Röd snö

I have seen it allright, and I was too young to understand it.. It's etched in my mind - much in the same way Twin Peaks is..

No wonder I am the way I am..

Rød Snø is incredibly psychologically heavy! Never let your kids watch!

"Rød snø" (Red Snow) was, and still is, one of the greatest mini-series ever written and produced for Norwegian and Swedish television (a co-production between the two countries).

Set at a remote boarding-house in neutral Sweden during World War II, the story includes spies, murder, comedy and a charming love story of sorts between the Norwegian refugee Anne (a young and beautiful Kjersti Holmen) and Evert, the unfortunate son of the house - the latter portrayed with great comedic flair by the superb Tomas Von Brömssen.

With elements of an Agatha Christie-mystery (including a grand finale on a train) "Rød snø" made an impact on just about anyone who was old enough to remember 1985 (and I was only 9 at the time). For norwegians it also included the breakthrough-performances of Kjersti Holmen and Sven Nordin, who would become two of the nations most popular actors.

Even when seen today "Rød snø" still offers great entertainment with some good scares along the way, and who can forget that beautiful theme by Egil Monn-Iversen?

Note: after the success of "Rød snø" Norwegian viewers demanded a re-teaming of Kjersti Holmen and Tomas Von Brömssen, and in 1989 they got their wish when they both starred as a couple in the suspenseful mini-series "Marerittet" (The Nightmare).

This millennium has made Scandinavian thrillers world-famous, but they did not appear from an empty spot. Now, with new generations and diversified screening opportunities, it is worthwhile to look back and for their antecedents.

Röd snö is definitely a fine example to follow: thrilling environment, beautiful landscape, peculiar characters and a story with multiple twists make you spend the almost 4 hours with emotional support and enthusiasm. In spite of serious era and essence, the scenes with and around Evert Lind, a somewhat retarded man (masterfully performed by Tomas von Brömssen) are real highlights, making you giggle and admire the work of the scriptwriter who contrived those dialogues and scenes. The pace is not always smooth, but the course of events is logical and the ones guilty and their motives were not easy to guess. The cast is also pleasant, stylish and the atmosphere is well captured - no wonder that the series was a success in both Sweden and Norway.

Röd snö is a gem that should be shown again, and to wider audiences - perhaps after some quality adjustments. Those fond of e.g. Agatha Cristie's works and Twin Peaks' like series should enjoy this without reserve.