Zappa (1983)

In the early '60s, 3 Danish classmates join a "den"/tree house. Steen likes his pet fish Zappa because it eats the weaker fish. Bjørn attracts girls and Mulle is a talkative, strong boy. Steen gets them into burglary and later escalates.

Director:

Bille August

Writers:

Bjarne Reuter, Bille August

Stars:

Adam Tønsberg, Peter Reichhardt, Morten Hoff

1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Adam Tønsberg	...	Bjørn
Peter Reichhardt	...	Steen
Morten Hoff	...	Mulle
Lone Lindorff	...	Bjørn's mother
Jens Okking	...	Mulle's father
Arne Hansen	...	Bjørn's father
Solbjørg Højfeldt	...	Steen's mother
Ulrikke Bondo	...	Kirsten (as Rikke Bondo)
Søren Frølund	...	Teacher 'Kaalormen'
Thomas Nielsen	...	Henning
Mette Knudsen	...	Pige i købmandsforretning
Willy Jacobsen	...	Bjørn's Grandfather
Bent Raahauge Jørgensen	...	Steen's father (as Bent Raahauge)
Helen Svanholm	...	(as Helen Svanholt)
Elga Olga Svendsen	...	Bjørn's grandmother (as Elga Olga)

Storyline

Denmark, 1961. Bjørn, a middle-class boy in his early teens, wants to be accepted by Steen, a bullying peer of his with wealthy but freezingly cold parents. Bjørn's other good friend is Mulle, a cheerful and more childish working-class boy. All three seem friends at first, but gradually Steen starts pushing Mulle away while pulling the impressionable Bjørn with him towards more and more tragic violent behavior, fueled by frustration over his loveless home life.

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Plot Keywords:

vandalizing a bicycle | boy | friend | denmark | scandinavia | 

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Taglines:

En film der begynder som en hemmelig hvisken, og ender i et skrig (A film that begins as a secret whisper, and ends in a scream)

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

Denmark

Language:

Danish

Release Date:

4 March 1983 (Denmark)

Also Known As:

Заппа

Filming Locations:

Brønshøj Kirke, Brønshøj Kirkevej 8, Brønshøj, Sjælland, Denmark

Company Credits

Production Co:

Per Holst Filmproduktion, Det Danske Filminstitut, Danmarks Radio (DR)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

103 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Quotes

Waiter on ferry: You haven't even got hair on your dick.
Steen: No, but I have hair in my ass.

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Connections

Referenced in Gintberg på kanten: Australien (2016)

User Reviews

very positive comments

I recently viewed Zappa after watching Twist and Shout, they came packaged together on DVD. Both films are absolutely wonderful, great performances, visuals, stories. The three lead actors in Zappa are incredible, but it is the work of Morton Huff as Mulle that really packs an emotional wallop. I am a huge fan of coming of age films, and Scandinavia really turns out some gems. There's something in that snowy socially responsible region that American films can never duplicate without looking completely schmaltzy and emotionally heavy-handed. Something innocent, unassuming, unphony, completely unforced (am I being redundant?). There's a natural style and grace. I feel blessed that films like these exist and lucky to stumble upon them now and then.