De Johnsons (1992)

User Rating:

6.0/10   

Director:

Rudolf van den Berg

Writers:

Roy Frumkes (story)
Rocco Simonelli (writer)

Release Date:

14 February 1992 (Netherlands)

Genre:

Adventure | Horror

Plot:

According to an ancient Indian tale a giant monster embryo residing in a crystal vase is predetermined to fertilize a blue-eyed woman...

Plot Keywords:

Septuplets | Teacher | Biesbosch | Birthday | Photography

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Monique van de Ven	...	Victoria Lucas
Esmée de la Bretonière	...	Emalee Lucas
Kenneth Herdigein	...	Professor Keller
Rik van Uffelen	...	de Graaf
Otto Sterman	...	vader Keller
Olga Zuiderhoek	...	Angela
Nelly Frijda	...	Tante van Peter
Miguel Stigter	...	Johnson 1, Bossie
Diederik van Nederveen	...	Johnson 2, Dakkie
Erik van Wilsum	...	Johnson 3, Tellie
Marcel Colin	...	Johnson 4, Droppie
Kees Hulst	...	Jansma
Nathan Moll	...	Johnson 5, Kniffie
Jan-Mark Wams	...	Johnson 6, Koppie
Michel Bonset	...	Johnson 7, Kurkie

Also Known As:

Blauwe Johnsons (Netherlands) (informal title)
The Johnsons (USA)
Xangadix

Runtime:

103 min

Country:

Netherlands

Language:

Dutch

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Argentina:18

Filming Locations:

Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Netherlands

Company:

Meteor Film Productions

Trivia:

Ruud van Hemert was considered as director.

Movie Connections:

Features The Flying Deuces (1939)

A variation on 'The Manitou' is often better and sometimes worse.

This Dutch variation on the Native American legend also used in the William Girdler film, 'The Manitou', is very often better, and in a few spots worse. Never marketed as in any way related to or inspired by Manitou, nonetheless several involved in the film have stated that the Girdler film was partly inspirational for 'The Johnsons', yet the films are different enough to maintain a distance.

If you see both, you will see the similarities easily enough, such as the names Manitou vs Manixou, and the whole Native American legend of the demonic god who initially appears as a fetus.

This variation is extremely promising most of the way through the film. There's a very nicely developed plot line with a mystery involving 7 brothers who are mute psychopathic murderers. They are under some sort of spell to search for a sister with the end result being the birth of the demonic god. I won't give away more to the story, except to say it is a well-done sequence of suspenseful events.

Up to the ending, this variation is better than Girdler's Manitou, yet the ending here deflates all of the great buildup. It's the weakest moment in the whole film, and ends in a abrupt and rather silly manner. It's too bad, for everything up to this point is fine. In this respect, the ending to Girdler's Manitou is much better and if I had to choose between the two, the nod goes to Girdler by a very small margin.