Spetters (1980)

Director:

Paul Verhoeven

Writer:

Gerard Soeteman (scenario)

Release Date:

28 February 1980 (Netherlands)

Genre:

Drama | Romance | Sport

Plot:

A Dutch film, post-Saturday Night Fever, which follows the lives of three young men who are amateur dirt-bike motorcycle racers...

Plot Keywords:

Accident | Wheelchair | French Fries | Love | Motorcycle

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 Ten Batenburg	...	Truus
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

Runtime:

120 min

Country:

Netherlands

Language:

Dutch

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:R | Norway:18 (cut) (1983) | UK:18 (cut) | USA:R | Netherlands:16 | Canada:R | USA:Unrated (director's cut) | Argentina:18 | UK:18 (video re-rating) (uncut) (2004) | Germany:16 (re-rating) (2005) | West Germany:18 (original rating) (1980) | Finland:K-16 (1995)

Filming Locations:

Burgwal, Delft, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands

Company:

Endemol Entertainment

Trivia:

Director Trademark: [Paul Verhoeven] [religious imagery]In one scene, a character is shot from a low angle, with a light bulb creating a halo around his head (c.f. Flesh+Blood (1985)).

Goofs:

Continuity: After the rape scene in the metro, Jaap (brother of Fientje) gives Eef his shoe back, holding it at the heel side. But when the scene changes to a different angle he is holding the shoe at the nose side.

Movie Connections:

References Grease (1978)

Soundtrack:

Eagle

One of the earliest "fast" dutch movies

rating 8/10

Spetters in dutch has two meanings: "splashes" (of grease, dirt or blood) and "pretty people/hunk".

This movie is quick. To me it's enjoyable as an action movie, but also as a movie like "easy rider", depicting bikers' life in holland of the late 70's. It wouldn't be dutch if there ain't some tits'n'ass in it. But I don't think the movie evolves around it. It deals much more with choices, luck and destiny everyone makes. And that's the reason why i think it's a good movie. Beyond the action sequences there's a moral to be found. I think the story shows many stereotypes of people and let's them all interact realistically. That's the true strength of this movie. and always keep in mind: it's dutch, and up to that time, there were not many action movies made in holland. shortly after this movie Paul Verhoeven went to Hollywood, to my knowledge partly because of the bad dutch criticism to this movie.