also being persued by the persistant Inspector Javert.

What happens in the movie basically happens in the book as well, but the book also has much more going on. The book has an intricate connection between many of the characters that the movie doesn't have, and also focuses on much more than Jean Valjean, whom the movie mostly focuses on.

I would suggest reading the book first, and then watching the movie.

An enjoyable classic!
I can't judge this movie fairly. I have read the book and watched the musical, both live and on DVD. So, naturally, I will be making subconscious comparisons, even though we all know that movies generally undertake their own artistic direction.

For one, although some people have claimed the storyline to be jumpy, I thought it was rather smooth-flowing, possibly because I already know the story beforehand. Although changes were made to the original story, for example, Valjean admitting to Cosette that he is a convict when he only did so before he died in the end, and Cosette remembering that Valjean is not her father when it was originally intended for her to believe that he was her real father, these changes were probably made to accommodate the short play time (2 hours is barely enough to fit in a 1484-pages story).

Liam Neeson portrayed Valjean to be exactly the way Hugo would have intended Valjean to be. In the beginning, he was a hard, animalistic beast of a man. But Neeson is able to morph into the gentle Mayor with ease, and that highlights Valjean's transformation. Geoffrey Rush is brilliant as Javert. Never was there anyone more suited to play the cold, sadistic inspector. Uma Thurman is surprisingly convincing as Fantine. I had begun to stereotype her as the sort of action-thriller-sci-fi flick girl but this proved me wrong. Watch this movie for these three actors alone, for they bring class to your living room.

What I didn't like about the movie was the lack of development on the revolution. Hugo was a revolutionary. He wanted Les Mis to ignite the people's spirits. The revolution was a crucial scene, and the death of the revolutionaries a touching one. Through this movie, I can barely recognize which ones are Enjolras, Courfeyrac, Feuilly etc and yet the character names appear on the credit roll in the end.

The change of the ending (with Valjean walking free) did not leave much of an impact on me compared with the original ending. I loved the last page of Hugo's novel, where Cosette read Valjean's letter. Valjean had a tragic life. He was one of the Les Miserables, the underdogs, the wretched. For me, they had distorted the true message of Les Mis by changing the ending of the wonderful classic.

i didnt like it
I seen this Movie in English. and i didnt like it at all. i found it boring and the guyz hittin faintain and it isnt right. my friends and i didnt like it at all. it had a story... buh it was kind of jumpy. we only watched the first part, i would like to see the second part just to see how it all ends and everything. but to be honest i didnt like the movie at all. i am a grade 9 student and i dont think i know anyone who likes the movie. other then the teacher (maybe) ... Read more

Amazon.com

Based on a much-praised 1992 bestseller by Peter Hoeg, Smilla's Sense of Snow is a film of moody power and boundless mystery in its first half, but it becomes an overblown, conspiracy-laden schlock thriller in its second. Julia Ormond stars as the half-Inuit, Greenland native of Hoeg's book, a loner who is supported by an emotionally ambivalent father (Robert Loggia) in Copenhagen. Apparently perceived as a troublemaker who sees secret plots everywhere, Smilla finds herself largely alone in an effort to discover what really happened to a six-year-old Inuit boy who fell (or jumped) off the roof of her apartment building. Somewhat aided by an ambiguous neighbor (Gabriel Byrne), Smilla investigates a connection between the child's death and the misdeeds of a mining company, a story hook that conveniently ratchets up the action but quickly dissipates the more compelling, introspective intrigue of the film's beginning. Ormond is fascinating, somehow more beautiful than usual through her emphasis of her character's destabilizing conflicts (isolation and a possibly unhinged intelligence). But she isn't done any favors by an unreliable script or by the usually superb Danish director Bille August's chronic problems working in English-language films (including his disastrous The House of the Spirits). The DVD edition of this film includes an original theatrical trailer and a short feature on the making of the production. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Brilliant Film
This movie is an excellent example of why many European films are so superior to American movies! This brilliantly realized and at times haunting story is hard to forget. After the death of his wife, Lasse and his young son Pelle migrate from Sweden to Denmark in search of a better life for themselves. However, things don't go quite according to plan. I highly advise viewing this film to find out just what does happen to them. The cinematography is beautiful, the music evocative, and the acting is flawless. Add this to your film library - you won't be sorry!

