Name: Retro Film Review: The Flying Dutchman (De vliegende Hollander, 1995)
Item: The Flying Dutchman
Rating: 15
Author: @drax

(source:tmdb.org)

Europe today might have many problems, but at least it is definitely nicer place to live than few centuries ago. This conclusion could be made after watching The Flying Dutchman, 1995 Dutch/Belgian epic directed by Jos Stelling. The film is set in second half of 16th Century when people of Netherlands - territories of contemporary Holland and Belgium - fought a long and bitter war against their Spanish masters. Many local nobles have often switched sides in order to profit from such prolonged mayhem. One day in Flanders group of Dutchmen carries a treasure stolen from Spanish only to be ambushed by local noble and his men. The only survivor manages to hide treasure in the noble's cesspool and makes one of his maids pregnant. When the Dutchman gets killed, Campanelli (played by Nino Manfredi), travelling entertainer from Italy, is the only one to know about it. But he gets banished from the estate and has to wait seven years before next opportunity to get his hands on treasure. He meets Dutchman's son and tells him a story about his father as a great seafarer who can't get back ashore.

Whenever someone complains about European cinema's inability to compete with Hollywood, he or she should point finger at films like The Flying Dutchman. It doesn't look like the money was a problem for the makers of this film - large budget allowed for the impressive reconstruction of late 16th Century Netherlands. Some talents employed for this film - composer Niccola Piovani and legendary Italian comedian Nino Manfredi - enjoy great respect among cinephiles. Unfortunately, they don't seem to fit together with the director obsessed with excrement and other bodily fluids. Jos Stelling was perhaps trying to use hyper-naturalist approach to expose rather prosaic reality behind myths and legends on which European history is built. But his intentions can only be guessed due to incredibly inept direction, confusing story and poor editing. The audience would have a lot of difficulty in following plot and (mostly dislikeable) characters. Thankfully, there are titles that can create much better impression of Dutch and Belgian cinema than this one.

RATING: 2/10 (-)

(Note: The text in its original form was posted in Usenet newsgroup rec.arts.films.reviews on October 14th 2004)