Dunderklumpen!

I have no idea what to say about this film except that it struck me as really strange.

Dunderklumpen, a lonely hobo breaks into a families home and brings several toys to life then carries them off so he won't be alone. The young boy of the house pursues the animated Klumpen into the wilds of Sweden. His father sees the boy running off and pursues his son. Surreal (and potentially mind-bending) adventures follow.

Nothing like laying in bed not feeling well and watching a twisted children's film. A live action film with animated characters this is one of the most bizarre films I've seen in a while. I'm not sure if its the English dub or because I'm not a kid but this film comes off as really weird, and I'm not sure its in a good way (this is definitely not Disney material). There is something about the odd mix of animation and reality that doesn't mesh for me, with some of the exploits of the characters (breaking into the house, setting the fire) seeming to be more dangerous than humorous. It reminds me of the bad "good for you" children's films that I avoided like the plague when I was growing up.

Forgive me there is just something off about this film that I can't put my finger on. Maybe its because I'm not from Sweden or its of a time or a bad dub, but this film gave me the willies more than the sillies. It does have some really good animation which makes me wish it was in a better film. If you want a surreal children's film or some really good animation give it a try. Beyond that you're on your own.

If Australian's are not the most diverse happy moviegoers on the planet I am unsure then who are. DUNDERKLUMPEN was released here in the late 70s and was a success for the matinée tykes and their bewildered older brothers and sisters who must have had to draw on HR PUFNSTUF or PHANTOM TOLLBOOTH flashbacks to see them get through this. Recently in 2007 the Swedish church choir drama SA SOM I HIMMELEN has also hit massive box office, so we must connect somehow with our Arctic kindred spirits literally diagonally through the planet. This 70s hilarious forest bound animated/live pic even had a 'wandering mountain' which somehow stomped about.... I worked in a cinema and we would often sing "ja es Dun-der-klu-mpen' monstering each other with twisted faces in between sessions. Lots of fun. An Australian film called 'Grendel Grendel Grendel" also from the same time was very popular. It was monster dream-time animation too. God help us. Nobody these days believes me that there was a pic called DUNDERKLUMPEN and what it was about, so hooray again for the IMDb that reveals all.

Is it just me or is this movie completely inexplicable? It features odd framing, bad singing, and a father who has an unhealthy obsession with bees. . . Strange, strange, strange. . . HS

This is such a weird movie! I have only seen it with English dubbing, but it is fun to watch, anyway. It's incredibly strange, including the fairy, the talking house, the funny voices and odd concepts. Dunder Klumpen sings an awesome song about being "Dunder Klumpen" and how he every age, not just one. He is a little boy and an old man. It's very interesting!

My favorite part is when the fairy comes from the sky to the little blond boy by the river and tells him to be weird. Like jump around and do weird things. Finally, she rewards him by making a peanut butter sandwich appear in the river for him to eat! Who would want a soggy peanut butter sandwich from a river? It's so funny! The teddy bear that comes to life has some funny/odd lines, too. He is very cute. I highly recommend this movie to people who like cult movies. It's just so strange and wacky, you sit there in disbelief and wonder at the magic of this movie. It caused some of my friends to cry from laughing so hard due to it's overwhelming strangeness. Watch it!

I have trouble voting on this one...

is the acting off? yes. Is the animated parts crude in quality? many times yes. is it charming as hell? YES! This is certainly just one of those movies that shouldn't work. And for most people out there in the world I have trouble imagining that this film would come out as anything but a trippy b-flick. But for the intended audience, especially those that remember Beppe as the legend of Swedish television children's stories, this is pure nostalgia I am sure.

Me then? Well as I'm born in 85 I haven't got that exact connection with the guy, but then again... Most domestic children's movies over here on the telly was reruns from the 70s and 80s anyways so I am one of those last few that watched public service films without being abnormal.

No, the reason for me to pick up this DVD at the local library was more about a dormant homesickness. And for that it gets a big plus, as it is shot in the province of Jämtland. And seeing the landscape just made me feel good.

The plot then. When Beppe is going to put his son Jens to bed for the night, a strange journey begins. An animated fellow, named Dunderklumpen, has kidnapped some brought-to-life puppets and a mysterious treasure chest. Jens and the baby goat takes up the pursuit while daddy Beppe and his friend, the bumblebee with a sweettoth, on their trail.

They meet several weird animated figures and a lot of singing and dancing ensues to fill out the basically thin plot. Everything except some live-action moments are animated by another Swedish legend, Per Åhlin. And among the voice-cast we hear people like Gösta Ekman as En Dum En (a dumb one) and the likes in the Swedish soundtrack.

It's a slow moving and trivial adventure padded out with singing and dancing and wonderful characters in the typical jamska dialect. It's crude, yes... and it has a gap in the audience between age 5 and 20 that won't get it at all even in the native language. But for everyone else, the ones that have the right mindset for it, it's a wonderful adventure for those who get into the whole thing.

I give it an 8 as it isn't for everyone and the execution is sometimes overtly dodgy. But don't let that fool you. Try it out! You might even like it. And come over here and have a visit while your'e at it!