Manta - Der Film (1991)

Director:

Peter Timm

Writers:

Michael Arnal (writer)
Carsten H.W. Lorenz (story)

Release Date:

19 September 1991 (Germany)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Plot Keywords:

Jealousy | Race | Dangerous Driving | Exploding Car | Cars

Cast

Sebastian Rudolph	...	Manfred 'Fred' Grabowski
Nadeshda Brennicke	...	Tina (as Nadja Theresa Brennicke)
Jophi Ries	...	Phil
Edda Fischer	...	Kerstin
Jochen Nickel	...	Fahrlehrer
Helge Schneider	...	DJ Johnny Flash
Dieter Pfaff	...	Heinz Grabowski
Brigitte Janner	...	Ilse Grabowski
Jennifer Steffens	...	Gabi
Mario Irrek	...	Hotte
Peter Behrens	...	2. Polizist
Ralf Richter	...	1. Polizist
Dieter Thomas Heck	...	Hartmut Metzger
Christoph Zapatka	...	Sven
Paul Faßnacht	...	Olli

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

Germany

Language:

German

Color:

Color

Filming Locations:

Essen, North Rhine - Westphalia, Germany

Company:

Royal Film

A slice of German culture

I liked this film. It has the same set of values as Manta Manta, so the comments for that film also apply here. Like "Manta Manta", the number of Mantas in this film will not disappoint Manta fans. Elements of the car chases are even the same with the car driving up onto the car transporter and the car driving into the river (although unlike "Manta Manta" this one floats and drives on the water).

It revolves around a young lads daydreams which include his girlfriend and passing his driving test and getting a Manta GTE. The story also concerns two rival gangs, one is the Manta Club and the other is the Golf GTi club. The friction between the two gangs generates a couple of good car chases (one to the theme of Radar Love!).

The film gets off to a good start with the guy daydreaming that he uses a white Golf GTi to rescue his girlfriend from the clutches of a sinister black Manta making menacing hydraulic rumblings, that is chasing her round a deserted train station. There is a great scene with everyone jumping into a row of black golf GTi and doing a raid on the rival manta gangs patch using inspector Clouseau style comedy bombs, which detonate into confetti!

The film descends into some kind of slapstick comedy for the final chase scene but it is still effective. The star of the last half of the film is the custom Manta that has the stretched bonnet with four sets of wheels upfront.

To anyone outside Europe and in the UK the film might be described as quirky. This film will probably appeal to Europeans, anyone interested in German culture, anyone interested in car chases, and the eccentric comedy will be appreciated by the youngsters. Understanding German might be an advantage and also in places I felt I was missing the occasional cultural gag.

I still don't know what the deal is with the foxes tail on the car aerials!