User Reviews

Paul Verhoeven's much-underrated film Spetters tells the typically brash and uncompromising story of three young men growing up in a sleepy village just outside of Rotterdam, consumed by small-town ennui, and desperate for a life more glamorous and exciting than their own loafing existence of discothèques, motor-cross and general everyday tedium. It has a lot in common with certain American teen-melodramas of the late 70's and early 80's (films like Foxes, Rumble Fish, The Outsiders, River's Edge, etc), though is shot through with that liberated European sensibility that probably has more in common with Fassbinder, in terms of gritty stylisation. The story doesn't really advance on the initial set up, with this being more of a character based film in the minor-key (at odds with some of Verhoeven's better known films, like Robocop, Basic Instinct and The Fourth Man), with the director drawing on the relationships between the lead characters and their various situations, in order to elicit a greater sense of drama. The characters are all believable and likable to an extent - despite the opening scenes establishing them as a bunch of arrogant, feckless (possibly homophobic?) punks only out for themselves - however, as the film progresses, Verhoeven and his scriptwriter Gerard Soeteman (who collaborated with the director on all of his pre-Hollywood films) begin playing with notions of irony, to strip away all the remnants of their confidence and self-assurance in a number of melodramatic tragedies.

The film has a great style and feel to it, with Verhoeven capturing the real feel of early-80's Holland (or so I'd imagine) whilst also establishing a mood of endless possibilities for these three main characters. The early scenes of the film are quite bawdy and have a rather light-hearted and comedic tone to them, which is important, as it brings us into the world of the characters and allows us to become familiar with them before Verhoeven hits us with the hard stuff. When the film reaches the halfway mark, Verhoeven and Soeteman introduce the character of Fientje, a seductive hotdog vender who rolls into town with her bodybuilding brother on the day of the big motor-cross championship, only to immediately cross-paths with the three young bikers and the various other supporting players who will become more important towards the end of the film (...the dirt bike champion, the TV reporter, the hell's angels, etc). Her presence in town is treated with hostility by many of the characters, though ultimately, she proves to be an important catalyst for many of the major events in the film, enticing the three young men and seemingly persuading them that that can do "anything".

The film then takes it's Fassbinder aspirations to the next level, with each scene escalating to a frenzied sense of melodrama and tragedy, as Verhoeven introduces such themes as disability, religious fanaticism, homosexuality and suicide. Like all of the director's work (not just his early Dutch films), Spetters is both provocative and confrontational, with Verhoeven always trying to get some kind of response out of the viewer. However, whereas his early films, like Business is Business and Turkish Delight seemed like they were flaunting their liberated sexuality as something of a badge of honour (...whilst his U.S. work is largely out to push buttons), this film seems much more natural.

The problems the three young men encounter in this film (including parental abuse, disability, rape and ridicule) are everyday occurrences... true, they're exaggerated here, so as Verhoeven can achieve a greater sense of resonance and drama, but the whole thing seems all the more engaging and, to some extent, touching, especially compared to the bloated melodrama of his later film, Showgirls. It should be noted that Spetters, although one of the best films of the 1980's (in my opinion), certainly isn't for everyone. It's probably the furthest Verhoeven has ever gone in terms of the on screen depiction of sexuality, more so than The Fourth Man. Here, for the first time in its full-uncut version (though it has been shown uncut in the past on channels like Bravo and Film Four), we see the director in his element, mixing humour with drama, action with tragedy, and character with controversy.

The oft-discussed rape scene that happens half-way through the film is a real test for the audience, not simply for what is depicted within the scene (male gang rape replete with a brief erection) but also within the overall context (the protagonist eventually realises, through the rape, that he is indeed gay!). As well as this, there's also a two second shot of actually falatio, three erections (as the boys make a wager as to who has the biggest!!) and a moment between one of the boys, Rien, and the promiscuous Fientje, in which she strokes his penis in close-up. There's also a scene in which one of the hell's angels gets hot fat poured over him, some rather brutal scenes of domestic abuse and a violent suicide towards the end. Ultimately, the film ends with a glimmer of hope, building on top of the excellent style, script and moments of drama that have been peppered throughout this great, two-hour film. The direction from Verhoeven here is exceptional, whilst the performances, in particularly those from Renée Soutendijk, Maarten Spanjer and the tragic Hans van Tongeren, whose death sadly mirrored that of his character here, are all excellent and completely believable (whilst there's some fine cameo support offered from Verhoeven regulars, Jeroen Krabbé and Rutger Hauer). Spetters, for me, is an extreme film and something of a minor-masterpiece... it is also highly rewarding and engaging and ultimately, is evidence enough that Verhoeven, when taken away from films like Showgirls and Hollow Man, is a great filmmaker.

