Customer Reviews

Twist and Shout / Zappa

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

My thoughts on the two films;

Zappa (1983)

A dark portrait of 3 adolescent boys in 1961 Denmark.

On the minus side, the world, and much of the plot is familiar and
predictable, and some of the supporting parts, especially the parents
are shallow to the point of caricature.

On the plus side, the film is beautifully shot, very well acted,
disturbing in its violence, and gives the boys a lot of nice, specific
and complex character touches.

Despite some of moments of 'I've seen this before' early on, I was
moved and caught up by the end.

Twist and Shout (1984)

Another solid film from August about adolescence in Denmark the 60s (1963 this time), this
is even a little stronger than `Zappa', if not quite up to Roy Andersson's great `A Swedish Love Story'
which bears some surface resemblance. The Scandinavians seem to have a knack for making
emotionally complex films about adolescence.

*Mild spoilers ahead*

Again some of this feels very familiar (first love, leading to pregnancy
and to abortion that ruins the romance), and some feels a bit forced or unrealistic
(would the parents of an upper-class, clearly upwardly mobile and socially conscious
family really be quite so positive about their daughter marrying a boy from a humble
working class home?). But the two male leads are very good, and there's a lot of
specifics and idiosyncrasies that outweigh the clichés.

Overall a worthwhile and intelligent duo of films, even if the ground covered is familiar.

I am giving this product 4 stars because of the excellent movies. However, the subtitles are very difficult to get to work. I tried switching the DVD from my blu-ray to a regular DVD player, but it did not make much of a difference.

Zappa is one of the great "coming of age" films of all time! If you love this genre be sure to see this one.

Twist+Shout and Zappa are both very penetrating movies. Maybe because of my youth. I was 13 in 1963 the year the story evolved. The time The Beatles came into our lifes. That sexuality began to play an important role and all connected to it.
Adam Tønsberg is such a great actor. He only played in these two films and is into business now days. Would love to see him in more movies.But he chose a different way of life. I appreciate that. I have to thank him, Lars Simonsen and the director; Bille August for there great performances in 1983.
I give both films a 10 with super stars. And I hope Zappa and Twist+Shout will be released in Holland, because I had to buy them somewhere else in the world.

This film brought a lot of memories of the 60s back to me. It was an era of hippies where drugs and making love - not war was cool. The film is set in Denmark that draws on a number of universal themes. The editorial review gives a good summary of what the film is about.
*Watch Zappa first when Bjorn was a 13-year-old punk who eventually stands up to the gang leader. Then watch Twist and Shout when Bjorn is 17 and learns to accept responsibility for his actions and help his friend, Eric, when he needed it.