This is an enjoyable little film which boasts both originality and sentimentality. And while it obviously wasn't the most outstanding production of its day, it certainly wasn't the worst either.
The English dubbed version of this film (which is the only one I have seen) seems to suffer from translation. I am much more fond of subtitling as the original actors' speech inflections are preserved, as is the original music score.
Having read the story by Astrid Lindgren from which this movie was made, I was pleased to note that the producers followed her work religiously and did not make any significant deviations from the book except for the manner of Katla's death (see spoiler below for details).
This was refreshing as a very many Hollywood movies have been destroyed by taking liberties with their literary sources.
THE SPOILER.
If you don't care to have the story revealed, skip on to "End of spoiler".
The film opens with narration by 10-year-old Crispy (The book calls him Rusky) Lion. He's a terminally ill boy from whose viewpoint the story unfolds. Crispy and Jonathan (his 13-year-old brother) have an extremely close bond. Knowing Crispy is aware of his impending death Jonathan has told him of the wonders of Nangiyala where people go after death.
However, in saving Crispy from a fire, it's Jonathan who dies first. Knowing Crispy is saddened by their separation, Jonathan sends his spirit as a white dove (pigeon in the book) to reassure him they will soon be together again.
Crispy dies soon thereafter and is also transported to Nangiyala (at this point the movie transforms from B&W to color). Jonathan is waiting, and the two (now Lionheart) brothers enjoy a happy reunion with Crispy being shown the beautiful Cherry Blossom Valley.
But all is not peace and tranquility. Crispy soon discovers an evil warlord called Tengil who has already enslaved nearby Wild Rose Valley is now a threat to Cherry Blossom Valley. He also learns his brave and courageous brother Jonathan is a major figure in the resistance against Tengil.
Presently, Jonathan makes a dangerous journey to Wild Rose Valley, and answering a call in his dream, Crispy follows him. Along the way, Crispy discovers the identity of a traitor in Cherry Blossom Valley (Jossi), but is captured by Tengil's soldiers.
Thinking quickly, Crispy outwits the dullard soldiers, duping them into taking him to Wild Rose Valley---And as luck would have it, directly to the house where his brother Jonathan is in hiding.
Pleased that his younger brother possesses the same qualities of courage and honor as he, Jonathan includes Crispy in his mission to free Orvar (a captured resistance leader from Wild Rose Valley) from Katla's cave.
The brothers ride to Tengil's land of Karmanyaka where Crispy beholds for the first time Katla (an evil dragon held in Tengil's power by a battlehorn)
Finding a back entrance to Katla cave, Jonathan and Crispy manage to free Orvar just in the nick of time before he is to be sacrificed to Katla. (Here the movie deviates just slightly from the book by having the boys leave their horses behind before crossing the bridge. In the book they camp their horses next to the back entrance.).
Now with Orvar free to plan and guide, preparations are made to battle Tengil's men and free Wild Rose Valley. The battle rages and it seems as though the rebellion will succeed, when Tengil appears with Katla. The rebels have no defense against the dragon. But in a one-on-one dual with Tengil, Jonathan manages to snatch the battlehorn from him. Jonathan then turns the dragon's wrath upon Tengil. Tengil's time had come.
After the battle Jonathan uses the battlehorn to return Katla to her cave, but a mishap causes him to lose the horn in the boiling mud pool freeing Katla from all control. Calling upon his innermost strength, Jonathan manages to roll a boulder down upon Katla, knocking her into the boiling mud pool. An end to Katla. (Here is where the movie deviates most noticeably from the book. In the book, Jonathan loses the battlehorn on the bridge and barely manages to get across. He then sends a boulder down which knocks Katla into the raging river where she fights to the death with the sea serpent called Karm).
Jonathan does not escape unscathed however. He is burned by Katla's fire and paralysis sets in, but he knows if he dies he can get to the world of Nangilima where all is peace and tranquility again. Crispy conquers his fear and helps his brother jump from the mountain---and into Nangilima. (The movie does not actually show the jump, but mentions it so you know what occurs). The movie adds a scene of the boys' gravestone which is not mentioned in the book.
END OF SPOILER
The movie seemed to have a little more depressing mood to it than the book did, but this did not seem to detract from it.
There is a definite enchantment to this film which will appeal to anyone who enjoys fairy tales. Also, the theme seems to go beyond most fairy tales to deal with the idea of death from the perspective of a child. There were also several touching scenes showing the affection the brothers held for each other.
For literary critics: This is one film that conforms solidly to the source---almost word-for-word in many instances. Usually, I am disappointed with the movie version of a literary work, but not this time.
It seems to me this film would be suitable for almost anyone to watch. Possibly very small children may be frightened by the Katla scenes.