5-star movie, 4-star DVD
Pelle the Conqueror is an utterly flawless film with regards to acting, cinematography, score, storytelling, etc. It won Best Foreign Film honors at the Academy Awards and was even nominated for Best Picture. Of course, the politics of Hollywood could never have allowed it to claim that honor, otherwise a precedence would have been set of acknowledging that foreign films might be (gasp!) better than a lot of the [stuff] Tinseltown shovels out.

Personally, I watched the Oscars that year exclusively to cheer for Pelle the Conqueror and even more specifically for Max Von Sydow, who turned in the performance of a lifetime. From the moment I began watching the film to the moment it ended, I never lost my sense of absolute immersion. It was, in truth, a grueling experience... because like so many Scandinavian films, Pelle is not a "feel good" story and doesn't have a happy ending. It doesn't have a happy beginning or middle, either. I'm straining my memory to remember a full happy minute, actually. Max Von Sydow is so thoroughly convincing as the widower father of 12-year-old Pelle Hvenegaard that I couldn't help but bear his anguish as all his hopes for a better life for his son get trampled. Even though I was fairly young when the film came out, Von Sydow led me to understand a poor father's burden. When I saw this movie in the theater in 1988, I was told by a friend it was "part one" and that the subsequent film would give viewers a little more resolution as young Pelle escapes to try to reach America... I waited and waited for that sequel, because I believed in these characters and wanted a better life for them; that's how powerful the film was to me.

So why only 4 stars? Because the DVD (to date -- these things sometimes change) does not contain the whole film. 22 minutes were hacked from the original to fit into American time slots, and they were inexplicably not restored when the film went to DVD. The DVD also lacks special features such as "making of," background story, director's comments, etc. that would have been fascinating, especially considering this is such an epic foreign film from a country American viewers know so little about.

Elend, elend, elend,...
Max von Sydow magnificently plays a certain type of Scandinavian man, maybe his best film of the ones I've seen. I saw the movie when it came out, remembered it as fantastic but forgot the details, then watched the video again recently. Tried to watch it with my 7 and 12 year old sons, but the older one couldn't take it: too much sadness. The theme of the movie: unfathomable human cruelty, that 'happiness' is only an illusion. How to know that the movie was filmed on Bornholm? The Rundkirk in a burial scene.

Moving
The story behind this movie was very touching. My Great-Great Grandfather went AWOL and came to America about the time this movie is set. The movie helped reveal to me why my family carries some of the attitudes it has and why he stopped speaking Danish or speaking of Denmark the day he stepped on American soil. This movie is a must for anyone of Scandinavian ancestry.

Child is Father to Man
A poignant film -- lending credit to the expression that "child is father to man." With so many films being produced that explore the negative violence in mankind, it is refreshing to see a splendid film that relishes the wisdom in youth. Pelle allowed us to see the hope and strength that a new generation can bring to life. Although Pelle's father fell prey to his desires, Pelle struggled to keep his wits -- striving for something truly better. Pelle chose the hard road instead of always giving in to indugences.

This film would be an excellent choice as an initial exposure for young people to another genre of film. Yes -- there is more to life than the overly violent monters created for the big screen. Reality is much more compelling. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

AN OUTSTANDING MULTI-GENERATIONAL FAMILY SAGA...
I love this movie! It has a stellar cast, who give top notch performances. How can you go wrong with Jeremy Irons, Meryl Streep, Glenn Close, Antonio Banderas, Winona Ryder, Vanessa Redgrave, and Armin Muehler-Stahl? The answer is that you can't. It is a riveting piece of film making, based loosely upon Isabelle Allende's wonderful book of the same name.

The film delicately captures the mysticism of the book, rendering those scenes in which such is the focal point highly believable. This is no mean feat given the subject matter. The story takes place in South America. The saga begins in the nineteen thirties.

