For the furriners among my readership, such as it is, a brief FYI … this movie is a biopic of one of the biggest heroes of the Norwegian resistance movement during WW2. He was involved in a lot of anti-Nazi activities and propaganda. He's dead now, but he wrote his autobiography, which is in part what this movie is based on. But his wife and one of his friends in the resistance are still alive, and they've been a big help to the screenwriter, Thomas Nordseth-Tiller, who's been working on this script for several years. Manus was an exceptionally gifted saboteur, this movie is one of the biggest productions in Norwegian history – perhaps the biggest, I don't know for sure – and I think, I hope, I believe that the movie is going to be a fantastic experience. ;-) It's gotten mostly very good reviews. I'm sure it's going to sell a hell of a lot of tickets … and not even 'considering it’s a Norwegian movie'.At the first annual :-D BookFest in the Opera House back in September (which I still haven't gotten around to blogging about) I attended a … seminar, or whatever they were calling it, with Nordseth-Tiller and Arnfinn Moland, head of the Home Front Museum, who discussed the movie, the story and the history behind it, and also showed some clips. These weren't properly edited yet, but they looked fantastic anyway. I had already been looking forward to the movie, very much so, but after this event I was like … woot!! Bring it on!! :-D
From the BookFest seminar (Nordseth-Tiller seated center):
Recently of course I've just been getting more and more psyched since there's so much in the media about the movie, and wherever I go in the city I can't get away from it. Certainly the subway system has been pretty much invaded by the massive publicity campaign. For once I don't really mind, since I think these posters are so cool, I dig the artwork for this movie. And I hope, I hope, I hope that the movie is as good as I think it is … !! :-oThe National Theater station ...
Parliament station ...
Tveita station ... 
Here's the teaser trailer for the movie, with my translation of the text panels below.
There are still many who remember a different Norway.
A Nazi dictatorship.
The choices you made could mean life or death.
Some Norwegians refused to submit.
They risked everything for a free Norway.
One of them was Max Manus.
This is his story.
The last line, covered by some youtube thingies: Because I know that we're going to win.
Update an hour later: Anne Ida and I are going to see it on Monday. She already bought the tickets. :-D
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5 comments:
Yup, Tickets are bought! I sooooo look forward to this!!!!!
His name was made for a hero movie, had to read the history online as I was not too familiar with it, though I heard his name and I thought that it was made up, even if they only they got half the story it would still be interesting.
Also the word 'Quisling' is used a lot in Ireland in rebel songs, I found out today where it came from ;)
both of ye enjoy
24 hours from now, and we'll know ... !! :-D
KAS and Pablo were here tonight, they just left - they saw it yesterday and they 'liked it a lot'. I told them not to tell me any details. ;-) But they thought it was good.
Paz, yeah, the name does sound kind of made up ... and in fact it was in a way, his father's name was Johan Magnussen originally, but he changed his name to Juan Manus because he lived abroad for many years, mostly in Spanish-speaking countries, and he kept this name when he returned to Norway to marry and settle down. So it is actually kind of made up. But that was lucky for Manus, though, his name was as you say pretty perfect for something like this. ;-)
Vidkun Quisling is actually the single most famous Norwegian in history - unfortunately - his name has the highest degree of name recognition. Higher than Ibsen, Grieg, Heyerdahl, anyone. Not something we're too happy about. But it is a word now in English, much more than just a name. It's spread around the world - not our greatest contribution to to the English language. That's so interesting that the word crops up in Irish rebel songs. Dare I ask in what context ... ??
Quisling is used in rebel songs/stories about Irish people who are supposed to have sold out the IRA to the British. Most of Irish rebel songs are anti British as the the various paramilitary see England as an invading force in Northern Ireland. Very long/hard to get into, hope ye enjoyed movie
By 'Pablo', I of course meant 'trilltrall' ... sheesh.
That's the use I would have expected, based on what I know about the Troubles and the NI conflict. Thanks for sharing, it's interesting - although not anything to be proud of exactly - that the name/word has made its way across the North Sea (and Irish Sea!) like that.
Movie coming up tonight - I can't hardly wait!! :-D
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