Customer Reviews

Paul Verhoeven Collection - Limited Edition (The 4th Man / Turkish Delight / Katie Tippel / Business Is Business / Soldier of Orange)

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Five of the movies that dr. Paul Verhoeven (Ph.D. in math & physics) made in the Netherlands before moving to the US, in a pretty, stylish box (rather like the box sets for the extended "Lord of the rings" movies). Each movie has Paul's always interesting commentary (in English). As a Dutchman, I grew up having watched "Soldier of Orange" and "Turkish Delight" quite a number of times, so I figured that while living in the States, this box was an essential thing for me to have. Fortunately for me, the English subtitles are optional so I can turn them off! :)

For fans of Verhoeven's American work, these films will certainly be interesting as we can see significant similarities and differences between his Dutch and American works. Obviously, the Dutch movies are older, and some things are now outdated (notably "Business is business" feels so terribly outdated it's almost embarassing to watch, and I imagine it's included primarily for historical interest). On the other hand, whereas his American films are mostly Sci-fi-based, a few of these films are period pieces based on autobiographical writings, and as such the Dutch films are more based on realism (for instance, the excellent WW2-drama "Soldier of Orange", and the 19th-century period piece "Katie Tippel"). Nevertheless, we clearly see the themes that always run through Verhoeven's work: moral ambiguity, sexuality, violence, religion, plot ambiguity, etc.).

I should mention the two gripes I have with this box set. First, although the films are old, many older films these days are rereleased on DVD with a remastered 5.1 soundtrack. Although the mono soundtrack here is adequate, it's just too bad we get to miss the surround sound. Second, the omission of "Spetters", which is strange because that's such an interesting movie, and it would have been a better inclusion than "Business is Business".

I guess you can look up descriptions of the individual films by looking up their single-disk versions. Just a brief summary for each:
"Business is Business", his first movie based on a book of short stories written by Albert Mol (who has a cameo appearance), is a comedy about two prostitutes.
To a degree, "Turkish Delight", based on the classic novel by Dutch author Jan Wolkers, also feels somewhat dated, although it's less bothersome here, the story feels like a period piece stuck in the '60s or '70. It's rated as one of the best Dutch films of all time, and it's a drama about an almost-obsessive, intensely sexual relationship.
"Katie Tippel" is a "rags-to-riches" period piece based on the memoires of Neel Doff (1858-1942), set against the background of the rise of socialism in the 19th century. Although this story is also about a prostitute, it's a very dark story.
"Soldier of Orange" is a WW2 drama based on the autobiography of war hero Erik Hazelhoff. If I'm not mistaken, it was rated by critics as the best Dutch film ever. Very interesting, very good movie.
Finally, the best one, "The Fourth Man" is a surreal movie based on the novel by Gerard Reve. In essence, it's both an art film and a "parody" on artsy movies. Large parts of it were "re-used" in "Basic Instinct". Although this one is much better.

Thanks for taking the time to read this.

The Paul Verhoeven is one of the best DVD collections that I have seen. These movies were very different from his movies made in Hollywood. They were made in his native country The Nederlands, before he went to Hollywood. Since I am originally from Belgium and Dutch is my native language, I was very exited that these movies were available on DVD in the United States. I was also satisfied that the English Subtitles were optional, so I turn them off. Soldaat van Oranje (Soldier of Orange) was one of my favorite movies. It is a WW2 war movie and one of the best war movies ever made. Wat zien ik (Business Is Business) is a good comedy about the Red Light District. Keetje Tippel (Katie Tippel), Turks fruit (Turkish Delight), and De Vierde man (The Forth Man) were also good movies. I also would like to warn parents that these movies are not appropriate for children because they contain some nudity. Business Is Business

Paul Verhoven's Hollywood films have been a fascinating blend of old-school SF and B-grade sleaze- ROBOCOP,TOTAL RECALL, BASIC INSTINCT, SHOWGIRLS, STARSHIP TROOPERS and HOLLOW MAN range from excellent to plain bizarre. However this collection of arthouse classics showcases some interesting talent that makes for entertaining viewing. These films are not for everyone's tastes, but for fans of the genre, movies like THE 4TH MAN and TURKISH DELIGHT (1986) are a treat. However there's not much to get excited about with KATIE TIPPEL and I'll be frank about BUSINESS IS BUSINESS (or WAT ZIEN IK?). I don't understand it and I don't like it. There are few redeeming qualities, and this should probably be forgotten. Some scenes are vaguely involving, but sometimes the director's sensibilities are over-shadowed by style, and you can ask the question: Do these stories really need to be told? The best film in the box set is SOLDIER OF ORANGE (1977) which tells a story of seven young men living the good life in the Netherlands who find their lives turned inside out, and onto many different paths, by the Second World War. The subject matter and some graphically violent scenes occasionally make this movie difficult to watch, but the story movingly illustrates the painful choices and serendipitous paths that wartime brings. Rutger Hauer, ably abetted by Jeroen Krabbé, deservedly became an international star with this amazing performance. A nice DVD box set with great digital transfer allows Verhoven fans to appreciate his earlier films, but for mainstream audiences, look elsewhere.