Vanessa Redgrave and Armin Muehler-Stahl play the wealthy and liberal parents of two daughters, Rosa and Clara Del Valle. Rosa is the beautiful, older daughter. Clara, played by Meryl Streep's real life daughter, is a lovely child with exceptional, psychic gifts. Jeremy Irons plays the part of Esteban Trueba, an impoverished young man in love with Rosa. Vowing to make his fortune in order to marry her and provide her with the comforts to which she is accustomed, he succeeds in making his fortune. He loses Rosa, however, before being able to marry her, when she drinks poisoned wine intended for her liberal party father.

Esteban, broken hearted, leaves with his fortune and buys an estancia, where he sternly rules with an iron fist over the peasants who work the land for him. They obsequiously refer to him as "Patron". He takes what he wants, even the women, with the expected result. He has a bastard son whom he does not acknowledge.

Esteban has a spinster sister, Ferla, well acted by Glenn Close, who, for the past twenty years, has lived a grim existence in the city with their ailing mother, whom she has taken care of. When their mother dies, Esteban, now a bitter and lonely man, returns to the city from his estancia to attend his mother's funeral. In doing so, he spots Clara, who is now all grown up and ethereally portrayed by the very talented Meryl Streep. Not wasting a moment, he goes to her home. She, luminous, and mystical, already knows that he is there to ask for her hand in marriage and happily accepts. After all, she has loved him ever since she first saw him all those years ago.

Clara lovingly embraces his sister, Ferla, into the bosom of her househould, when they move to her Esteban's estancia. Ferla blossoms from a bitter old maid into a companionable and pleasant woman, under Clara's warmth. Esteban and Clara eventually have a child, Blanca, who grows up playing with Pedro, the son of the estancia's indigenous indian foreperson. When Esteban discovers this, he sends Blanca away to boarding school. He does not want his daughter fraternizing with the peasants.

Clara, loving and pure of heart, is his exact opposite. When their daughter finally grows up and returns home from school, she knows that the independent Blanca, well played by Winona Ryder, has fallen in love with her childhood playmate, Pedro, passionately portrayed by Antonio Banderas. Esteban hates Pedro, as Pedro is a liberal inciting the peasants to unionize and demand their rights, whipping them into a frenzy against the "Patron", or so Esteban sees it. He drives Pedro off his land. He also drives Ferla off, as he believes her to have unatural feelings for his wife, Clara. Possessive to a fault, he is consumed by jealousy. Clara and Esteban have a fight over his cruelties, and she finally leaves him, taking Blanca with her to the Del Valle family home in the city.

Meanwhile, life goes on. Blanca, pregnant by Pedro, has his child, believing that Pedro has been killed by her father. Esteban, representing the wealthy, becomes senator. He reigns for years, until the liberals win power. When they do, however, their tenure is short lived, as a militairy coup sets up a reign of terror and his old sins come home to roost. Meanwhile, Blanca discovers that Pedro is alive, and they joyously hook up again. When Blanca is picked up as a political dissident and tortured for her political views, Esteban, old and broken, is now just a bit player in a larger arena. Too late, he tries to right some wrongs. Some of the wrongs, however, can never be righted.

This is a magnificent, multi-generational family epic, that holds the viewer in its thrall. While it only loosely follows Isabelle Allende's wonderful book of the same name, it is a winner in its own right. It has something for everyone, as it deals with human nature, as well as the complex emotions, forces, and events that shape one. The film is about a family struggling to find its place in our ever changing world, and the relationships that each member of that family forges. It is a rich and vibrant tapestry, which succeeds in capturing the viewer.

I still prefer the book
This is indeed a beautiful film, with scenic locations and a brilliant cast. I actually did like the movie a lot (though I was often surprised by their choice of actors). However, I'm left with a small dilemma. Having read the book, I find the ending and character deleting disappointing--I believe that an important commentary on love is over looked because Blanca was chosen to be the narrator and story ender, not Alba (those who have read the book should refer to Alba's lover, his sister, and her relation to Alba's uncles). However, I don't believe this would be an easy film to watch without already knowing the storyline and characters.
As mostly happens with movies made from books, I believe the book is better. However, given how difficult it is to make a movie from a magic realist text, this movie is wonderful. All the seemingly mismatched pieces fall together in a breathless poignant portrait of a family--a country--dealing with a changing world, violence, and finally, forgiveness.
On a side note: the military coup shown in this movie/book began a terrifyingly violent time period in which the bloody dictator Pinochet came into power. The resources needed for the coup were provided by the United States.

