Zappa

As I know the Danish language and society, I include, from time to time, some Danish films or series into my watching list. Particularly those dealing with events before 1990ies, before my personal experience with this great nation and country. And as Bille August is one of the best known Danish directors in the world, it is logical that the time of Zappa has finally come...

Well, just recently I watched his Tro, håb og kærlighed and Pelle Erobreren so my expectations were as they were, particularly based on the film mentioned first... Again, the film in question is skilfully directed and diversely performed (particularly Adam Tønsberg as Bjørn and Morten Hoff as Mulle), plus provides a good overview of life in Danish cities around 1960 (when 1 Danish krone had a value and haircuts were funny - among other things), but the story itself is quite unbalanced, e.g. in spite of criminal elements, we see neither punishment nor the police activities, and the solution/ending is also adumbrative.

So, in my opinion, Zappa does not possess durable approaches and values and is hardly an experience for modern viewers even in Nortern Europe, not mentioning other regions. And for a nostalgia for them who were in their teens less around 15 years after World War II, it is too children/teen film to be enjoyed in full.

I recently viewed Zappa after watching Twist and Shout, they came packaged together on DVD. Both films are absolutely wonderful, great performances, visuals, stories. The three lead actors in Zappa are incredible, but it is the work of Morton Huff as Mulle that really packs an emotional wallop. I am a huge fan of coming of age films, and Scandinavia really turns out some gems. There's something in that snowy socially responsible region that American films can never duplicate without looking completely schmaltzy and emotionally heavy-handed. Something innocent, unassuming, unphony, completely unforced (am I being redundant?). There's a natural style and grace. I feel blessed that films like these exist and lucky to stumble upon them now and then.

Years before Bille August made a habit of turning classic novels into mediocre films, he made this compelling coming-of-age drama set in the suburbs of Copenhagen in the late fifties. The story focuses on three teens from different backgrounds, the manipulative upperclass rich kid Steen (Peter Reichhardt), clean-cut middleclass boy Bjørn (Adam Tønsberg) and the lowerclass overweight prankster Mulle (Morten Hoff). The boys´ confrontations with love, crime and violence is beautifully but unflinchingly portrayed by director August, who never hits a false note in characterization or period detail. Alternately funny and disturbingly violent, but always entertaining, this is one of the truly great Danish films ever made, but has sadly never found an audience outside Scandinavia, unlike its decent sequel "Tro, håb & Kærlighed" (Twist and Shout), which was released in America. Many classic scenes (including the grossest way to eat snails you´ll ever see!)

A great film about adolescence. I wish more people could see this film, because it is a true masterpiece. It isn't just a pleasant movie about growing up. It contains some truly powerful and painful scenes. Not with blood and violence, but with small and subtle means Bille August portrays the clash between good and evil when boys grow up to be men. The sequel, Tro, håb og kærlighed or Twist and shout is also a good movie, but it is somewhat superfluous because Zappa contains everything that a film about young people should contain. Quite a lot of danish films are very good when it comes to portraying the good and bad of growing up. Most of Bille Augusts early films are good, but other directors have made great films like Tree of Knowledge (1981), Dance of the Polar Bears (1990), Den Store badedag (1991) or for the younger kids Guldregn (1988). In my opinion though, Zappa is by far the strongest movie of them all.

Danish coming of age story. Bjorn and his buddy Mulle (who is cheerful and immature) start to become friends with Steen who is a big bully. Steen has a horrible home life and takes it out on everybody else. He pulls Bjorn and Mulle into more and more dangerous situations...and it all ends tragically.

This came before "Twist and Shout" but was released in the US after (because "Twist..." was such a big hit). This was good but not as good as the later film. The characters aren't as well-developed and the situations Steen pulls the boys into are disturbing (and unbelievable). Also I thought the ending was far too sick for any coming of age story. Still the acting was good and it's not a boring film--just pretty depressing. Beautiful closing shot too. Worth seeing--but see "Twist and Shout" too.