classicsoncall You want a real mystery? Another reviewer on this board states he's watched this film more than ten times! No disrespect intended, but that is simply well beyond my scope to fathom. I guess if you're a Rutger Hauer fan you might find it interesting to see him in a vehicle where he's not an action hero or sinister villain, but to me he looked like a duck out of water. I'm glad he stood up for the midget though, he should have cracked a few more heads while he was at it. But that bizarre scene near the end with the naked maid seemed more creepy than anything else. Maybe I just didn't have the patience for this. A couple of other writers on this board seem to have a more profound understanding of the picture than I do, and they make their case well enough. For me, this was just a mystery.

csm2 Although this is a good adaptation of Hamsun's most well know novel,a more realistic,if somewhat depressing, film called "Hunger" that was made in Norway in 1966 captures the feel of his work even better. This film by Henning Carlson is difficult to find but worth seeing out. It depicts Hamsun's struggle as an aspiring artist to survive in Christianna,now Oslo, where he faces starvation. Per Oscarsson and Gunnel Lindblom(from Ingmar Bergman's films) are the lead actors and do a terrific job of portraying the lead characters. I don't know if it is available in VHS or DVD but "Mysteries" did come out in VHS format although,as yet, I have not seen it on DVD.

Draecke I was happily surprised when I noticed this hard-to-find film at my local video store, since movies based on Knut Hamsun's novels are hard to come by here in the States. I'm also happy to say that this film did not disappoint. My wife and I both enjoyed it immensely.Dutch is the original language of the film, and unfortunately they decided to dub it rather than add the less distracting subtitles. This does mar the film (when doesn't it?), but it stopped irritating me after 15 minutes or so, when I got used to it. Other than that, this movie has everything going for it. I hope that someday they will issue another version with subtitles.Based on a novel of the Norwegian Nobel prize-winner, Knut Hamsun, this romantic psychological drama takes place during the last century and depicts a wealthy mysterious traveller, Johan Nagel (Hauer), who decides to make an extended stay in a small rural town. He becomes the immediate friend and protector of the town's much-abused midget (played wonderfully by David Rappaport), and is tormented by his feelings for two local women -- the beautiful yet spiteful and unattainable Dany Kielland (Sylvia Kristel) and the beautiful and innocent Martha Gude (Rita Tushingham). The movie was shot on location on the Isle of Man, and the picturesque natural scenery throughout adds greatly to the rich atmosphere of the film. (Nature is a prime element in Hamsun's novels.) As far as the sex goes, there are some suggestive scenes and nudity, but nothing too explicit. It's mostly left to the imagination, which is nice (quite unlike most Dutch films I've seen). The acting I thought was first-rate, and Rutger Hauer is well-cast as the unfathomable Johan Nagel. It was interesting to see Hauer in his younger days, before he crossed the Atlantic to follow his career in Hollywood.American audiences may not take too well to this film, being that its style is very European. It reminded me of some of Ingmar Bergman's works or the recent "Breaking The Waves". However, those who have the capacity and patience to appreciate great art will be well rewarded.

PVOM This is one of several early Hauer flicks which wound up on video in the mid eighties (1984, here) stateside. This one is near impossible to locate and it is not worth the effort. The bassy almost incomprehensible dubbing accounts for much of this. But the plot is murky too. Hauer seems to be moping over a lost lover. If this film was meant to exploiut Hauer's fame, it failed miserably. Whatever the film makers intent, it doesn't translate well stateside (regrettably). A lot of sex and flashbacks afoot.