Jan Kjellin Reviews

Gormenghast (2000)

Real World - Gormenghast

[8/10 · 20 September 2002]

I've read Mervyn Peake's books over and over again. To me, the story of Titus Groan, 77'th earl of Gormenghast, is one that can actually compete with Tolkien's "The Lord Of The Rings".

So what do I think about the mini series? Well, obviously no one would dare do what Peter Jackson and New Line Cinema did with the aforementioned movie, so I guess a four part mini series was the next best thing. (Although I would have loved to see this in a cinema!) Good actors and an excitingly stylistic production makes this a worthwhile four hours. Some has been left out, of course, but there's still plenty of material left to build the characters of the story.

This is not a fantasy movie. It has no or few classic fantasy elements at all in it. I would rather see it as a fantastic movie, where the laws of the "normal" world aren't broken - just a little bent out of shape...

Gormenghast will provide a glimpse into our own world, and even though it's not always pretty, it's always done in beautiful colors.

Combat Shock (1984)

Misery!

[10/10 · 20 September 2002]

One of the strongest post-Vietnam movies I have ever seen. Like an unofficial sequel to Coppola's Apocalypse Now, the movie starts off with a nightmarish dream sequence that eventually passes over into a real nightmare. This is a slow-paced journey into poverty, misery and the psychological scars that mark the survivors of the horrors of war. With every frame, the situation grows worse for the people in the movie. And up until the "grand finale", you find yourself wondering when hell will break loose.

It must be pointed out that this is a low budget production. But with every dollar missing, the crew have managed to add feeling. This is a strong movie, and you'll either love it or hate it.

I love it.