RIP
Showing posts with label Scandinavia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Scandinavia. Show all posts
Wednesday, 11 December 2019
Out On Blue Six: Roxette, RIP Marie Fredriksson
Deeply saddened to hear that Marie Fredriksson of Swedish rock duo Roxette lost her seventeen-year battle with cancer on Monday at the age of 61.
End Transmission
Tuesday, 6 November 2018
The Laughing Policeman (1973)
"I hope that's a sandwich you're reaching for because whatever it is, you're gonna have to eat it!"
The Laughing Policeman is the fourth book in the series of ten Swedish novels featuring detective Martin Beck by husband and wife team - and originators of Nordic Noir - Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö, who just happen to figure high in my list of favourite authors. It's a novel that grips like a vice from the off, depicting a lone gunman's massacre of the passengers of a Stockholm bus, one of whom was an off-duty policeman known to Beck. Assigned the case, Beck and his team must piece together how and why their dead colleague came to be on the bus, discovering just as much about him as they do the murderer.
Given the premise, it's easy to see why Hollywood were interested. Stuart Rosenberg's film relocates the action to San Francisco but loses so much along the way.
I still don't understand the decision to start the film not with the multiple shooting (or indeed the Vietnam protest that features in the novel) but with events that lead up to the incident on the bus; a peculiar narrative choice that robs some of the mystery inherent in the story by revealing information to audiences that would not figure until much later in the source novel.
Equally missing is Sjöwall and Wahlöö's purpose behind the Martin Beck series. These novels were not just mystery thrillers, they were a textual exploration of the so-called 'Third Way' (between Communism and Capitalism) of Sweden's welfare experiment and, as such, served as a critique of Swedish society throughout the 1960s. In their novels, the bureaucrats and town planners, the rich and the destitute, were just as important as the cops and criminals. Their starting point was that something had gone profoundly wrong in Swedish society and their central protagonist, Martin Beck, was the consummate professional policeman who not only attempted to administer cures but was also wearily sick from what he viewed and experienced.
Whilst Sjöwall and Wahlöö were often happy to cite their influence in crime fiction arguably stemmed from America, transplanting their story to there essentially makes it little more than an imitation of Ed McBain's 87th Precinct novels (novels that the husband and wife claim to have been initially unaware of) and the cliches of the traditionally American policier are all too apparent in Rosenberg's film. Walter Matthau takes the role of Beck (here renamed Jake Martin) and is admirably dour and dyspeptic but is also a good deal less empathetic than the character in the books. Here, he's not averse to slapping suspects (and women) around, and is placed in the midst of stereotypical domestic disharmony (in the novel, Beck and his wife had already become estranged by this stage, having realised they married in haste as teenagers and no longer really know one another). Matthau, still more famous for his comedic roles at this stage, depicts the glumness of the character admirably, which is just as well as - considering the script elects to remove the very reason why the whole affair is called 'The Laughing Policeman' (Beck's daughter presents him the old music hall record on Christmas Day, and the novel ends with him laughing) - we're left to presume the title must be ironic. (Some territories - including I think the UK, briefly at least - even retitled the film as An Investigation of Murder to avoid confusion).
Rosenberg attempts to make much of San Francisco's colour, perhaps to compliment the integrity of the novels dissection of society, but with bearded ladies, busty strippers, Hare Krishna devotees and obese life models are wheeled out, it sometimes feels like overkill. Crucially, the appeal is lost. If you're from an English-language speaking country, Sjöwall and Wahlöö's Sweden is instantly exotic, fresh and original. This is just another American crime story and the procedural elements that are so engaging on the page feel like an abundance of red herrings and dead ends on the screen.
One of the things I really liked about this adaptation however is the casting of Louis Gossett Jr. as Larrimore - he's the one responsible for that glorious bit of dialogue (spoken to a pimp he's just floored) I included at the top of the review. The casting of an Afro-American actor in the Kollberg role helps to draw out the bigotry of Bruce Dern's Larsen, and he lights up the screen whenever he appears. Unfortunately, the adaptation rather reduces his role as Beck/Martin's friend, partner and confident, preferring instead to focus much more on Larsen. The character of Gunvald Larsson remains a highlight in all of the Beck novels, a brusque yet strangely loveable viking who serves as both action man and comic relief. Dern was no stranger to portraying the ugly side of human nature and he nails the roughhousing nature and aforementioned bigotry, but the character's perpetual (comic) exasperation is somewhat underplayed.
