Spetters

Rating:
Summary: Must be seen to be believed.
Review: Now here's a movie I'm surprised I hadn't heard about sooner. An early work (released 1980) directed by Dutch madman Paul Verhoeven, it begins like a standard teen exploitation flick -- the story of three working-class boys obsessed with motocross racing. They go to discos, they race their bikes, they have sex with their adoring girlfriends (there are, refreshingly, as many nude penises in evidence as there are nude breasts, by the way), they hang out in the garage and try to be macho. Enter Fientje, a gorgeous, calculating, unabashedly sexual gal who's sick of her life as a wandering french-fry-monger. She tries to attach herself to each of the three friends in turn, in the hopes they'll lift her out of poverty.

You think you know where the plot is headed, right? These three lads will be undone by the gold-digging spider woman. But trust me, you have no idea what you're in for, as Verhoeven and his screenwriter almost gleefully put each character through unimaginable amounts of emotional and physical hell.

Some of these tortures are so sudden, so melodramatic, and handled so very strangely that there's just no choice but to laugh out loud. Clearly, Verhoeven et al were chomping at the bit to tackle taboo social issues of the day (teen sexuality, homosexuality, police corruption, the plight of the disabled), and tackle they do, but with little regard for subtlety or, in some cases, logic. Case in point: a sequence in which a lad is gang raped by five men... leading him to realize he himself is gay! Later, one of the rapists becomes a kind of mentor to him. Riiiiight.

Still, it's the filmmakers' willingness to charge headlong in unexpected directions that makes this movie utterly addictive. It shouldn't work, but you can't keep your eyes off it. I could watch it a million times and never get bored.

Technical points: the photography is cleaner, crisper and more monochromatic than one would expect from the era -- in this way it's way ahead of its time. The soundtrack dates the film, though, in occasionally hilarious fashion -- the classic '70s pop tunes are cool, the ambient score of cheesy synth music is not. The acting's rather impressive throughout, particularly the older actors portraying the main characters' fathers.

The DVD also features a dense commentary by Verhoeven that's worth hearing mainly for the way the director puts the film in historical context. Some -- though not all -- of the films weirder sociological ideas make a bit more sense after hearing what he has to say.

Bottom line: cult film fans will love this thing. NOT a date movie.

Rating:
Summary: This is no "American Movie"
Review: Paul Verhoeven's Dutch films almost always shock Americans becasue they are full of sex and violence, but sex and violence are not being used to sell something. That is a VERY un-American attitude. This film, with its unflinching look at the selfishness, callousness, sentimentality, veniality, generosity and prejudices of young people trying to figure out how to live in a world that does not particularly value them - or anyone - who has not money or power, still has the power to involve its audience.

Rating:
Summary: Dynamic drama packs a punch
Review: SPETTERS (Netherlands - 1980): While the American 'teensploitation' picture was dominated throughout the 1980's by a series of lowbrow comedies (PORKY'S, MEATBALLS, REVENGE OF THE NERDS, etc.), Dutch filmmaker Paul Verhoeven took the familiar themes of this critically reviled subgenre and transformed teen angst into high drama with SPETTERS, an exploration of youthful idealism and the journey from adolescence to maturity. Though the three main characters - ultra-confident Rien (Hans van Tongeren), closet case Eef (Toon Agterberg) and clumsy loser Hans (Maarten Spanjer) - are just as raucous and oversexed as their American counterparts, the screenplay (by Verhoeven's longtime writing collaborator Gerard Soeteman) locates their activities within a conservative small-town environment where their friendship is tested by a selfish young gold-digger (Renée Soutendijk) who seizes an opportunity to benefit from their mutual ambitions. But the narrative takes a darker turn during the latter half of the picture, where the protagonists are forced to confront such hot-button issues as sex, disability, religious faith and homosexuality. In a commentary recorded for this DVD release, Verhoeven reveals how the film was originally condemned in Holland for its perceived 'misogyny' and 'homophobia' (similar accusations were also levelled against some of the director's Hollywood features, including BASIC INSTINCT and SHOWGIRLS), but none of these complaints can withstand close scrutiny. True, Soutendijk's heartbreaker is portrayed as little more than an avaricious trollop, but - as Verhoeven demonstrates - she's the only one who exhibits genuine loyalty towards van Tongeren following a horrendous accident which changes his life forever. It's also true that Agterberg's sexuality is only awakened by a brutal assault which occurs late in the film, but his character is ultimately redeemed by the brave stand he takes against his ultra-conservative father in the aftermath of his sexual awakening. Beautifully filmed and acted (there are extended cameos from Verhoeven regulars Jeroen Krabbe and Rutger Hauer), the movie benefits from an extraordinary sexual candor, a million miles removed from the cowardly R-rated rubbish flooding American cinemas at the time. And though the sexual imagery here is only fleeting, it's also remarkably potent, and the actors are to be commended for their bravery. Sadly, Verhoeven's commentary reveals that van Tongeren - a hugely talented actor with a bright future in international cinema - committed suicide two years after completion of the film.

MGM's disc is a bit of a mixed bag. For some unaccountable reason, the company refuses to provide anamorphic enhancement for widescreen movies that were projected theatrically at anything less than 1.85:1, and SPETTERS - photographed by Jost Vacano (DAS BOOT, ROBOCOP) at 1.66:1 - is duly presented in the lesser ratio, letterboxed only. And while the image here is perfectly acceptable, it would have benefitted enormously from the added clarity of anamorphic encoding. Viewers with 16:9 monitors can blow up the image to fill the screen, cutting off part of the top and bottom, but this option obscures a number of important visual details (such as an early sexual encounter during which Agterberg is masturbated on-camera by a female one-night-stand, where the focus of the shot is located at the very bottom of the frame). That aside, the disc preserves the unrated director's cut, and includes a theatrical trailer. The running time quoted below doesn't include the MGM logo which opens and closes the DVD print and wasn't part of the original film.