I have this on a VHS tape which isn't in prime condition. I would enjoy having this movie on a DVD in widescreen format.
The English dubbed version of this film (which is the only one I have seen) seems to suffer from translation. I am much more fond of subtitling as the original actors' speech inflections are preserved, as is the original music score.
Having read the story by Astrid Lindgren from which this movie was made, I was pleased to note that the producers followed her work religiously and did not make any significant deviations from the book except for the manner of Katla's death (see spoiler below for details).
This was refreshing as a very many Hollywood movies have been destroyed by taking liberties with their literary sources.
THE SPOILER.
If you don't care to have the story revealed, skip on to "End of spoiler".
The film opens with narration by 10-year-old Crispy (The book calls him Rusky) Lion. He's a terminally ill boy from whose viewpoint the story unfolds. Crispy and Jonathan (his 13-year-old brother) have an extremely close bond. Knowing Crispy is aware of his impending death Jonathan has told him of the wonders of Nangiyala where people go after death.
However, in saving Crispy from a fire, it's Jonathan who dies first. Knowing Crispy is saddened by their separation, Jonathan sends his spirit as a white dove (pigeon in the book) to reassure him they will soon be together again.
Crispy dies soon thereafter and is also transported to Nangiyala (at this point the movie transforms from B&W to color). Jonathan is waiting, and the two (now Lionheart) brothers enjoy a happy reunion with Crispy being shown the beautiful Cherry Blossom Valley.
But all is not peace and tranquility. Crispy soon discovers an evil warlord called Tengil who has already enslaved nearby Wild Rose Valley is now a threat to Cherry Blossom Valley. He also learns his brave and courageous brother Jonathan is a major figure in the resistance against Tengil.
Presently, Jonathan makes a dangerous journey to Wild Rose Valley, and answering a call in his dream, Crispy follows him. Along the way, Crispy discovers the identity of a traitor in Cherry Blossom Valley (Jossi), but is captured by Tengil's soldiers.
Thinking quickly, Crispy outwits the dullard soldiers, duping them into taking him to Wild Rose Valley---And as luck would have it, directly to the house where his brother Jonathan is in hiding.
Pleased that his younger brother possesses the same qualities of courage and honor as he, Jonathan includes Crispy in his mission to free Orvar (a captured resistance leader from Wild Rose Valley) from Katla's cave.
The brothers ride to Tengil's land of Karmanyaka where Crispy beholds for the first time Katla (an evil dragon held in Tengil's power by a battlehorn)
Finding a back entrance to Katla cave, Jonathan and Crispy manage to free Orvar just in the nick of time before he is to be sacrificed to Katla. (Here the movie deviates just slightly from the book by having the boys leave their horses behind before crossing the bridge. In the book they camp their horses next to the back entrance.).
Now with Orvar free to plan and guide, preparations are made to battle Tengil's men and free Wild Rose Valley. The battle rages and it seems as though the rebellion will succeed, when Tengil appears with Katla. The rebels have no defense against the dragon. But in a one-on-one dual with Tengil, Jonathan manages to snatch the battlehorn from him. Jonathan then turns the dragon's wrath upon Tengil. Tengil's time had come.
After the battle Jonathan uses the battlehorn to return Katla to her cave, but a mishap causes him to lose the horn in the boiling mud pool freeing Katla from all control. Calling upon his innermost strength, Jonathan manages to roll a boulder down upon Katla, knocking her into the boiling mud pool. An end to Katla. (Here is where the movie deviates most noticeably from the book. In the book, Jonathan loses the battlehorn on the bridge and barely manages to get across. He then sends a boulder down which knocks Katla into the raging river where she fights to the death with the sea serpent called Karm).
Jonathan does not escape unscathed however. He is burned by Katla's fire and paralysis sets in, but he knows if he dies he can get to the world of Nangilima where all is peace and tranquility again. Crispy conquers his fear and helps his brother jump from the mountain---and into Nangilima. (The movie does not actually show the jump, but mentions it so you know what occurs). The movie adds a scene of the boys' gravestone which is not mentioned in the book.
END OF SPOILER
The movie seemed to have a little more depressing mood to it than the book did, but this did not seem to detract from it.
There is a definite enchantment to this film which will appeal to anyone who enjoys fairy tales. Also, the theme seems to go beyond most fairy tales to deal with the idea of death from the perspective of a child. There were also several touching scenes showing the affection the brothers held for each other.
For literary critics: This is one film that conforms solidly to the source---almost word-for-word in many instances. Usually, I am disappointed with the movie version of a literary work, but not this time.
It seems to me this film would be suitable for almost anyone to watch. Possibly very small children may be frightened by the Katla scenes.
I have this on a VHS tape which isn't in prime condition. I would enjoy having this movie on a DVD in widescreen format.