I know my review may seem a little unfair but it is only because I am such an admirer of the novels that I can't help but see the missed potential and flaws in the film. I should point out however that this film was my introduction to Martin Beck, having watched this film for the first (and, until today, only time in the '90s). If you have no prior knowledge or experience of Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö's writing and you like a good '70s crime drama then this is still enjoyable enough, though not the best that 'New Hollywood' had to offer in this field. If you are a fan of the Martin Beck books and are looking for a good, faithful adaptation to watch then look no further than Bo Widerberg's Mannen på taket (aka Man on the Roof) from 1976, based on the seventh book in the series, The Abominable Man. Interestingly, the actor chosen to play Beck in that film, Carl-Gustaf Lindstedt, was also known for his comic roles, just like Matthau.
The Laughing Policeman is the fourth book in the series of ten Swedish novels featuring detective Martin Beck by husband and wife team - and originators of Nordic Noir - Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö, who just happen to figure high in my list of favourite authors. It's a novel that grips like a vice from the off, depicting a lone gunman's massacre of the passengers of a Stockholm bus, one of whom was an off-duty policeman known to Beck. Assigned the case, Beck and his team must piece together how and why their dead colleague came to be on the bus, discovering just as much about him as they do the murderer.
Given the premise, it's easy to see why Hollywood were interested. Stuart Rosenberg's film relocates the action to San Francisco but loses so much along the way.
I still don't understand the decision to start the film not with the multiple shooting (or indeed the Vietnam protest that features in the novel) but with events that lead up to the incident on the bus; a peculiar narrative choice that robs some of the mystery inherent in the story by revealing information to audiences that would not figure until much later in the source novel.
Equally missing is Sjöwall and Wahlöö's purpose behind the Martin Beck series. These novels were not just mystery thrillers, they were a textual exploration of the so-called 'Third Way' (between Communism and Capitalism) of Sweden's welfare experiment and, as such, served as a critique of Swedish society throughout the 1960s. In their novels, the bureaucrats and town planners, the rich and the destitute, were just as important as the cops and criminals. Their starting point was that something had gone profoundly wrong in Swedish society and their central protagonist, Martin Beck, was the consummate professional policeman who not only attempted to administer cures but was also wearily sick from what he viewed and experienced.
Whilst Sjöwall and Wahlöö were often happy to cite their influence in crime fiction arguably stemmed from America, transplanting their story to there essentially makes it little more than an imitation of Ed McBain's 87th Precinct novels (novels that the husband and wife claim to have been initially unaware of) and the cliches of the traditionally American policier are all too apparent in Rosenberg's film. Walter Matthau takes the role of Beck (here renamed Jake Martin) and is admirably dour and dyspeptic but is also a good deal less empathetic than the character in the books. Here, he's not averse to slapping suspects (and women) around, and is placed in the midst of stereotypical domestic disharmony (in the novel, Beck and his wife had already become estranged by this stage, having realised they married in haste as teenagers and no longer really know one another). Matthau, still more famous for his comedic roles at this stage, depicts the glumness of the character admirably, which is just as well as - considering the script elects to remove the very reason why the whole affair is called 'The Laughing Policeman' (Beck's daughter presents him the old music hall record on Christmas Day, and the novel ends with him laughing) - we're left to presume the title must be ironic. (Some territories - including I think the UK, briefly at least - even retitled the film as An Investigation of Murder to avoid confusion).
Rosenberg attempts to make much of San Francisco's colour, perhaps to compliment the integrity of the novels dissection of society, but with bearded ladies, busty strippers, Hare Krishna devotees and obese life models are wheeled out, it sometimes feels like overkill. Crucially, the appeal is lost. If you're from an English-language speaking country, Sjöwall and Wahlöö's Sweden is instantly exotic, fresh and original. This is just another American crime story and the procedural elements that are so engaging on the page feel like an abundance of red herrings and dead ends on the screen.
One of the things I really liked about this adaptation however is the casting of Louis Gossett Jr. as Larrimore - he's the one responsible for that glorious bit of dialogue (spoken to a pimp he's just floored) I included at the top of the review. The casting of an Afro-American actor in the Kollberg role helps to draw out the bigotry of Bruce Dern's Larsen, and he lights up the screen whenever he appears. Unfortunately, the adaptation rather reduces his role as Beck/Martin's friend, partner and confident, preferring instead to focus much more on Larsen. The character of Gunvald Larsson remains a highlight in all of the Beck novels, a brusque yet strangely loveable viking who serves as both action man and comic relief. Dern was no stranger to portraying the ugly side of human nature and he nails the roughhousing nature and aforementioned bigotry, but the character's perpetual (comic) exasperation is somewhat underplayed.
