c-vanhall

I saw this film some time ago and was blown of my feet. So strong, so intense. Love is not a game...or is it once it does turn against you and your lover ? The ultimate love story of the 60's where so many uncommitted lovers turned their commitments (and families) into chaos. In that perspective it's not at all unbelievable as one of the reviewers stated here, that the 'if I can't have you, I destroy you' line comes to life. You can ask yourself how much harm was done to each other by divorces and their children through all these divorces! Well all the cruelty of that battle was concentrated here on the two people destroying each other and their partners along.

Next thing which appealed to me very much, was that the great musician shown here, seems to be a role model for one of my sax-heroes and self-destructive musician in the No Wave scene of New York City: James Chance (aka as James White). The same anger and frustration jumped out of the vinyl as it did out of the screen here.

Only much later I found out that Robert Wagner and Nathalie Wood were married twice and had a dramatic life together with love, divorce and...the death of Wood. That gives this film even more dimensions than it already has. Fantastic film indeed. For always in my mind.

Beautiful film seen on the day before Christmas. Puts you in a perfect Christmas mood without the bells. Great to see such a nice film, which I would have liked to show my little niece, to see how things go in nature...including the mingling of human nature. And it seems to me unique to see the lynx in a movie ! Surprisingly to watch, as this wild cat is normally extremely shy for humans, and almost extinct in most of the forests in Europe. Although it is actually spotted again in some larger natural areas of western Europe (Germany)!

So this was bound to happen in Lapland, Finland. Nice filming, good character-acting, and a story where the wild cat is not only a purring, lovable cat, but also a wild animal, that even can kill other animal 'for fun', as one of the lynx-hunters expressed it. Fortunately perseverence of the boy, Tom, and the love for the wild cat, Leevi, wins it in the end.

It's a good theme, good to watch for children, and...grown ups, as nature is still something mankind doesn't seem to be able to live with so easily. All around an excellent film to watch for anyone, who like animals, nature, adventure and ...sheer beauty !

Coen van Hall, The Netherlands