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Reviews
Amsterdamned (1988)
Fun filled thrill
Like I say in my comments on "De Lift", this is particularly funny for Dutch-aholics. A lot of the scenes are references to Dutch famous people, or will later become references to those.
The Bond-like chase through the canals of "Amsterdam", is one of the most famous scenes, and is up to Hollywood standard. Huub Stapel is again the best choice for the leading character "Eric Visser", charming, tenacious, and this time single. The comic relieves are numerous in this movie, but the best to me are the scenes where Stapel's daughter Anneke and her friend Willy try to find the killer through telepathy. And luckily Dick Maas doesn't resort to an old Hollywood trick, and let them solve the whole thing.
Unfortunately, the whole industry in Europe is only interested in making "interesting, and challenging" movies. Movie making in Europe should be about the art, not about the money, according to the critics. The result, however, is that most movies from Europe are either depressing to the point of throwing yourself from a tall building, or completely incomprehensible, or just boring. There are a few great exceptions to the rule, and this is certainly one of them.
For those who saw it in 1988 in a theater, and happened to be in a theater that (as is usual in Holland) puts in a break half way through the movie, so they can scam you out of your money selling over priced drinks (okay different story), you might remember one of the best finishing touches to a movie ever seen: the hand that shoots out of the water, holding a strawberry ice cream cone! That actually had me about 5 inches of my seat.
De lift (1983)
Elevators already scared me, but after seeing this...!
"De Lift" is, as horror/thriller goes, a movie that is more than decent. Huub Stapel is convincing as the mechanic, who is desperate to solve the puzzle. His determination to make an end to the terror is apparent.
The special effects could have been better, if it had been made in 2002. But remember you are watching a movie from 1983! The shock effects, however, are up to Dick Maas' usual superb standard. There is not much gore, but to me that is an asset, not a defect. The less they show you, the more your imagination will kick in, and that usually makes uglier scenes than any director could believably depict. Do try to find the original with UK subtitles though, if you watch any synchronized movie, a lot of the quality gets lost, things like sarcasm, irony, annoyance, and amazement won't come through. Neither will the play on words, for that usually isn't understood by the translators, or they cannot find the right substitute. If, like me, you like this movie, you will like Dick Maas' absolute master piece: Amsterdamned. Although some of the jokes, are for Dutch-aholics only.
The Leading Man (1996)
Intriguing, compelling, wonderful.
Just came out on video in Holland. An intriguing movie, keeps you guessing till the end. Jon Bon Jovi is totally convincing, and irresistable as the semi bad guy. Watch it, and you'll know why women cheat.