The Dark Diamond (2004)
"Suske en Wiske: De duistere diamant" (original title)

Family adventure based on the bestselling classic comic strip in the Spike and Suzy series created by Willy Vandersteen.

Director:

Rudi Van Den Bossche

Writers:

Patricia Beysens, Ilse Somers,

Stars:

Joeri Busschots, Céline Verbeeck, Thekla Reuten

1 win.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Joeri Busschots	...	Suske
Céline Verbeeck	...	Wiske
Thekla Reuten	...	Alwina
Peter Van den Begin	...	Tante Sidonia
Rik Launspach	...	Baron Roger de Lacheloze
Tuur De Weert	...	Professor Barabas
Stany Crets	...	Jerom
Frank Focketijn	...	Kapitein
Coen van Vlijmen	...	Knecht
Vital Baeken	...	Soldaat 1
Fred Van Kuyk	...	Soldaat 2
Daan Hugaert	...	Magiër
Herr Seele	...	Kaalhoofd (as Peter Van Heirseele)
Urbanus	...	Jacobus (as Urbain Servranckx)
Willeke van Ammelrooy	...	Clara

Storyline

During a holiday on the Dutch rural B&B, Suske finds, while diving for Shanulleke, a black diamond. He gives it to Sidonia, who breaks her promise to proudly hold on to it after the local Baron Roger de Lacheloze offers her a hefty price. Their host Alwina tells the legend whoever profits from the stone shall perish by the next new moon. Sidonia gets sick and unable to laugh, the fatal symptom. Barabbas's time-machine sends Lambik, Alwina and the kids to the 16th century, when the legend started, at a magician's tower, to have it destroyed. They soon fall prey to feudal sorcery charges, 'solved' by fatal 'divine ordeal'. Even in they survive that, there's a mysterious black knight after them and the stone.

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Plot Keywords:

diamond | holiday | magician | theft | pub | 

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Genres:

Adventure | Family | Mystery

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Details

Official Sites:

official site Oofficial site

Country:

Germany Belgium

Language:

Dutch

Release Date:

18 February 2004 (Belgium)

Also Known As:

The Dark Diamond

Filming Locations:

Antwerp, Flanders, Belgium

Box Office

Budget:

$3,500,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Antares, Cine 3 S.r.l., Katholieke Radio Omroep (KRO)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

85 min

Sound Mix:

DTS

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Soundtracks

"Lachen"
Written by Brian Clifton and Patricia Beysens
Performed by Fay Lovsky

User Reviews

Not sure it was worth trying this

I know "Suske en Wiske" as "Bob et Bobette". My father used to love that comic series, that's how I knew it ("Bob et Bobette" are quite unknown in France). It is not an usual comic book : it is fun, it is full of ideas, it comes with its own rules, it is a whole universes in itself (Like Tezuka Osamu's mangas for instance). Therefore, filming that in live action can seem a foolish project, it requires a lot of things : a very special casting, much money for the special effects, a great cinematography and a good director. Well... The casting is quite okay. Sidonie is played by a man, why not (the voice could have been more feminine). Lambique, well, I'm not sure of the actor. Jerome is okay. Bob and Bobette are okay too, but Bobette seems older than Bob and she has too much breast. The image is poor, we don't understand all the actions, it is not very good. The directing and the editing are a little bit outdated, it is not far from the Benny Hill Show... Therefore, I'll get back to the books, this movie maybe shouldn't have been done. Maybe the very little kids can find some fun here.

As somebody already told it here, the DVD's bonus is terrible : slow and uninteresting, it mostly shows that a German/belgian production of that kind can not be really professional as other comics-based movies of the past decade, from the US (Spiderman, Xmen, Hulk, yes, but also older movies like Popeye or Annie) and even from France (Asterix).