Twist and Shout

Denmark turned out some cinematic masterpieces in the 1980s. Danish films such as Babette's Feast and Pelle the Conqueror received international acclaim and Academy Award recognition. Bille August's Twist and Shout, released in 1984, established new standards for coming-of-age films. Teens in American films are usually portrayed as immature brats who exist in a perennial state of puberty. Teens in Danish films are more complex. Twist and Shout tells the story of Danish teens in 1963 who deal with life's challenges and beauty with a refreshing degree of sophistication. Excellent film!

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 Tro, håb og kærlighed would appear sooner or later...

Well, I suppose "later", as I had seen hundreds of Danish creations already, including August's Pelle Erobreren, so my expectations were apparently too high. No, don't get me wrong, the film in question is skilfully directed and diversely performed (particularly all depicting Erik's family), plus provides a good overview of life in Danish cities in the 1960ies, but the story itself is not smooth, is somewhat "chopped", and some events / reactions by people are not realistic (e.g. during the wedding). The solution/ending is also adumbrative and, all in all, I am not sure that this film (with rather unfitting title in English) does bespeak the youth and families in the 21st century as well, thus not possessing durable approaches and values. But of course, the film is far above being mediocre.

This 1984, Danish film, set in the year 1963 (at the height of Beatlemania), is an exceptional coming-of-age tale about 2 young friends named Bjorn and Erik.

Bjorn, a flamboyant, out-going drummer for a pseudo-Beatles group, and Erik, a reserved, conservative 17 year old with severe problems at home, are the best of mates who bravely take a stand against a world of controlling adults.

Played out against a standard pop-culture backdrop - "Twist & Shout" is a raw, uncompromising look at human emotions. Friendship, loyalty, obsession, first love, loss and betrayal are all examined at close range here.

I guarantee you that this "true-to-life" movie will leave no viewer unmoved.

This film is the highest grossing film of all time in Denmark, where it was made. There must be a reason, yet I've never read a review that comes close to understanding the mood and intent of the film. Ebert's, for instance, is a joke and an embarrassment.

Ever seeking to see justice done to this superb film, I poked around some other sites and finally found a fair, thorough, thoughtful review. If you're interested, you might run a quick search for a review by Hal Hinson in The Washington Post back in 1987. Hinson describes "Twist and Shout" as "a buoyant, moody work" -- and, as anyone who's spent much time in Denmark can attest, that description might serve as well as any to describe the national character.

(add a few rating stars for the original Danish version)

The old John Lennon/Paul McCartney tune has always been a popular anthem for teenage rebels around the world, but in this attractive Danish period piece (set in Copenhagen circa 1963) the title is a bit misleading: there's precious little of the song's youthful exuberance in the lives of Bjørn and Erik, best friends who find their loyalty to each other tested by the traumas and disillusions of young adulthood.

At times the two characters almost seem to be in separate films: the outgoing, extroverted Bjørn enjoys the love of a lifetime with Anna before an unwanted pregnancy and painful abortion drives them apart, while the more shy and inhibited Erik battles his father over the emotional health of his mentally disturbed mother. Ironically, the film is almost too well crafted for its own good. The handsome imagery and meticulous camera-work aren't quite suited to a rock 'n' roll teen rite of passage, and the dramatic impact is further muted (on the old VHS tape I watched, at any rate) by the artless dubbing into textbook English.