WAYLAYS THE NOVEL'S SOUL, BUT A PRETTY GOOD FILM NONETHELESS
I quite enjoyed at least 75% of this gripping movie because it tells an interesting story, however haphazardly it may be condensed from Isabel Allende's eponymous novel. About 400 pages worth is squashed into the film's lean 140 minutes, but it doesn't skip so much that it gets confusing.

The book had relied on first person narrative, which lent the sweeping generational and political tumults in a South American country the right touch of personal fervour, and more importantly, a consistent point of view.

The film on the other hand falters on this facet, a deficiency that robs the film of its conviction, its soul. The director seemed to have assumed that the pithy story would be enough to keep the audience interested, but it is not. About two-thirds of the way through the movie, I found myself counting minutes.

The terrific cast is what ultimately salvages the movie. Meryl Streep in particular is perfect in her depiction of the ethereal, psychic wife of a powerful plantation owner. Jeremy Irons, as her jealous and ruthless husband, has some fantastic moments too but hams it up somewhat when he plays himself as an old man. Yet his torn emotional battle between his family and his political ambitions is so well brought out that one actually relates to his quandary.

All in all, although the film waylays something pivotal along the way and of course skimps on being a loyal adaptation, it is surely a lot better than its average rating on Amazon would suggest. Definitely a recommended rental.

not bad, considering...
...that it's adapted from a novel. Since I haven't read the novel, I have nothing to compare it against but even then it's obvious that a lot has had to be omitted in order to make it into a film.

Overall, it's a riveting film, though parts of it were fairly predictable---mainly the circular tragedy and poetic/ironic justice parts, and of course the South American socioeconomic/political history is very familiar. Not until reading the production notes on the DVD did I know for certain that the movie is set in Chile, but that was my first guess immediately---though it is curious that the film barely mentions in passing, the vital role of our C.I.A. in setting up the military coup which overthrew the democratically elected government and installed the hideously repressive and genocidal Pinochet regime.

The ending, with Winona Ryder opining on the preciousness of life's every moment and the power of love and forgiveness, basically pops up out of nowhere but I'm sure that these themes are much better developed in the novel.

There are far worse ways to spend 2 hours; with this film, despite its subtle flaws, at least we get a little bit of modern South American history and society, even if the dirty little secrets of our C.I.A. involvement in it are just barely hinted at. In many ways it is not only a good eye-opener about social and political injustice and brutality, but also carries something of a feminist edge---showing the reckless and self-absorbed megalomania and egotism of the ambitious men who claw their way into the ruling class and then proceed to keep everyone else around them down and under their thumbs.

The DVD version has been edited and is shorter than the VHS.
I've saw this movie on VHS a long time ago. I saw it again on DVD recently and I have noticed that it has been re-edited and shortened. In the longer version, the Jeremy Irons character at the beginning of the film is in his old age. He visits his old farmhouse with his daughter and remembers the years gone past. The movie then goes into a flashback and tells the story from his youth.

In the DVD version, the entire opening scene is omitted and the story is told from the beginning. Therefore there is NO suggestion of a flashback. The edited out opening scene is quite poignant and gives more insight into the Jeremy Irons character.

Decent and interesting film none the less. Hopefully the studio will release it in it's original unedited version with extras. ... Read more

Reviews (26)

Disappointing
I confess - I watched this video without having read the book first, so I did not know what it was going to be about. However, I had just finished another Allende book "Daughter of Fortune" and really loved her writing style and the way in which she brings her characters to life and enlightens you about various time periods and cultures. So I had great hopes that "House of the Spirits" with its outstanding cast would do the book justice and be a worthy interpretation . I was wrong. At no time during the entire movie did I ever feel any of the emotions that the characters were trying to evoke - it just didn't come across at all. I liked Glenn Close in her portrayal of Esteban's spinster sister, and some of the minor characters such as the illegitimate son gave good performances, but I thought Jeremy Irons to be totally miscast in his role and did not care for his performance - it was stiff and rehearsed - I guess that's what I felt about the movie as a whole - it wasn't alive - the actors just learned their lines and spoke them without immersing themselves into their characters. Yes, that goes for Meryl Streep as well, I'm sorry to say - I am a big fan of hers! So, I'm off to the bookstore!