Anchor Bay has come through again with this wonderful set of Paul Verhoeven's early films. All of the transfers are top-notch and the subtitles are very clear and concise. As the individual titles have already been reviewed seperately, the big draw to this collection is being able to collect all of these brilliant films for much less than their retail price. The collectible booklet that's included provides plot summaries and quotes from the director and/or cast member(s). Overall, I highly recommend this collection for even the casual filmgoer who is looking for that unique film experience.

Here's the specs on the discs:

DVD Features:

Region 1
Boxed Set

Disc #1: THE 4TH MAN
Keep Case
Letterboxed Anamorphic - 1.66
Audio:
Dolby Digital Mono - Dutch
Additional Release Material:
Audio Commentary - Paul Verhoeven - Director
Trailer - 1. Original Theatrical
Text/Photo Galleries:
Original Storyboard Art
Talent Bios
Additional Products:
Poster Replica - 5x7 Theatrical

Disc #2: BUSINESS IS BUSINESS
Keep Case
Anamorphic - 1.66:1
Audio:
Mono - Dutch
Subtitles - English - Optional
Additional Release Material:
Audio Commentary - 1. Paul Verhoeven - Director
Trailers
Interactive Features:
Scene Access
Interactive Menus
Text/Photo Galleries:
Stills
Biographies - 1. Paul Verhoeven - Director

Disc #3: TURKISH DELIGHT
Keep Case
Anamorphic Widescreen - 1.66
Single Side - Dual Layer
Audio:
Dolby Digital Mono
Additional Release Material:
Audio Commentary - 1.Paul Verhoeven - Director
Trailers - 1.Original Theatrical Trailer
Text/Photo Galleries:
Still Gallery
Talent Bios

Disc #4: SOLDIER OF ORANGE
Keep Case
Anamorphic Widescreen - 1.66
Single Side - Dual Layer
Audio:
Dolby Digital Mono
Additional Release Material:
Audio Commentary - 1. Paul Verhoeven - Director
Trailers - 1. Teaser Trailer
Text/Photo Galleries:
Talent Bios
Still Gallery

Disc #5: KATIE TIPPEL
Keep Case
Anamorphic - 1.66:1
Audio:
Dutch - Mono
Subtitles - English - Stereo
Additional Release Material:
Audio Commentary - 1. Paul Verhoeven - Director
Trailers
Interactive Features:
Scene Access
Interactive Menus
Text/Photo Galleries:
Stills
Biographies

If you enjoy Paul Verhoeven cinema such as Starship Troopers, RoboCop, Basic Instinct, Total Recall, and some of his other newer films, than there's actually no real guarantee that you'll be able to successfully immerse yourself in this great collection. If you enjoyed Black Book, you're more likely to enjoy this box, but still, Black Book is a little more commercial than these films.

What is contained in this box are five of Verhoeven's earlier films, which were all produced in The Netherlands.

Business is Business (1971) 3.5/5
Though many of Verhoeven's films are satirical and contain a social commentary, Business is Business, his first feature, is a little light on that aspect. It's about two prostitutes who cater to those with odd, comic fetishes. I'm not that big on comedies, and I'm a big Starship Troopers and RocoCop fan, but I found this film to be genuinly funny on several occasions. It's a decent movie, but this is probably the least accessible in terms of Verhoeven's style to his fans.

Turkish Delight (1973)5/5
Starring Rutger Hauer in probably his international breakout role (Blade Runner would be his U.S. discovery), this is easily one of Verhoeven's five best features. It's about an artist who falls in love with a young woman and told somewhat non-lineraly. It's one of the best dramas I've ever seen, though it's got a lot of humor to it as well. Turkish Delight, I must warn, is very sexual in nature. Hey, I'm not saying because I consider it a problem, but if you're not ready for it, you'll get hit with a brick wall of sex, especially right at the beginning. An NC-17 would easily be applied if this were released in the U.S., though The Netherlands consider it their best movie of the past 50 or 100 years. I don't remember the exact award they bestowed upon it.

Katie Tippel (1975)4/5
A period piece set in the old days in Holland. Again, this is probably NC-17 material like a lot of Verhoeven's other movies. It's not as in your face as Turkish Delight, but it's a little more contextual and story driven. I believe this is based on a true story. It ends kind of abruptly and features Hauer in a somewhat minor role for how good of an actor he is. A good movie overall.

Soldier of Orange (1977) 4.5/5
A great WWII drama that brings Rutger Hauer back into the lead role with Jeroen Krabbe at his side. Krabbe is both the lead villain in The Living Daylights and The Fugitive if you don't know the name. Soldier of Orange is an epic story telling the tale of a group of friends who go their seperate ways when Holland is invaded by Germany. It's not as action packed as more modern war movies, but if you've seen Black Book, it's comparable to that.

The 4th Man (1983)8/10
The 4th Man actually came after Spetters. Featuring Jeroen Krabbe as the leading man, it's kind of a Dutch Basic Instinct, but even more heavy handed if that's possible. It's more stylish and disturbing. I'll say that Basic Instinct is the drama, cop story and The 4th Man is more of a horror movie, or more of a psychological horror movie I guess. It's very good and worth seeing for Verhoeven fans and horror fans.

This box set is very well put together just because the movies are so good. I'm not saying that everyone will like all of the movies, but Verhoeven fans, foreign film fans, drama fans, you should all think about seeing these movies because they're very good examples of their genres.

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that I don't think there's a single movie in here that DOES NOT show male frontal nudity. Just a final warning to those that are put off by that. Nothing in here is pornographic though.