In Greek mythology, the furies were earth (chthonic) deities associated with revenge. They were not directly connected to the Olympian gods, but were associated by the tragic poet Aeschylus with the protectors of Athens, the city-state dedicated to the goddess Athena.
In this film, the main character named Tiny serves both functions as protectress and avenger. She is a complex and mysterious figure whose secret is gradually revealed to the audience. The result is an experience that Aristotle described as the combination of pity and terror in experience of catharsis.
The actress playing the role of Tiny had the daunting task of playing her character from age fourteen to 69. It was a tour-de-force performance wherein she truly looked the right age at every stage of the film.
The narrative starts in the 1950s, then moves forward in time. We get to know the avenger Tiny in her mean-spirited and cruel treatment of her family members. But there is a pivotal moment where on one occasion, we go back in time and learn the circumstances of the trauma experienced by Tiny at age fourteen. It is then that we learn that the pattern of Tiny's behavior is that of self-protection.
"De helleveeg" is a riveting film with an incandescent leading performance. The screenplay is filled with irony, such as the line spoken in the hospital in the closing sequence when it is believed that Tiny will die. Her husband, who has never known the truth about his wife, asks young Albert if he would be willing to speak at her funeral and tell a few funny stories. After all, he says, "All that remains of life is a few anecdotes."
Except in this case, there is much more to Tiny's story than anecdotes. Rather, there is a shattering and long repressed experience known only to the chthonic deities buried deep under the high hill of Athens, the Acropolis. The experience has to due with brutal treatment of a young girl for which nature abhors a vacuum. The vacuum is filmed in the cathartic experience of this stunning film.
In this film, the main character named Tiny serves both functions as protectress and avenger. She is a complex and mysterious figure whose secret is gradually revealed to the audience. The result is an experience that Aristotle described as the combination of pity and terror in experience of catharsis.
The actress playing the role of Tiny had the daunting task of playing her character from age fourteen to 69. It was a tour-de-force performance wherein she truly looked the right age at every stage of the film.
The narrative starts in the 1950s, then moves forward in time. We get to know the avenger Tiny in her mean-spirited and cruel treatment of her family members. But there is a pivotal moment where on one occasion, we go back in time and learn the circumstances of the trauma experienced by Tiny at age fourteen. It is then that we learn that the pattern of Tiny's behavior is that of self-protection.
"De helleveeg" is a riveting film with an incandescent leading performance. The screenplay is filled with irony, such as the line spoken in the hospital in the closing sequence when it is believed that Tiny will die. Her husband, who has never known the truth about his wife, asks young Albert if he would be willing to speak at her funeral and tell a few funny stories. After all, he says, "All that remains of life is a few anecdotes."
Except in this case, there is much more to Tiny's story than anecdotes. Rather, there is a shattering and long repressed experience known only to the chthonic deities buried deep under the high hill of Athens, the Acropolis. The experience has to due with brutal treatment of a young girl for which nature abhors a vacuum. The vacuum is filmed in the cathartic experience of this stunning film.