AN OUSTANDING MULTI-GENERATIONAL FAMILY SAGA...
I love this movie! It has a stellar cast, who give top notch performances. How can you go wrong with Jeremy Irons, Meryl Streep, Glenn Close, Antonio Banderas, Winona Ryder, Vanessa Redgrave, and Armin Muehler-Stahl? The answer is that you can't. It is a riveting piece of film making, based loosely upon Isabelle Allende's wonderful book of the same name.

The film delicately captures the mysticism of the book, rendering those scenes in which such is the focal point highly believable. This is no mean feat given the subject matter. The story takes place in South America. The saga begins in the nineteen thirties.

Vanessa Redgrave and Armin Muehler-Stahl play the wealthy and liberal parents of two daughters, Rosa and Clara Del Valle. Rosa is the beautiful, older daughter. Clara, played by Meryl Streep's real life daughter, is a lovely child with exceptional, psychic gifts. Jeremy Irons plays the part of Esteban Trueba, an impoverished young man in love with Rosa. Vowing to make his fortune in order to marry her and provide her with the comforts to which she is accustomed, he succeeds in making his fortune. He loses Rosa, however, before being able to marry her, when she drinks poisoned wine intended for her liberal party father.

Esteban, broken hearted, leaves with his fortune and buys an estancia, where he sternly rules with an iron fist over the peasants who work the land for him. They obsequiously refer to him as "Patron". He takes what he wants, even the women, with the expected result. He has a bastard son whom he does not acknowledge.

Esteban has a spinster sister, Ferla, well acted by Glenn Close, who, for the past twenty years, has lived a grim existence in the city with their ailing mother, whom she has taken care of. When their mother dies, Esteban, now a bitter and lonely man, returns to the city from his estancia to attend his mother's funeral. In doing so, he spots Clara, who is now all grown up and ethereally portrayed by the very talented Meryl Streep. Not wasting a moment, he goes to her home. She, luminous, and mystical, already knows that he is there to ask for her hand in marriage and happily accepts. After all, she has loved him ever since she first saw him all those years ago.

Clara lovingly embraces his sister, Ferla, into the bosom of her househould, when they move to her Esteban's estancia. Ferla blossoms from a bitter old maid into a companionable and pleasant woman, under Clara's warmth. Esteban and Clara eventually have a child, Blanca, who grows up playing with Pedro, the son of the estancia's indigenous indian foreperson. When Esteban discovers this, he sends Blanca away to boarding school. He does not want his daughter fraternizing with the peasants.

Clara, loving and pure of heart, is his exact opposite. When their daughter finally grows up and returns home from school, she knows that the independent Blanca, well played by Winona Ryder, has fallen in love with her childhood playmate, Pedro, passionately portrayed by Antonio Banderas. Esteban hates Pedro, as Pedro is a liberal inciting the peasants to unionize and demand their rights, whipping them into a frenzy against the "Patron", or so Esteban sees it. He drives Pedro off his land. He also drives Ferla off, as he believes her to have unatural feelings for his wife, Clara. Possessive to a fault, he is consumed by jealousy. Clara and Esteban have a fight over his cruelties, and she finally leaves him, taking Blanca with her to the Del Valle family home in the city.

Meanwhile, life goes on. Blanca, pregnant by Pedro, has his child, believing that Pedro has been killed by her father. Esteban, representing the wealthy, becomes senator. He reigns for years, until the liberals win power. When they do, however, their tenure is short lived, as a militairy coup sets up a reign of terror and his old sins come home to roost. Meanwhile, Blanca discovers that Pedro is alive, and they joyously hook up again. When Blanca is picked up as a political dissident and tortured for her political views, Esteban, old and broken, is now just a bit player in a larger arena. Too late, he tries to right some wrongs. Some of the wrongs, however, can never be righted.

This is a magnificent, multi-generational family epic, that holds the viewer in its thrall. While it only loosely follows Isabelle Allende's wonderful book of the same name, it is a winner in its own right. It has something for everyone, as it deals with human nature, as well as the complex emotions, forces, and events that shape one. The film is about a family struggling to find its place in our ever changing world, and the relationships that each member of that family forges. It is a rich and vibrant tapestry, which succeeds in capturing the viewer.

