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GrainOfSalt
Reviews
Liegen lernen (2003)
Very good ensemble work! (Mild spoilers)
"Liegen lernen" did decent, not spectacular business at the box office (the problems of which I attribute to the rather odd promotion campaign and tag line that in my opinion did not attract the right audience). Henk Handloegten's second theatrical film as a director showcases him as a master "actors' director", working with a wonderful ensemble cast. Susanne Bormann shines as siren Britta with her very seductive yet somehow innocent play attitude towards love and the subsequent darker, more experienced and somber "shadow of her former self" in later years. Fabian Busch (Helmut) makes the transition from schoolboy to 30something with a bit of makeup, but mostly through changes in bearing and expressions. Fritzi Haberlandt is very convincing as the bourgeois girlfriend who is shattered by Helmut's careless unfaithfulness. A must see (especially for people whose adolescent years fall into the tumultuous early Eighties) and in general a very fine, timeless pic; painstakingly researched and effortlessly played. Kudos!
Priklyucheniya Toma Soyera i Geklberri Finna (1982)
Most faithful Twain adaptation - from the USSR of all places
It's ironic but true - although the Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn are an American classic of iconic status, it would be the old nemesis USSR to go down in history as the country of origin of their most faithful film adaptation. Almost all the story lines of the two books are told, and in a non-embellished fashion. While some may criticize its (lack of) pace, the careful storytelling makes this three hour TV-movie right especially for younger audiences. Precisely because this is not as high budget as some of the US versions, it is astonishing to watch how detailed the Mississippi towns were built in the Soviet Union (everything had to be built from scratch)! Try this one if you love the book and don't mind the harsh realism of the story.