As an IMDb contributer, one is always on the lookout for useful information. It could be the correct title of an uncredited song (including the writers and composers credit). For data obsessives like me, original release dates and complete credits are a must. Unfortunately, none of these are to be found on the DVD release of the 1970 TV series "De Kleine Waarheid" (nor indeed were they included in the most recent television repeat). Even the usually very informative archive at Beeldengeluid.nl didn't bring up any results. The separately released 'Liedjes van Marleen' DVD however does provide some of the missing pieces of the puzzle: an informative booklet, two deleted scenes/songs and the complete end credits of the final episode.
In this 1981 TV special Willeke Alberti looks back on her first and most famous leading role, Marleen Spaargaren. She introduces 12 of the 26 musical numbers she performed over the course of the series. In effect it just a clip show, inexpensively shot, presumably at Willeke Alberti's house. They didn't even bother to create any titles. The opening shot is of the 'Liedjes van Marleen' album cover (there were two LP's with songs released originally, both of whom are collected on a single CD included with this DVD). The end credits are spoken by Willeke rather than superimposed on screen.
From Willeke's words we also learn that the entire series had been repeated around 1980 in a heavily edited state (less than 26 episodes) and without any of the musical numbers. Hence the justification for this compilation. In fact, before Alberti appears on screen, we are shown a short sequence from the first episode that does not appear on the repeats nor on the DVD set. This may also explain why it is so difficult to find information about the release dates. Popular TV series from the early Seventies like this and 'Het Meisje met de Blauwe Hoed' were repeated several times before the advent of video tape (let alone DVD), but were practically always re-edited in order to be shown over a shorter amount of time than the original broadcast.
As far as the songs are concerned, none of them are truly memorable enough to lend themselves to a sing-a-long. This is because they all represent the inner monologue and deepest desires of Marleen Spaargaren. The DVD also includes all 14 remaining songs excluded from the 1981 special as extras. Each and every one of these 'music videos' features lengthy shots of Willeke Alberti going about her business, walking along a street or staring off into the distance as she listens to her inner voice sing. She is never actually shown performing a number. In fact, my personal favourite number from the series, 'Het Kleine Verschil', is not included. This number was actually performed on screen by a male street-singer (Nico Schaap) in episode 21 and set to the music of the opening tune. For that reason I haven't been inspired to listen to the music CD that accompanies the DVD.
Of course it would have been nice if the NCRV had included the 'Liedjes van Marleen' special on one of the two 'Kleine Waarheid' boxed sets instead of releasing it separately to make an extra Euro. But then we probably wouldn't have gotten the booklet, the 14 extra songs (which includes one more deleted scenes as well as the aforementioned and to me all important end credits) nor the CD. And since a lot of people online complained about the DVD of the series being incomplete, edited versions, the NCRV apparently made yet another DVD available from their website that included some more deleted scenes and tidbits for the die hard fans. Haven't been able to track that one down as yet, and I'm not sure if it's really worth it. Still, anything for IMDb updates...
7 out of 10