Dishwater
Ponderous, pandering and dull, THE HOUSE OF THE SPIRITS wastes an amazing cast of great actors on what can only be called a bad couple of hours.

The very thought of Jeremy Irons, Vanessa Redgrave and Meryl Streep wasting six months of their lives only to produce this meandering flop is beyond me. The performances are fine, but the script their given to work with is lifeless.

It is, I think, a film which takes itself way too seriously; at no point is there substance to back up the self-reverence.

Book is great, Movie [is bad].
Having some truly talented actors, and a wonderful story could not save the horrid movie that is The House of the Spirts. This adaptation does not even closely do justice to the book. The book, first of all, focuses on the lives of three Trueba women. It shows the hardships and turmoil they faced in an enthralling way. The movie, I'm afraid, is too over the top, and chooses not to follow the overall plot of the novel. PLEASE if anyone suggests this film to you, DO NOT LISTEN. But do yourself a favor and read the book, it is an excellent piece of litterature.

One of the worst adaptaitions I have ever seen!
I have not seen a film quite as appaling as this one in a long time, I am Chilean and a huge fan of the book "La casa de los espiritos" (The house of the spirits), which is beautifly written, with some of the most truthfull and thoughtfull characters I have come across.
The film however is very different. To start with the characters are meant to be Chliean not British, and fair enough If they were unable to use an accent (or perhaps latin american actors) they could have at least made a respectable attempt at the names, hearing them all pronounce "Alba", "Olba" was infurriating. To keep with the cast problem the charaters of "Nivea" and "Severo Del Valle" were the two most stereotypical middle class white american parents, with a hint of the brady bunch, Nivea was more like the Mmother in "American Beauty" than a revolutionary socialist and women's rights activist, and such a passionate lover that she has given birth 15 times!
The characters were also changed and blended together changing them entirly and destrying their originality and thought making them into something dull and annoying.
The horrifying coup of 73 was perfectly covered in the book no romantic notions, just the horrendos reality, the film attempts to show a supposed torture scene with Winona Ryder, though there is nothing wrong with her acting the pitiful display of screams and a few blows soon followed by her release was just the slightest bit unrealistic, as the chance of release was about 5 to 1, and the torture sessions consited on slightly more than a few blows.
In short the film was an overly romantic, corny and pathetic attempt to sum up the book, to be honest the entire thing was greatly amusing.
Very disapointing ... Read more

Description

In midlife, two soul mates finally meet and their passion is fueled by their love of music. Martin is a famous composer-conductor and Barbara a gifted violinist. Abandoning their lackluster lives, together they plunge into a new and exciting world, filled with creative energy. When their blissful existence is suddenly threatened, Barbara is courageously determined to prove that love conquers all. With time and with Martin’s help, Barbara comes to understand the true meaning of deeply life-affirming love in this poignant and inspiring story. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Powerful, sad, and compelling
A super-depressing, but well acted, and very engrossing Swedish drama about an late-middleaged couple struggling with the husband's sudden onset of Alzheimer's-based dementia. They are both high-level musicians, and the love of art intertwines their love for life, and each other. This film is very good and certainly worth watching (it's more of a Eurpoean art film than an American-style disease-of-the-month flick), but it is definitely a big old downer, so be prepared.

