Strings - Fäden Des Schicksals

The king commits suicide, but his evil brother covers it up to make the death look like murder from a rival faction. The prince disguises himself as a slave to go out and avenge his father's death, but after infiltrating the "enemy" camp, begins to learn an alternate history of his people -- sometimes the good guys have a dark past.

This film was incredible. You very rarely see a film with puppets in it these days (or ever, really). Sure, there was "Team America", but I really found the puppeteering on that to be average and the overall film to be a waste of time. This one had a rich back story, characters with epic lives and a whole realm of fantasy that could have been real life.

I think of the movie like "The Dark Crystal". I don't know why, but I get a similar vibe from them. With one key difference: I don't like "The Dark Crystal". Other films could be compared to this, I suppose: "Lord of the Rings" to some extent, maybe "Willow", probably a hundred more. It had all the classic fantasy elements: a hero, a kingdom, love, betrayal, evil, an oracle, battles. Everything you'd want.

There was an underlying political message here, too, which I enjoyed although I don't know if I really got the exact parallel they were shooting for. But the idea that "we" are always the goo guys and "they" are always the bad guys when not viewed as people was very nice, and could be used to talk about America and the Middle East (or the Native Americans), it could be used to talk about Israel and Palestine, or just about any other rival groups.

The love aspects were a bit much at times. I liked the idea that our strings are all attached and that love really makes that stronger. I tend to agree with the sentiment. At times I think it bordered on hippie or New Age levels (my ability to digest peace and love only goes so far). But, it was never so much I became uninterested in the film.

If you want something different than your usual action or romance, give this one a chance. You might have to open your mind a little bit because it's fantasy and puppets and voice-overs (not just because they're puppets, they're also Scandinavian). I think you'll find a special treat in here. Really glad I had the opportunity to catch it at a friend's house, as I probably never would have found it on my own.

I hadn't heard anything about this (Danish!) movie until a friend brought over a DVD he'd ordered from Thailand, of all places! (Available from www.ethaicd.com.) Four of us watched it and agreed that it was interesting, unique and original, but also rather dull. The story is a stereotypical (but very decent) fantasy fairy-tale, with the very interesting added element of the "stringed puppet reality". It worked very well, with a quite serious and emotional story a bit reminiscent of Gormenghast - all immensely well produced. But it wasn't engaging enough to maintain that much enthusiasm in the viewer. It was a bit too dark to be for children, and somewhat too, I dunno, uninvolving to be for grown-ups. I appreciate it as an honest, very competently produced fantasy movie with a detailed and good-looking but also quite crude and limited universe.

I do think it would be more engaging on the big screen than on a TV screen, because I was slightly bored through much of it. Granted, I was a bit tired when we watched it, and this is not a movie one should watch while tired. But it was a very interesting experience.

7 out of 10.

With an inherently traditional, however nearly perfectly executed plot, and a visual style that justly deserves the attributes "fantastic" and "mythical", Strings is a very singular experience. Be it the dark, allegorical story, the fleshed-out characters or the technical sophistication, the movie is a necessary viewing for fans of fantasy and animation movies.

Overall 7/10

My full review here: https://goo.gl/6uzPyr

I happened upon this film the other night, fresh (!) back in Phuket from Burma. Tired though I was, and the film was perhaps a quarter of the way through, I was absolutely mesmerised by it.

First, I was trying to guess the actors' voices. Second, I was captivated by the – don't laugh – "acting" skills of the marionettes.

Granted, there were no facial expressions, no morphing/animatronics/etc but still there was a warmth to these carved blocks of wood. BTW I was brought up watching Gerry Anderson (Thunderbirds, et al) and now realise that I have retained a soft spot for filmic puppetry.

Perhaps that is part of the attraction of the film for me, the fact that it is reminiscent of half a dozen long-forgotten puppet programmes – generally from Eastern Europe, as I recall – shown during the school holidays when it was probably raining.

Gentle – despite the violence in the story – moving and entrancing.

Watch it if you can – through child's eyes.

Strings Directed by Anders Rønnow-Klarlund (2004) The young prince Hal seeks to avenge his father, the king, for the murder made against him. This means travelling in disguise to infiltrate the enemy camp. But his journey brings him another truth than the one he original was seeking after.

This is one of the most original Danish movies made in a long time. Never has there been a Danish movie featuring only puppets as the actors of the movie. The technical element of the movie is great. Brilliantly cinematography means that this movie is captured as another "live action movie" in its genre. The art-direction is beautiful and fits the puppets very well. The sound effects-/monologue editing is superb and helps create a great atmosphere, along together with the above-mentioned aspects.

This means that it is a pity the story isn't nearly as original as the technical aspects. It is a very typical fantasy/adventure bringing no big surprises. It is shaped very dramatically, leaving no form for humour or funny sidekicks in the movie. This serious take at the story can be pretty linear at times, but if you have the patience to watch through this it can be interpreted as a good sign. Another shame is that there are no facial expression on the puppets, unlike other puppet movies like Team America: World Police. The puppets have the same expression on their faces through the whole movie; which doesn't help the emotional part of the movie.

The movie has some weak points, but even though it is still a good movie, and a very original and refreshingly technical take on the puppet movie genre.

7/10