hansi-8 Reviews

Romeo + Juliet (1996)

Really thrusthworthy adoption of a classic play

[10/10 · 2 March 1999]

Some of my fellow commentators are irritated about this movie because it "looks like MTV". You have to remember that Shakespeare knew what he was doing, when he wrote these timeless plays, and knew that in 400 years they could fit in to whatever society. I believe that he is rotating in his grave, because of the fear many actors had had adopting and brushing the dust of Shakespeare's works. Branagh's Henry V is brilliant theater, but I do not think it works as a movie.

In this film they have kept the respect for the old master in adopting the dialogue to modern american. And I think that Shakespeare in his heaven, is very pleased with that, because I do not think that Shakespeare expected people in 1996 to talk like they did at "old Lizzys" court

Todesspiel (1997 TV Movie)

One of the best drama-documentaries ever made.

[10/10 · 28 February 1999]

We all know that the Germans make great cars, beer, etc.etc. But I think that they are the best TV-makers of the World. Their documentary programs and TV-films are of top quality, and they hardly ever leave you with the impression, that you could have done something else other than spend a couple of hours watching television. This particulary drama-documentary flips between the fiction and interviews with the people that were involved in the kidnapping of the president of the German employers union, Hanns-Martin Schleyer, September-October of 1977. At that time Europe, but particulary Germany, was struck with political terrorism, with kidnappings and assassinations. Until Schleyer's kidnapping the German Government had agreed to kidnappers' demands. When Schleyer was kidnapped the German Government decided that they would no longer tolerate that, and stood firm. Later the German airplane "Der Landshut" was hijacked by a palestine terrorist "Captain Machmoud", over Marseilles. The intention was to put more pressure on Bundeskansler Helmuth Schmidt, to release the imprisoned members of the terrorist gang "Rote Armee Fraction" (RAF). But eventually the plane was raided in the airport of Mogadisiho in Somalia. When the imprisoned RAF-members learned that, they commited suicide in the Stanheimprison near Stuttgart and Hanns Martin Schleyer was brutally liquidated by his kidnappers. In particular, the interviews with ex-Bundeskansler Helmuth Schmidt are extremely good.