Powerful, Honest, Almost Too Real . . .and A Love Story?
It's easy to imagine how this film would be "tamed" in an American remake; the lovers would NOT be in their 50's, they would NOT be classical musicians; the illness that takes over their lives would NOT be irreversible and it would NOT be shown in such breadth. If you've ever known someone who has wound up as a full-time caregiver - or have been there yourself - this is a VERY harrowing film and maybe TOO chock-full of reality. At first the film looks like it's going to be pretty glamorous; a well-known composer/conductor and a violinist - both with grown familes -have an affair. They chose to end their marriages, marry each other and set off happily as a musical team. Now, the DVD info hints that some sort of crisis will test their love, so when the composer has a sort of "episode" while shaving, I thought, "Ahah! Some sort of stroke thing and she will fight for her man and their love will save the day, wisdom will be gained and Life Lessons learned." Wrong. We're in Bergman territory here and the diagnosis is distressingly bad news and there will NOT be a recovery. And this news comes early in the film! What follows is a quiet depiction of a man slowly fading into himself and a woman who does everything possible to hold onto him for as long as she can, uncomplainingly and almost matter-of-factly, and to just "be there" for him. This is a love story, if you can believe that, and without gushy, weepy scenes or many outwardly spectacular displays. It's not a depressing film because the tragedy is so "conversational" and always held in check. You never say while watching this, "Man, how does she put up with it?" because, without a single Big Deal Speech, you see that love/devotion/whatever is SUPPOSED to work like this. Imagine a "Rainman" remake by Ingmar Bergman and you'll get the idea. There's a nonchalant nobility to the lead actress's actions. The film spends little time in hospitals and the lead actors are amazing. This film is not a slow descent into Hell; it's more of a slow stroll through a situation that seems unsurvivable and yet is survived. Incredible film, but not for the fainthearted. Still, I now have a clearer idea of why a person wouldn't just hand an incurable/terminal person over to the doctors and how "coping" works out here in the real world.

This film - subtitled and with director's commentary - has been released on DVD with the title "A Song for Martin."

Super stars!
Hi, it's the one of the best movies I have seen. Firstly I saw 1 year ago on International Film Festival in Karlovy Vary 2001 (Czech republic). There were a world premiere. Congratulate. ;-) ... Read more

Amazon.com

In the timeless genre of coming-of-age dramas, Twist and Shout and Zappa are enduring classics with universal appeal. Danish writer-director Bille August had made only one film before Zappa in 1983, but demonstrated a master's skill with his plain, unobtrusive camera style and impeccable guidance of a well-chosen cast. Zappa takes place in or about 1959 and introduces us to Bjorn, a typical 13-year-old with raging hormones and a healthy suspicion of Sten, his friend, leader of their clubhouse "gang," and a bullying rebel whose bad influence will lead, ultimately, to Bjorn's violent act of defiance. Taking its title from the name of Sten's voracious pet fish, Zappa addresses the fact that 13-year-olds are themselves little monsters, one way or another, assuming their place in the social food chain while testing the waters of their own tenuous independence.

Filmed less than a year later but reflecting rapid growth among its recurring cast and characters, Twist and Shout unfolds at the height of European Beatlemania in the early '60s, and this time Bjorn is 17 and verging on uneasy adulthood, falling in love, losing his virginity, and showing unexpected compassion for a troubled friend with a sickly mother and domineering father. In both films, August presents a teenage world that anyone could recognize, full of humor, awkwardness, and exploration of moral boundaries as the harshness of adulthood interrupts the fading innocence of youth. The performances are so natural that they don't seem like performances at all; August's directorial touch is so light and graceful that he seems directly tapped into his own teenage memories. Watching both of these films together is a rare treat, entertaining, substantial, and honest to the joy and pain of teenagers around the world. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Brilliant Film
This movie is an excellent example of why many European films are so superior to American movies! This brilliantly realized and at times haunting story is hard to forget. After the death of his wife, Lasse and his young son Pelle migrate from Sweden to Denmark in search of a better life for themselves. However, things don't go quite according to plan. I highly advise viewing this film to find out just what does happen to them. The cinematography is beautiful, the music evocative, and the acting is flawless. Add this to your film library - you won't be sorry!

5-star movie, 4-star DVD
Pelle the Conqueror is an utterly flawless film with regards to acting, cinematography, score, storytelling, etc. It won Best Foreign Film honors at the Academy Awards and was even nominated for Best Picture. Of course, the politics of Hollywood could never have allowed it to claim that honor, otherwise a precedence would have been set of acknowledging that foreign films might be (gasp!) better than a lot of the [stuff] Tinseltown shovels out.