I know my review may seem a little unfair but it is only because I am such an admirer of the novels that I can't help but see the missed potential and flaws in the film. I should point out however that this film was my introduction to Martin Beck, having watched this film for the first (and, until today, only time in the '90s). If you have no prior knowledge or experience of Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö's writing and you like a good '70s crime drama then this is still enjoyable enough, though not the best that 'New Hollywood' had to offer in this field. If you are a fan of the Martin Beck books and are looking for a good, faithful adaptation to watch then look no further than Bo Widerberg's Mannen på taket (aka Man on the Roof) from 1976, based on the seventh book in the series, The Abominable Man. Interestingly, the actor chosen to play Beck in that film, Carl-Gustaf Lindstedt, was also known for his comic roles, just like Matthau.
Wednesday, 28 June 2017
A Farewell To Two Michaels
Today brings news of the sad deaths of two very talented people named Michael; the Swedish actor Michael Nyqvist and the children's author Michael Bond.
Nyqvist was 56 and had been suffering from lung cancer for a year. The actor made his name as police officer Banck in the 1997 series of Beck films on Swedish TV, and received his breakthrough film role in Lukas Moodysson's acclaimed Together in 2000. But he was perhaps best known for his role as Mikael Blomkvist in the original (and best) Swedish language film adaptation of Stieg Larsson's The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo and its subsequent sequels, and for his villainous turns in Hollywood blockbusters such as Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol and John Wick.
RIP
Bond was 91 and died following a short illness at home yesterday. He published his first book, A Bear Called Paddington, in 1958 which introduced to the world the marmalade loving bear Paddington, from 'deepest, darkest Peru'. His inspiration for the character came from an impulse boy of a lonely looking teddy bear on a shelf in a shop window as a stocking filler for his wife and from his memories of seeing refugee Jewish children at train stations during the war. Several books (selling over 25 million worldwide) an evergreen TV series and a successful film adaptation continued Paddington's adventures and has gone on to touch and enchant generations of children.
RIP
Nyqvist was 56 and had been suffering from lung cancer for a year. The actor made his name as police officer Banck in the 1997 series of Beck films on Swedish TV, and received his breakthrough film role in Lukas Moodysson's acclaimed Together in 2000. But he was perhaps best known for his role as Mikael Blomkvist in the original (and best) Swedish language film adaptation of Stieg Larsson's The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo and its subsequent sequels, and for his villainous turns in Hollywood blockbusters such as Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol and John Wick.
RIP
Bond was 91 and died following a short illness at home yesterday. He published his first book, A Bear Called Paddington, in 1958 which introduced to the world the marmalade loving bear Paddington, from 'deepest, darkest Peru'. His inspiration for the character came from an impulse boy of a lonely looking teddy bear on a shelf in a shop window as a stocking filler for his wife and from his memories of seeing refugee Jewish children at train stations during the war. Several books (selling over 25 million worldwide) an evergreen TV series and a successful film adaptation continued Paddington's adventures and has gone on to touch and enchant generations of children.
RIP
Sunday, 19 February 2017
Wednesday, 1 February 2017
Sunday, 22 January 2017
Saturday, 12 November 2016
The Commune - Kollektivet (2016)
Danish director Thomas Vinterberg’s mines his own childhood experience of growing up in a commune during the 1970s and '80s to come up with this drama, which was based on his own stage play, Kollektivet.
The Commune is set in 1970s Copenhagen; married couple Anna, a local television newsreader, and Erik, a lecturer of architecture, and their shy but sharp 14-year-old daughter, Freja move into Erik's childhood large home which he has inherited from his late father. Finding the house too grand and spacious for them alone, Anna hits upon the idea of inviting various friends and professional acquaintances to move in with them. Erik is a little sceptical at first, especially at the thought of living with his left wing drinking buddy Ole, but he is soon won round by his wife's insistence that communal living will save them from the boredom they secretly believe lies in wait for them as they fully enter their middle age. From Ole comes the bearded Steffan, his earnest wife Ditte, and their son who has a heart condition. Then there's the cheery, ditzy free-loving Mona and completing the group is Allon, a penniless Assyrian who the rest of the house sometimes struggle to understand and who possesses a very thin skin.
