Spetters (1980)

A Dutch film, post-Saturday Night Fever, which follows the lives of three young men who are amateur dirt-bike motorcycle racers. They each fall in love with a young woman who, with her ... See full summary »

Director:

Paul Verhoeven

Writer:

Gerard Soeteman (scenario)

Stars:

Hans van Tongeren, Renée Soutendijk, Toon Agterberg

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Hans van Tongeren	...	Rien
Renée Soutendijk	...	Fientje
Toon Agterberg	...	Eef
Maarten Spanjer	...	Hans
Marianne Boyer	...	Maya
Peter Tuinman	...	Jaap
Saskia van Basten-Batenburg	...	Truus (as Saskia Ten Batenburg)
Yvonne Valkenburg	...	Annette
Ab Abspoel	...	Rien's vader (as Albert Abspoel)
Rudi Falkenhagen	...	Hans' vader
Hans Veerman	...	Eef's vader
Ben Aerden	...	Oude Homosexueel
Kitty Courbois	...	Doctor
Margot Keune	...	Meisje op bromfiets
Jonna Koster	...	Gerrit's vrouw

Storyline

A Dutch film, post-Saturday Night Fever, which follows the lives of three young men who are amateur dirt-bike motorcycle racers. They each fall in love with a young woman who, with her brother, sells French fries and hot dogs at the races. Everyone is looking for a better life. She wants out of the business and away from her brother. The motocross racers want to make their marks as professional racers, like their hero, played by Rutger Hauer.

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Plot Keywords:

motocross | accident | love | gay | dirt bike | 

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Genres:

Drama | Romance | Sport

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

Netherlands

Language:

Dutch

Release Date:

28 February 1980 (Netherlands)

Also Known As:

Descontrol

Filming Locations:

Burgwal, Delft, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands

Company Credits

Production Co:

Endemol Entertainment, VSE Film

Technical Specs

Runtime:

120 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The suits worn by the three protagonists during motocross racing reflect their nature: Rien, the most talented and valiant of the three, is dressed in white; Eef, the ambivalent one, is two-colored (red and black); and Hans, the fool and coward, wears yellow.

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Goofs

During the first bike race which Hans (Maarten Spanjer) loses because his bike breaks down, he gets splattered with dirt/mud all over his white jersey. But when he is at the trailer getting food moments later, his jersey is free of mud and dirt.

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Connections

Featured in Allemaal film: De magie van het witte doek (2007)

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Soundtracks

"Eagle"
Written by Björn Ulvaeus & Benny Andersson
Performed by ABBA
Courtesy of Polar Music

User Reviews

Verhoeven cleverly subverts the teen sex romp genre.

'Spetters' begins like one of the countless American teen coming of age "romps" we had to endure in the 1980s (....shudder...), but being a Paul Verhoeven movie things quickly become darker and more subversive. Verhoeven's most recent Hollywood effort 'Hollow Man' was a stinkeroo, but this shouldn't detract from his past achievements. Especially his brilliant output in the 1980s, a decade where mainstream movie making hit a new low (since surpassed I'm sad to say). Verhoeven didn't direct a bad movie in the 80s, which is something very few American directors can say truthfully. Even David Lynch gave us 'Dune' during this period. 'Spetters' is much tougher and confronting than you'd expect from scanning the basic plot line - three young horny guys pursue their dreams which centre around motorcross. That's what makes this movie so surprising and memorable. Verhoeven regulars Rutger Hauer and Jeroen Krabbe pop up in quite good cameos, but the movie is carried by the three young unknown (to international audiences) male leads. All are well cast and impressive. As is the foxy Renee Soutendijk, who would go on to play a major part in Verhoeven's next movie, the brilliant erotic thriller 'The Fourth Man'. 'Spetters' is raw and unpolished compared to many of Verhoeven's subsequent movies, but is definitely worth watching. Another winner from this often maligned director who I'm certain will one day get the attention and praise he deserves.