Barnens ö (The Children's Island) (1980)
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DVD details
DVD: Region Code 0Format: Color, Dolby, Import, NTSC, Subtitled
DVD Reviews of Barnens ö (The Children's Island) (1980)
DVD Review: Wonderful movie. Much better than I expected.
Summary: 5 Stars
The very few reviews I could find online of Barnens ö really do not do it justice. I read them all before ordering this DVD, but for some reason I ordered it anyway. I regretted it almost immediately, but the order had already gone through so I couldn't cancel it. I'm very glad now that I couldn't. It's an extraordinary movie.
For one thing, the quality of the DVD is very good, considering the age of the movie and the evident lack of general interest in it. I expected a poor transfer from VHS, so I was surprised that both video and audio are clear and easy to follow. It's not perfect, but it's a lot better than VHS. It has optional English subtitles that are very easy to read, but no other extra features.
I won't give a synopsis of the plot, because other reviewers have already done that. But I will say that I don't understand comments that it's bleak, shocking, weird, clinical, depressing or pornographic. It is certainly very unusual, which I suppose could make it seem weird to some people, but the other criticisms must reflect the reviewers' own issues, because I didn't see any of that in the movie I just watched. I'm not attracted to boys, so the nudity didn't seem pornographic at all to me--it's just a kid trying to figure out who he is with no help at all from the irresponsible adults in his life. And it's Sweden, not Utah, so topless women are no big deal.
But what surprised me most is how positive the movie is in its depiction of this gutsy lost kid who goes on a sort of Odyssey through all sorts of strange experiences, looking for--and ultimately finding--himself. It's fascinating, thoroughly original, and deeply satisfying.
I'm not at all surprised that Barnens ö won three major Guldbagge awards, for best film, direction, and actor, but I'm absolutely astounded that the actor who won was not Tomas Fryk, the kid whose fearless performance as Reine must be one of the most remarkable ever filmed, but Ingvar Hirdwall in the relatively insignificant role of Stig, Reine's mother's sleazy boyfriend. I don't understand that at all, but it doesn't alter the fact that this is a great movie.
I just noticed that one of the suggested tags for this movie is "gay." GAY? What on earth is gay about this movie? I'm gay myself, but I saw absolutely nothing gay in Barnens ö. Maybe any movie with a naked male in it is considered gay by some people, but there's nothing gay about anybody in this one.
Description of Barnens ö (The Children's Island) (1980)
Soon to turn eleven Reine (Tomas Fryk) doesn't wish to grow up, he thinks puberty will make him a "swine," which is how he views the few men in his life. With his mother planning on being out of town while he is supposed to be at summer camp, Reine opts to ditch the train and stay home alone for the summer - with dire consequences. DVD FEATURES - Collector's Edition Import, playable on ALL DVD players worldwide, in Swedish with optional English subtitles, Dolby Stereo, approximate running time 110 minutes.Bestsellers in DVD
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