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Funny Games

  • 19971997
  • 18+18+
  • 1h 48m
IMDb RATING
7.5/10
74K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
3,043
441
Funny Games (1997)
CrimeDramaThriller
Two violent young men take a mother, father, and son hostage in their vacation cabin and force them to play sadistic "games" with one another for their own amusement.Two violent young men take a mother, father, and son hostage in their vacation cabin and force them to play sadistic "games" with one another for their own amusement.Two violent young men take a mother, father, and son hostage in their vacation cabin and force them to play sadistic "games" with one another for their own amusement.
IMDb RATING
7.5/10
74K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
3,043
441
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Director
      • Michael Haneke
    • Writer
      • Michael Haneke
    • Stars
      • Susanne Lothar
      • Ulrich Mühe
      • Arno Frisch
    Top credits
    • Director
      • Michael Haneke
    • Writer
      • Michael Haneke
    • Stars
      • Susanne Lothar
      • Ulrich Mühe
      • Arno Frisch
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 394User reviews
    • 141Critic reviews
    • 69Metascore
  • See production, box office & company info
    • Awards
      • 6 wins & 10 nominations

    Photos96

    Funny Games (1997)
    Funny Games (1997)
    Funny Games (1997)
    Michael Haneke in The Seventh Continent (1989)
    Funny Games (1997)
    Ulrich Mühe in Funny Games (1997)
    Arno Frisch in Funny Games (1997)
    Arno Frisch in Funny Games (1997)
    Ulrich Mühe in Funny Games (1997)
    Arno Frisch in Funny Games (1997)
    Arno Frisch in Funny Games (1997)
    Funny Games (1997)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Susanne Lothar
    Susanne Lothar
    • Anna
    Ulrich Mühe
    Ulrich Mühe
    • Georg
    Arno Frisch
    Arno Frisch
    • Paul
    Frank Giering
    Frank Giering
    • Peter
    Stefan Clapczynski
    Stefan Clapczynski
    • Schorschi
    Doris Kunstmann
    Doris Kunstmann
    • Gerda
    Christoph Bantzer
    • Fred
    Wolfgang Glück
    • Robert
    Susanne Meneghel
    • Gerdas Schwester
    Monika von Zallinger
    • Eva
    • (as Monika Zallinger)
    • Director
      • Michael Haneke
    • Writer
      • Michael Haneke
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Ulrich Mühe and Susanne Lothar, who play the father and mother, were a couple in real life from this movie until Mühe's death in 2007.
    • Goofs
      (subtitled version) At 95 minutes into the film, Paul states that the film has not yet reached feature length. However, the minimum length for a feature film, according to Film Industry Support Austria (FISA), is 70 minutes.
    • Quotes

      [subtitled version]

      Paul: [talking to the viewers, breaking the fourth wall] You're on their side, aren't you? So, who will you bet with?

    • Crazy credits
      The front credits list "music by" several classical composers and John Zorn. Given the director's outspoken views on modern media, including the "composer" of the hardcore "thrash metal" songs alongside the likes of Handel and Mozart is part of his message.
    • Connections
      Featured in The Last Days of the Board (1999)
    • Soundtracks
      Cara Salva
      from 'Atalanta'

      Music by George Frideric Handel (as G.F. Händel)

      Sung by Beniamino Gigli

      Published by EMI DA 1918

    User reviews394

    Review
    Review
    Top review
    Too Difficult
    I think this movie attempts something virtually impossible, and probably only a German filmmaker would be interested in this particular problem. Watching film is intrinsically exploitive. Often the cinematic exaggeration of entering personal space results in violence. What about this?

    An intelligent exploration of this problem from the viewer's side is "Clockwork Orange." Therapy in that case is forced viewing of a movie, presumably the exploration from the filmmaker's side. This is that movie.

    Because it is about itself, it enters into a conspiracy of awareness about itself with the viewer. The intruders wink at the audience. Just before the movie begins the phase where it starts to shape up as a movie, that intruder remarks on it not yet being a movie. At one point, the action is "rewound" to be replayed with a different outcome.

    It is all very clear. But the challenge is not to remark on the problem, but to say something interesting or new or useful about it. That may be impossible, at least with normal narrative techniques, so this exercise is something of a waste.

    The one interesting thing for me is the white gloves. Most commenters assume this is to avoid fingerprints, which goes against every motive we see. As it is the only noticeable costuming, one must conclude it is to denote the cartoonish element.

    Ted's Evaluation -- 2 of 3: Has some interesting elements.
    helpful•26
    24
    • tedg
    • Apr 8, 2005

    FAQ1

    • What is the purpose of having Paul talk to the audience?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • September 11, 1997 (Germany)
    • Country of origin
      • Austria
    • Languages
      • German
      • French
      • Italian
    • Also known as
      • Забавні ігри
    • Filming locations
      • Atelier Rosenhügel, Vienna, Austria
    • Production companies
      • Filmfonds Wien
      • Wega Film
      • Österreichischer Rundfunk (ORF)
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 48 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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