Personally, I watched the Oscars that year exclusively to cheer for Pelle the Conqueror and even more specifically for Max Von Sydow, who turned in the performance of a lifetime. From the moment I began watching the film to the moment it ended, I never lost my sense of absolute immersion. It was, in truth, a grueling experience... because like so many Scandinavian films, Pelle is not a "feel good" story and doesn't have a happy ending. It doesn't have a happy beginning or middle, either. I'm straining my memory to remember a full happy minute, actually. Max Von Sydow is so thoroughly convincing as the widower father of 12-year-old Pelle Hvenegaard that I couldn't help but bear his anguish as all his hopes for a better life for his son get trampled. Even though I was fairly young when the film came out, Von Sydow led me to understand a poor father's burden. When I saw this movie in the theater in 1988, I was told by a friend it was "part one" and that the subsequent film would give viewers a little more resolution as young Pelle escapes to try to reach America... I waited and waited for that sequel, because I believed in these characters and wanted a better life for them; that's how powerful the film was to me.

So why only 4 stars? Because the DVD (to date -- these things sometimes change) does not contain the whole film. 22 minutes were hacked from the original to fit into American time slots, and they were inexplicably not restored when the film went to DVD. The DVD also lacks special features such as "making of," background story, director's comments, etc. that would have been fascinating, especially considering this is such an epic foreign film from a country American viewers know so little about.

Elend, elend, elend,...
Max von Sydow magnificently plays a certain type of Scandinavian man, maybe his best film of the ones I've seen. I saw the movie when it came out, remembered it as fantastic but forgot the details, then watched the video again recently. Tried to watch it with my 7 and 12 year old sons, but the older one couldn't take it: too much sadness. The theme of the movie: unfathomable human cruelty, that 'happiness' is only an illusion. How to know that the movie was filmed on Bornholm? The Rundkirk in a burial scene.

Moving
The story behind this movie was very touching. My Great-Great Grandfather went AWOL and came to America about the time this movie is set. The movie helped reveal to me why my family carries some of the attitudes it has and why he stopped speaking Danish or speaking of Denmark the day he stepped on American soil. This movie is a must for anyone of Scandinavian ancestry.

Child is Father to Man
A poignant film -- lending credit to the expression that "child is father to man." With so many films being produced that explore the negative violence in mankind, it is refreshing to see a splendid film that relishes the wisdom in youth. Pelle allowed us to see the hope and strength that a new generation can bring to life. Although Pelle's father fell prey to his desires, Pelle struggled to keep his wits -- striving for something truly better. Pelle chose the hard road instead of always giving in to indugences.

This film would be an excellent choice as an initial exposure for young people to another genre of film. Yes -- there is more to life than the overly violent monters created for the big screen. Reality is much more compelling. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

One of my favorite films
A big satisfying story of family and love. This is one of the best films ever. I've watched it three times and I never tire of the story or the richly drawn characters. The acting is superb. If you enjoy foreign films or family sagas, you'll love this film.

A staggering film.
A wonderfully-crafted film, stunning performances by Samuel Froler and Pernilla August, excellent supporting cast. Beautiful cinematography by Sven Nykvist. Ingmar Bergman's account of his parents early, troubled years of marriage.

a flawless masterpiece!
i am not a huge fan of either bille august or bergman but this could quite possibly be my most favorite film. Pernilla August is absolutely fabulous in this role. The complexities of the relationship between Henrik and Anna is astounding to me: she manipulates him, he hits her, but because they are doomed to love each other forever, it is as much of a balancing act as it is a true marriage. i must admit that i so wish i could get my hands on the six hour version because i hate wondering what i am missing in this story. but the version i have suits me just fine. Pernilla August will long be remembered for this film alone, more than STAR WARS, she outshines all the others in this film. thanx.

Heja Ingmar!
This is an incredibly beautiful film. The acting is absolutely sublime, and the film itself brings back many fond memories of "Fanny och Alexander". Bille August's direction is typically masterful. The sets are wonderful, as are the costumes. The story is the great Ingmar Bergman's gentle recounting of the early days of his parents' courtship and marriage (pre-Ingmar). Those familiar with the films of Bergman will find his familiar themes here, as well as some very satisfyingly familiar faces, e.g., Max Von Sydow, Hasse Alfredson, and Anita Björk (!) A remarkably excellent film.

If you think the movie is good...
...you should see the six hour television version, alot of stuff was cut out for the movie release. I'm lucky enough to live in Sweden so I could see the complete version. ... Read more