All seems very good and groovy at first, with an inaugural wobbly skinny dip and much laughter and harmless bickering and banter around the dinner table at house meetings, but this atmosphere of collective living and of stimulating group discussion and creativity, soon develops a dangerous flaw when a further housemate enters the equation; Emma, a student of Erik's whom he has started an affair with. The notion of caring and sharing reaches an obvious limit that Anna doesn't wish to admit to or confront; can she maintain ownership of her husband in a free-for-all environment? Marginalised and depressed, Anna searches for the answer in a bottle, setting off on a particularly self destructive path.
The Commune has an awful lot to navigate in its 110 minute running time and it's fair to say it doesn't hit all its beats as well as it perhaps would have liked. The first half of the film, with the initial set-up of the living arrangements, is light and fun with an opportunity for some '70s nostalgia with its fashions and soundtrack, and some sweet-natured humour at the left-wing, middle-class intelligentsia, but it covers ground so quickly that it does sometimes feel like you're actually watching a really good Danish TV series on fast forward, thereby missing a lot of detail, development and background. The second half of the film though sees it take a darker turn and we can relax a little because this means we are in the capable hands of Trine Dyrholm as Anna.
Dyrholm is an incredible actress, being the star of the middle-class family in meltdown drama Arvingerne (or The Legacy, to give it it's English title) certainly proved that to me, and the intriguing mix of steely resolve and brittle vulnerability she often displays there is even more on display in The Commune, to great effect. It's fair to say she blows everyone else out of the water here (including Ulrich Thomsen as her husband Erik) but it is equally fair to say that this may be because everyone else has so little to work with. It's really frustrating that a film called The Commune could centre so specifically on just one person (or a trio at least - though even Erik seems barely sketched at times with and intriguing quickfire temper and immature streak that is frustratingly never truly fully explored) and give us virtually nothing about the other housemates beyond their basic personality traits. It's even more of a shame because it is clear the actors here are really good and deserved some good material to play with. Don't get me wrong, I did enjoy this film, I really enjoyed this film, but I can't forgive them for giving the gorgeous and bright screen presence that is Julie Agnete Vang (of Borgen fame, playing Mona here) nothing to do.
Perhaps because of these flaws, The Commune has been compared with Lukas Moodysson's commune-set film Tillsammans (Together) from 2000 and found lacking. I can't really comment because I haven't seen Moodysson's film (yet, I hasten to add!) but I think it's largely unfair to dismiss this as it remains an enjoyable and effective emotional film with a strong central performance from Dyrholm and a good period setting.
Sunday, 11 October 2015
RIP Henning Mankell
More sad news which I've only just stumbled across - one of my favourite authors, Henning Mankell lost his year long battle with cancer earlier this week, at the age of 67.
The Swede Mankell arguably created the genre of Scandi-Noir that has become so popular the past few years, by giving the world the detective Kurt Wallander, one of my most cherished literary creations. Indeed, I refuse to read the last Wallander book or watch the last series made for Swedish television because they both explore his descent into senility.
There are no words for how much I admired the writing skills of Henning Mankell and how much joy he gave me with his many novels. I am deeply saddened to hear this news and would direct readers to The Guardian's obit for a proper obituary.
RIP
The Swede Mankell arguably created the genre of Scandi-Noir that has become so popular the past few years, by giving the world the detective Kurt Wallander, one of my most cherished literary creations. Indeed, I refuse to read the last Wallander book or watch the last series made for Swedish television because they both explore his descent into senility.
There are no words for how much I admired the writing skills of Henning Mankell and how much joy he gave me with his many novels. I am deeply saddened to hear this news and would direct readers to The Guardian's obit for a proper obituary.
RIP
Wednesday, 18 March 2015
Saturday, 26 July 2014
Theme Time : Anna Ternheim - Wallander
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Utterly beautiful song from Swedish singer Anna Ternheim (pictured below) which was used as the theme tune for the 2005/06 series of Wallander which saw Krister Henriksson make his debut in the role that has made him an international name in the households of crime devotees.
Saturday, 17 May 2014
Wallander : The Troubled Man (2013)
It's something of a bittersweet joy to turn on BBC4 this Saturday evening and see Krister Henriksson return to the role of Kurt Wallander for one more, final (though he's said that before!) series commencing with an adaptation of The Troubled Man.
Bittersweet because his performance, arguably the most successful interpretation of Henning Mankell's Swedish sleuth (though personally I feel Rolf Lassgård is the Wallander of the books, whilst Henriksson is the more wise and adjusted senior figure that Kurt has become in the years beyond the books) now has to convey what fate Mankell has placed upon his literary creation; dementia.
