Aftenlandet |
Denmark • 1977 • 109m •
   • Directed by: Peter Watkins. • Starring: Bent Andersen, Kai Schøning Andersen, Mogens Andersen, Oluf Andersen, Patricia Bay Andersen, Steen Andersen, Peter O. Back, Niels Baden, Carsten Baess, Kent Bajer, Jon Bang Carlsen, Erling Barfoed, Peter Bay. • Music by: Anders Koppel.    This strange film is a made-up documentary, detailing the future history of Denmark in four related but discrete storylines. In one, the refusal by a group of shipyard workers to work on ships carrying atomic warheads leads to sympathetic strikes around the country, and a general strike threatens. In another, the future relationship of the Common Market nations to various defense pacts such as NATO is discussed by a group of high-ranking national representatives. The third and fourth stories are closely intertwined: after a leftist group kidnaps the Danish Secretary of State, the police stretch the law as far as it will go in order to respond to the threat.
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Review:
In respect to what this film actually is, it angers on both sides of the fence. The escalation is quite limited to a few skirmishes in Denmark, with some unseen labor solidarity in some foreign quarters. Lots of talk, and in fact one of the actors says "Too much chit-chat, not enough action," basically. Conservatives will be angered that radical elements are permitted even as much leeway as they get. Leftists will be angered for being portrayed as terrorists, and, probably ironically, for not enough terrorism.
The kidnapping offers some tension but it is crudely portrayed and rudely resolved. It may be that Denmark's laissez-faire attitude on most everything is what's at fault here. Watkins is normally not this restrained.
In any event, from a personal point of view, I was saddened that in 2015 we have not experienced enough Marxism yet to understand that it just doesn't work with most people, and that's reality. Marxism therefore turns violent from frustration. This is a key element of the plot here also, such as it is. Conservatism is generally the majority opinion when it comes to economics, and therefore the main thrust of Marxism has no place in most societies. The cries in this film about the end of social democracy are mainly complaints of failure of the root of such things. Denmark may be progressive in its social affairs, but when it overlaps to economics, it doesn't appeal to the people. Another thread in the plot has the wiser Marxists making this exact point - "Be careful" they say, but the radical young Lefties will have none of it.
As a primer on how Lefties operate psychologically, this ain't too bad, but, as I said, the action element will probably impress very few.
Review by gengar843 from the Internet Movie Database.
Movie Database