Writer Gerard Soeteman has called Spetters a modern day fairy tale. Viewed as such, it can be forgiven some of its rough edges and far-fetched plot turns. The three princes/spetters all take a shot at winning the love of the heroine. Destiny unfolds and each man learns who he is: a tragic hero, a repressed homosexual and an average loser. The men also measure who has the biggest cock.

The movie apparently received a lot of criticism from gay and women rights movements of the time. In retrospect, I think this is because the gay character is treated just as cruelly by life as the other characters. Probably a more politically correct movie maker than Verhoeven would have made the homosexual the moral winner. I agree that his story is described in pretty broad strokes, to put it mildly. Of course, in real life, no person will discover his sexual identity after a rape. Still, I would defend Verhoeven here with the fairy tale argument.

The protests of feminists are somewhat less understandable. Were they protesting against the fact that the heroine is a cold-hearted gold digger? But there is also a good-natured female character in the movie. And besides, why should a movie portray an ideal world?

The camera work is great and the staging of the scenes has a nice flow to it. The motorcycle stunts are well done for a movie made on this budget. It is Verhoevens craftsmanship which keeps the movie entertaining all the while.

SPETTERS

Aspect ratio: 1.66:1

Sound format: Mono

Whilst standing at the crossroads of their lives, three oversexed teenagers (Hans van Tongeren, Toon Agterberg and Maarten Spanjer) are driven apart by a beautiful gold-digger (Renée Soutendijk) who seeks to benefit from their mutual ambitions.

Maverick filmmaker Paul Verhoeven turns the much-reviled 'teensploitation' subgenre on its head with this uncompromising depiction of three naive young men and their difficult journey from adolescence to maturity. Rebelling against their conservative small-town upbringing, the protagonists are forced to reap the whirlwind of their actions, leading to tragedy for some, redemption for others. Verhoeven's script (co-written with his regular collaborator Gerard Soeteman) tackles hot-button issues like sex, disability, religious faith and homosexuality in an up-front manner, leading some Dutch critics to berate the film's alleged 'misogyny' and 'homophobia' (similar accusations were levelled against some of Verhoeven's Hollywood features, including BASIC INSTINCT and SHOWGIRLS), but these complaints become diminished under scrutiny: True, Soutendijk's heartbreaker is little more than an avaricious trollop, but she's the only one who remains loyal to van Tongeren in the wake of a devastating accident which changes his life forever. It's also true that Agterberg is driven out of the closet by a vicious sexual assault which occurs late in the film, but this episode represents his passage into adulthood, giving him the courage to confront his demons, including his brutal, ultra-religious father.

Beautifully filmed, and acted with conviction by a sterling cast (there are extended cameos from Verhoeven regulars Jeroen Krabbé and Rutger Hauer), the movie benefits from an extraordinary sexual candor, light years removed from the cowardly R-rated rubbish flooding international cinemas at the time (PORKY'S, MEATBALLS, etc.). And though the sexual imagery here is only fleeting, it's also remarkably potent, and the actors are to be commended for their bravery. Sadly, van Tongeren - a hugely talented actor with a bright future in international cinema - committed suicide two years after the film was completed.

NB. The film's title is Dutch slang for handsome, arrogant young men.

(Dutch dialogue)

I found "Spetters" was one of the most true to life "teen" to adult coming of age films made in the 1980's that didn't get the credit or respect it deserved.

"Spetters" takes an ensemble cast and manges to touch upon each piece of the joys and anguish of growing up at this age in a small town. What appeals the most to me about Spetters, is that even though this is filmed in Europe, the locations/cinematography is small town "anywhere"! The ensemble cast is also small town "anyone", and very appealing.

The ages 19 and 20 are one of the first notable "changes" of your life, and "Spetters" addresses those turning point decisions well. 19 is the end of the "teen" years, and 20 is not quite yet the adult so for these two years you are seriously thinking about how to make your way in the world - what is your talent, have you made the right decision to go into business, stay at home, finish college, date heavily, marry and most of all you are both questioning and coming to grips with WHO YOU ARE. In "Spetters" some are running away from who they are, others are embracing it, while still others are met with an unexpected future that destroys all of their future hopes and dreams.

At 19 and 20 - we all think we are indestructible. "Spetters" addresses this and the subsequent handling of tragedy and loss both physical and mental. Add in the "outside factors" of friends, sexuality, family, community, religion --- each (and more) shape in how these decisions play themselves out in their lives.

"Spetters" is filmed like you are watching life as it progresses day by day - it begins in the same place as it ends. "Spetters" is about three young men who live in a small town yearning to get out the only way they know how: via motor cross sport. All three men think they have the talent to make an be a champion in the sport like their hometown hero, and one in fact does posses the talent to go far, while the other two are placed in subordinate positions just to look from the outside in. Insert a smart, pretty and sexy young woman and her brother who have gone from town to town selling 'questionable' food snacks at the races. The woman also secretly yearns for something as well: real love, financial security and permanence. While at a stop over in this town, she sees potential in one of the men and takes it for all she's got the only way she knows how.

