Product Details

• Actors: Hiram Keller, Tina Aumont, Klaus Kinski, Fons Rademakers, Eric Schneider
• Directors: Sandy Whitelaw
• Writers: Sandy Whitelaw, Alva Ruben, Judith Rascoe
• Producers: Sandy Whitelaw
• Format: Color, DVD, Widescreen, NTSC
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo)
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rating: Unrated
• Studio: Mondo Macabre
• DVD Release Date: May 30, 2006
• Run Time: 85 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000F48DDC
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #76,987 in Movies & TV (See Bestsellers in Movies & TV)

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  Movies & TV > Art House & International > European Cinema > Netherlands

• For more information about "Lifespan" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Cult icon Klaus Kinski features in this dark and intriguing existential thriller. He plays the mysterious Swiss Man - ruthless industrialist Nicolas Ulrich - who is obsessed with a search for the elixir of life. He tricks a young American scientist into joining him on his demonic quest. A quest that ends in suicide death and madness.The story takes place in the atmospheric European city of Amsterdam. Its winding alleys and ancient canals trap the characters in a labyrinthine maze as they find themselves manipulated like figures on a giant chess board.The film was controversial in its day for the extended bondage scene featuring female star Tina Aumont. This was cut in many countries but is complete in this version. The brilliant soundtrack unavailable for over 30 years is by avant garde composer Terry Riley.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: HORROR UPC: 843276012595 Manufacturer No: MOD125

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Puzzles, Bondage & Gerontology, November 14, 2009

By	M (California) - See all my reviews

I really enjoy this film, which was directed by Alexander Whitelaw, [who only made one other (forgettable) movie over 20 years later]. It's the kind of thing that comes off like low-budget Eurotrash at first, but it has a style, pace, atmosphere and ideas that keep drawing you back into it. I found myself thinking about it days afterwards, and ended up watching it many more times. It seems Whitelaw was very influenced by the ideas of Alex Comfort and Edward de Bono, in terms of gerontology studies, game theory, and creative logic. In the commentary, he also says that this film inspired Roman Polanski to make The Tenant a couple years later; (the notion of a guy living in a suicide's apartment, following in their footsteps, and losing his grip on sanity). What startled me, however, was that Whitelaw claims to believe that immortality is not only possible but would be a good thing, while I found the whole movie to be a condemnation of believing in such fantasies. I still get that too, no matter how many times I see it.

I like to compare Lifespan to another early 70s oddity; The Wicker Man, made by another erstwhile director, Robin Hardy. They are both about a naïve and somewhat arrogant guy trying to solve a mystery, but are really being led through a maze by a creepy mastermind with extremely nutty beliefs. In both films, a pretty young woman is used as bait, although she also seems to want to save the poor guy, but he is driven to pursue his course to wherever it takes him. One is about religion, and the other focuses on science, but they are both about the dangers of fanaticism.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Lifespan, March 9, 2009

By	NoWireHangers (Sweden) - See all my reviews

Ben Land (Hiram Keller), a young American doctor, travels to Amsterdam to do research on aging with Dr. Linden. Soon after Land arrives, Linden hangs himself in his apartment and Land has to try to find out the results of his research. "Lifespan" is a strange, slow moving movie that relies more on atmosphere than on plot. Land meets and plays bondage games with Linden's girlfriend and a Swiss man (Klaus Kinski) walks around looking mysterious, not saying much. Hiram Keller does a good job in the lead role and his narration is very good. The plot moves slowly to a conclusion that some may find unsatisfying and others intriguing. I think it worked pretty well, although it's not a movie that it's likely I will watch again any time soon.

1 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars just watch it, August 5, 2008

By	Bartok Kinski "A casual stroll through the lu... (Prague) - See all my reviews

I have probably seen this movie way more times than any human being should have, and it is truly a garment I wear proudly. Watch it alone, watch it with your colleagues, watch it drunk or sober, just watch it. You are under obligation to yourself.

Clonus

Alucarda