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5.6/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 5.6/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Landskamp remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you like old, slightly dusty dramas where everyone looks like they’re waiting for something terrible to happen, then sure. It is not exactly a fun watch, and if you’re looking for a quick pick-me-up, stay away. This is for the folks who enjoy seeing how one single, stupid mistake can snowball into a catastrophe. People who hate slow-burn misery will probably want to skip this one entirely.
The whole thing starts off with the kind of wedding vibes that feel almost too perfect. Erik Andersson is getting hitched to Brita, and you can just tell the movie is setting him up for a fall. He isn't used to drinking, which is like the classic setup for a disaster in these older films. You see him holding that glass, and you just want to yell at him to put it down.
The brawl itself? It happens fast, and it’s messy in that way old black-and-white films do where the violence feels more chaotic than choreographed. When that policeman ends up with a knife in his back, the movie shifts gears completely. The wedding glow vanishes, and suddenly it’s all about the fallout.
I found myself focusing on the background characters more than I probably should have. There’s a specific look on some of the guests' faces when the fighting starts that feels so real. It’s that mix of confusion and 'I should probably leave now' that you see at real-life parties. It reminded me a bit of the frantic energy in The Talk of the Town, though without the witty banter to cushion the blow.
The pacing is a bit weird, honestly. Sometimes it lingers on a reaction shot until it starts to feel like a staring contest. Other times, it skips over the legal bits so fast you’re left wondering if you missed a scene. It feels like the director was more interested in the emotional wrecking ball than the actual court case.
There are moments where the acting feels a little stiff, but then you get these flashes of genuine human panic. Watching the way the light hits the floor during the argument, it’s all very stagey, but it works in a weird way. It makes the whole thing feel like a play that’s been trapped in a film canister for eighty years.
It’s definitely not perfect. Some of the side characters are just there to fill space, and I’m pretty sure I saw one extra checking his watch near the back of the crowd. But, you know, it’s got that weird, grainy charm that you just can't get from modern stuff. It’s messy, it’s sad, and it’s a bit of a downer, but it’s real enough to keep you watching until the end. 🎥
IMDb 6.9
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