"Spetters" does have explicit sexual situations that drive the film in my opinion. And I'll admit, prior to seeing this film, there is much I had no idea took place. I would assume this might make the film as shocking for some viewers as it was for me. The frame of mind, surviving daily in this small town, and other growth situations of this group of characters are very important so their sexual development/exploits regardless of how shocking, are there to remind you of how these characters 'live'. And be warned, the sexual situations are heterosexual as well as homosexual, rape and consensual.

"Spetters" is a brilliant film of daily life, love and tragedy. If you can get the uncut, un-rated version in its original language, do. That is the first way I saw on on the Los Angeles based "Z" Channel and I am for all foreign director's visions to be seen uncut, unedited, undubbed and experienced in the vision of which they wanted to present it. A strong NC-17 (USA Code) film.

This film is no "Saturday Night Fever." For one thing, "Spetters" is more of an art film; while the other reeks of commercialism throughout. The music by the Bee Gees, moreover, makes it look more like a record album vainly attempting to be a film. Second, sexual repression in SNF more impacts the lives of the American kids than it does the Dutch boys. The garage scene in the latter film (where the three young bikers compare erections to see who gets first crack at the carny gal)would be judged too homo-erotic for American audiences to take, for instance. While the American boys go disco dancing for fun; the dutch kids try testing their courage in more dangerous ways, such as bike racing. While the only death in "Spetters" occurs when a biker deliberately crashes into a moving truck (a suicide, rather than living his life as an impotent cripple); the American dies falling off a bridge while stunting! Even the role models for the two groups of young men are different. While John Travolta admires a poster of Al Pacino, an actor, on his bedroom wall and takes pride in his hairdo; the bikers' hero is a national cyclist whom they want to emulate and become someday. Defining manhood, in American terms, becomes just another marketing tool(since Travolta has no aspirations to act); while the three bikers know the way to manhood lies through courage, not false glamor and appearances.

The scene where one of the bikers gets paid back for robbing and beating gay men by being gang-raped by tough-looking homosexuals, is excellent. Here the tables are turned in a way we would never see in American films, since gays are supposed to be victims who never fight back against their attackers. This demonstration of courage to defend one's honor and dignity makes "Spetters" a far superior film than SNF. SNF, despite all its trendiness as a barometer of the seventies, treats both its men and women as garden variety, working-class stereotypes. For genuine closeness, heroism and male-bonding, check this one out at the video store (make sure it's the uncut 123 min. DVD Director's version). A better coming-of-age film you will never see.

Story about three guys who are 19 or 20--Hans (Maarten Spanjer), Rien (Hans von Tongeren) and Eef (Toon Agterberg). They live in a small industrial town in Holland. They have nothing in common except for their love of motocross. Then sexy Fientje (Renee Soutendijk) moves to town and makes a play for each of them thinking they have (or will have) plenty of money and she can live off them.

Great movie. It is vulgar and VERY sexually graphic--there's plenty of sex talk, full frontal shots of women AND men, simulated sex, a gay rape scene and a hardcore gay sex scene. Still they are all needed for the story and to understand the motivations of the guys. It's well-directed by Paul Verhoeven, has a pulsating soundtrack, moves quickly and has good acting--especially by Soutendijk and Agterberg. It has tragic and hopeful endings for all the guys done in a realistic and truthful manner. Also Rutger Hauer has a small role as a conceited motocross champion.

Verhoeven (who also wrote the script) was attacked for this film. It was called anti-gay, anti-woman, anti-cripple and way too sexually explicit (I do wonder how he got some of the actors to agree to perform in some of these scenes--especially the gay rape). He only made one more film in Holland ("The 4th Man") before coming to Hollywood and turning out one blockbuster after another. This was barely shown in the US and was put on cable in a horribly cut R rated print with dubbing! This review is based on the subtitled directors cut. This film may be way too graphic for some viewers but I was fascinated through the whole thing. Recommended.

I don't know why I like this film so much...I think there are so much element of the film which are just so dumb and silly, but at the same time, this is just a film that keeps spooking around in you're head and makes you want to see this film for the second time, and for the third time, and for the fourth time, and so on... The story is, I hope, familiar with all you guys who are reading this review, so I skip that part. It's just the sort of story I really would like to see more in Dutch films, and not in the way Johan Nijenhuis does it. A story with real emotions, and where people turn out really different than you think they are for real. Eef here for example, the homophobic who turns out to be gay himself. You don't see that kind of stuff in 'Volle Maan'. The things I really don't like about this is, most of all, the really childish humor in this film, like at the gas station where Eef asks a girl 'Shall I put that in?' (Zal ik m er even insteken). Lame, but I guess that was just 'cool' in that time. But I think this film is excellent just because of the raw manner of filming, with in general not brilliant acting performances, but just very touching.