NB. The film's title - which goes untranslated in this DVD presentation - is Dutch slang for handsome, arrogant young men.

122m 15s
1.66:1 / Letterboxed, without enhancement
DVD soundtrack: Mono 2.0
Theatrical soundtrack: Optical mono
Dutch with optional English subtitles
Reg. 1

Rating:
Summary: Daring and original, a true depiction of Dutch culture
Review: The movie is not only touching, it is also fairly hardcore. Do not let youngsters watch, for it does display some of what in the US would be considered hardcore. On the bright side, nobody gets cut up or murdered in any graphic scenes, so that would explain the PG rating in Europe :-)
Worth watching, but certainly not for the faint of heart.

Rating:
Summary: When is the video or DVD coming out?
Review: This film is really great. It's about three young, cocky Dutch guys whose lives revolve around Motorcross racing and their encounters with a cute, ambitious, smart working-class girl who lives in a trailer and is a short order cook around the Motorcross site.

It is ultra-realistic and true to life and at the same time over-the-top and absurd to satirize the equally ridiculous but more fleeting absurdities of everyday life; in fact, 'real life' is much more absurd than anything that happens in this movie, but 'toned down,' and harder to notice, except upon reflection. With 'over the top' movies like "Spetters" the absurdities we all notice (and are often a part of) are turned 'way up high' for instant and easier identification and reflection. Other great movies of this type I've seen are Verhoeven's American version of "Spetters," "Showgirls," Sam Fuller's "Shock Corridor," Ken Russell's fantastic uncut version of "Crimes of Passion," and Mathew Bright's first "Freeway," but "Spetters" tops them all. It is the ultimate masterpiece of 'over-the-top' satire.

Try to find a well-stocked video store that carries the uncensored, subtitled Director's cut for rent (it's got some very graphic sex scenes in it with full fronal nudity, and a homosexual gang rape that makes anything in "American Me" look tame); it's a well transferred version which came out on HBO video a few years ago, and is now unavailable for sale for some reason; I'd buy it in a second if it was available.

Rating:
Summary: BETTER THAN EVER ON DVD....
Review: This is a revision of my earlier concerns. "Spetters" is blissfully intact on DVD and looks better than ever. The directors' cut I had on tape didn't look this good. I was afraid it had been edited when I saw it was listed as "R" but it's unrated still and 8 minutes longer than on my tape. This film is about the lives of three young men who race motorcycles. They long to compete with their hero (Rutger Hauer) who is wealthy and famous. They come from diverse middle class backgrounds. One is abused by his violent father and bashes gay men for their money. Their lives are disrupted and changed forever by a beautiful ambitious blonde who rolls into town with her fast food wagon that she operates with her butch gay brother. Her involvement with the boys will lead to triumph and tragedy as well as sexual awakening. Renee Soutendjik walks off with the film as the golddigging blonde. She is amazingly beautiful and sensual in her earthy performance. She would play another vamp of a different kind in Verhoevens' "The 4TH Man". "Spetters" is a must see for Verhoeven fans of his earlier pre-Hollywood work. It is also sexually explicit and contains a disturbing homosexual rape scene. This scene is important to the story developement but it is graphic. Some may be put off by it. Still, "Spetters" tells a story and I can't recommend it enough for lovers of truly cinematic film.

Rating:
Summary: Brilliant teenage drama for adults
Review: This movie is a classic on it's own (I can't wait for it to come out on DVD). The story of a group of teenagers in the 80's in the Netherlands, stuggling to become something more then middle-class, and finding out they might be something different altogether. Very realistically brought to life, with quite shocking scenes. Nothing is spared to the viewer, definately not a film for teenagers or younger. Includes violence and a gay rape-scene, among others, with Paul Verhoeven's accurate and raw portrayal of a time and a people. No sugarcoating here.

Rating:
Summary: Incredible
Review: Verhoeven's films astonish me. This is one of the best coming of age films I have ever seen. Great acting, cinematography, music, editing etc...A magnificent in your face masterpiece that will linger with you long after it is over.

Rating:
Summary: Incredible
Review: Verhoeven's films astonish me. This is one of the best coming of age films I have ever seen. Great acting, cinematography, music, editing etc...A magnificent in your face masterpiece that will linger with you long after it is over.

Rating:
Summary: 'HOT SHOTS"
Review: Whatever happened to the American version?

Paul Verhoven's "expose" about young male teens in Amsterdam "coming of age" in the late 1970ties was and still is quite an eye opener. We follow the lives of three very different young men and their sexual awakening, they all share a passion for motocross with the aim to turn professional.

There's 'something for everybody' in this one, especially a rather brutal homosexual gang rape of one of the boys [well, he almost "deserves" this] with an unusual conclusion, and his story is possibly the most moving and uplifting of the three. The others? One golden boy concludes tragically - the other, less gifted between the ears, makes up for it elsewhere. Yes, this is possibly Verhoven's most adult, and most real movie.

Rutger Hauer more or less "guest-stars" as the boy's motocross rolemodel - also Jeroen Krabbe [excellent in the later and equally graphic "4th Man"], the relatively unknown young males are the stars.

Highly recommended, depending on the versions available, and there are quite a few. [One of the first mainstream movies to feature full male frontal nudity!]

BUT what happened to the American version with Travolta?