IMDb RATING
6.6/10
9.5K
YOUR RATING
A hard-boiled police detective sets out to capture a gruesome serial killer terrorizing the canals of Amsterdam.A hard-boiled police detective sets out to capture a gruesome serial killer terrorizing the canals of Amsterdam.A hard-boiled police detective sets out to capture a gruesome serial killer terrorizing the canals of Amsterdam.
- Awards
- 1 nomination
Door van Boeckel
- Maniac
- (as Door van Boekel)
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaWhile most of the speedboat chase was shot in Amsterdam, some scenes were shot in the nearby city of Utrecht. These involve the part where both boats jump onto the quay and plow through the chairs and tables of a terrace. Such low-lying quays can not be found in Amsterdam, only in Utrecht.
- GoofsThe great chase-scene starts in Amsterdam, then suddenly leads through the Canals of Utrecht, and then back to Amsterdam again.
- Quotes
Vermeer: What do you think she meant when she said a huge black monster with giant claws?
Eric Visser: I don't know, but I hope your mother-in-law has an alibi.
Vermeer: UGH!
- Alternate versionsFor the West German theatrical version as well as all subsequent VHS and DVD releases the demise of the killer was cut. Only in 2007 the uncut version was released by EuroVideo.
- ConnectionsEdited into Kameleon als schokkend doelwit (2007)
- SoundtracksAmsterdamned
Music by C.L. Touber (uncredited)
Lyrics by C.L. Touber (uncredited)
Performed by Monique Klemann and Suzanne Klemann (as Loïs Lane)
Released by WEA Records No. 248.061.7
(C) 1988 WEA Records, Loïs Lane Music (A Division of EMI Music Publ.)
Featured review
The muddy, toxic canals of Amsterdamned
When this movie was first released in theaters, back in 1986, it got quite a buzz and it was certainly a winner at the box office. I went to see this picture back then and, I must say, was scared s***less at the end. I was 12 at the time and not used to seeing stuff like that on the big screen, I had nightmares the following several nights. The severed heads, the dangling body on the bridge, to name but a few instances, made an enormous impact on me.
Now, when you think I am going to praise this movie alround, you are wrong. See, I was twelve and was not in any way educated in film arts. Nowadays, my knowledge in the film department has quite significantly improved and when I now watch this movie it certainly lacks a lot.
As is normal in Dutch movies, it seems, in particular the sound editing is dreadful. I do not know where this constant deficiency comes from, but it is omnipresent in just about every movie that is released from Holland. The acting is not all that great, but given the material that the cast and crew were presented with, it is still a pretty nice job. Production values are absolutely high-standard for a small country like Holland. The fact that some scenes in the boat chase were filmed in Utrecht is something that is absolutely unforgivable, but sometimes a director has to make sacrifices towards this sort of thing to make the story work. The chase scenes were absolutely riveting to say the least. Regrettably, the make-up on the villain was a little crappy when I look at it now.
Story-wise this was pretty decent. The tension was kept on a good level in the high-octane speed of situations that followed each other. Some of the photography was better than average, the stalking POV was awesome. Some scenes really stood out above the rest, for instance the girl who is resting in her little rubber boat and subsequently being sliced and diced in the middle of the Amsterdam canal, this is timeless stuff. I love it.
Overall this was a decent movie not to be viewed by the smallest among the family. The pace in the story will keep you tied to your seat. Look past its flaws and just watch this movie unprejudiced. At least it's a hell of a lot better than Maas' clunker of 1999 "Do Not Disturb".
7/10
Now, when you think I am going to praise this movie alround, you are wrong. See, I was twelve and was not in any way educated in film arts. Nowadays, my knowledge in the film department has quite significantly improved and when I now watch this movie it certainly lacks a lot.
As is normal in Dutch movies, it seems, in particular the sound editing is dreadful. I do not know where this constant deficiency comes from, but it is omnipresent in just about every movie that is released from Holland. The acting is not all that great, but given the material that the cast and crew were presented with, it is still a pretty nice job. Production values are absolutely high-standard for a small country like Holland. The fact that some scenes in the boat chase were filmed in Utrecht is something that is absolutely unforgivable, but sometimes a director has to make sacrifices towards this sort of thing to make the story work. The chase scenes were absolutely riveting to say the least. Regrettably, the make-up on the villain was a little crappy when I look at it now.
Story-wise this was pretty decent. The tension was kept on a good level in the high-octane speed of situations that followed each other. Some of the photography was better than average, the stalking POV was awesome. Some scenes really stood out above the rest, for instance the girl who is resting in her little rubber boat and subsequently being sliced and diced in the middle of the Amsterdam canal, this is timeless stuff. I love it.
Overall this was a decent movie not to be viewed by the smallest among the family. The pace in the story will keep you tied to your seat. Look past its flaws and just watch this movie unprejudiced. At least it's a hell of a lot better than Maas' clunker of 1999 "Do Not Disturb".
7/10
helpful•53
- quin1974
- Mar 5, 2001
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Official site
- Languages
- Also known as
- Verfluchtes Amsterdam
- Filming locations
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Gross US & Canada
- $98,003
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $14,819
- Nov 27, 1988
- Gross worldwide
- $98,003
- Runtime1 hour 54 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
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