Much has changed since the 2009 run of films; Wallander's romance and departure from Ystad and its police force has now been reversed and is not touched upon or explained, whilst we also have his daughter Linda return to the fold (played now by Charlotta Jonsson, following the tragic suicide of Johanna Sällström) alongside a husband and infant daughter. But there's also much that remains unchanged, not least of all being the fact that Kurt is still a policeman, despite surely being past retirement age now?
The film, broadcast tonight on BBC4, was good but not as outstanding and satisfying as many of the previous films. I can't really say if this adaptation stands up to Mankell's novel as its the one book I have, thus far, refused to read. The thought of Kurt succumbing to dementia like his father before him is an experience I was loathe to endure on the printed page. Indeed, it's an experience that made me wince several times throughout this film, and I know they've toned down his memory lapses and symptoms here. I guess I just don't want to see my heroes fade away but, for now, it's good to have Wallander and Henriksson back.
From Borgen to Bond?
Borgen star Birgitte Hjort Sorensen has auditioned for the role of a Bond girl in the next James Bond movie. This makes me very happy; always good to see this splendid Scandinavian actress!
Looking suitably Bond Girl-esque in the photo above too! It seems there is life after Borgen; Pilou Asbaek hosted last weekend's Eurovision!
Friday, 28 February 2014
Masjävlar (2004)
In Masjävlar (also known as Dalecarlians) Sofia Helin, star of - for my money - the finest Nordic Noir series The Bridge, stars as Mia, a Stockholm based professional who returns to the rural backwater town in Northern Sweden that she grew up in to celebrate her father's 70th birthday.
This is a quirky little tale about families, secrets, repressed emotion and the unspoken bitter resentments and tension that are harboured in close knit communities. Uniquely Swedish in tone it may be, but one thing is for sure, it's a film that tells us that families are the same the world over and that times of celebration and of bringing people together often just show how far apart we all are.
At the heart of the film is the relationship between the three sisters played by Helin, Anne Petren and Kasja Ernst. Petren is a somewhat silly (on first appearances) newly divorced woman discovering what the single life has to offer her, whilst Ernst is the disapproving sibling who has taken it upon herself to always be there for her parents and the family, and never letting anyone forget it. Add to the mix Helin's more cosmopolitan and independent Mia and you've three uniquely different characters.
Maria Blom's film perfectly captures the small locale atmosphere and the light and shade inherent in the Swedish character. There's some funny moments as well as moments of great sadness all played brilliantly by the cast; Helin is as watchable as ever, whilst Ernst greatly impressed me in her role. Nice acoustic folky soundtrack too.
Sunday, 2 February 2014
Out On Blue Six : ABBA
After the gripping sucker punch of the final two episodes of The Bridge (why? why? why?!?!) BBC4 kept us on Scandinavian shores with a documentary on ABBA and a compilation of their performances at the BBC.
A veritable SOS, it helped assuage my fears following that finale
Just.
End Transmission
A veritable SOS, it helped assuage my fears following that finale
End Transmission
Tuesday, 17 December 2013
Theme Time : Choir Of Young Believers - The Bridge
A deep depression developed within me on Saturday night as the final two parts of Borgen, the sublime Danish political drama were screened on BBC4.
The final two parts ever.
I am so going to miss that show.
However, the depression was alleviated almost immediately with news that I shall get my Scandinavian drama fix once more from BBC4 in the new year, as they commence screening of the long awaited second series of the Danish/Swedish crime thriller The Bridge from the 4th January.
I loved this show and so to celebrate, here's the brilliantly atmospheric theme tune from Choir Of Young Believers, Hollow Talk
The final two parts ever.
I am so going to miss that show.
However, the depression was alleviated almost immediately with news that I shall get my Scandinavian drama fix once more from BBC4 in the new year, as they commence screening of the long awaited second series of the Danish/Swedish crime thriller The Bridge from the 4th January.
I loved this show and so to celebrate, here's the brilliantly atmospheric theme tune from Choir Of Young Believers, Hollow Talk
Choir of Young Believers is the musical project of Danish singer, Jannis Noya Makrigiannis. The band consists of Makrigiannis, along with a rotating cast of supporting players. Very popular in Denmark, they have had a string of No 1 hits and won 'Best new Act' at 2009's Danish Music Awards. The musical style combines folk melodies, orchestral instrumentations and dark lyrics.
The Bridge itself has subsequently been remade for American/Mexican television and British/French television too as The Bridge and The Tunnel respectively. But if you ask me, except no imitations. The original will always be the best.
Friday, 13 December 2013
Monday, 9 December 2013
Tuesday, 26 November 2013
Borgen Beauties
The return of one of my favourite TV programmes, the excellent Danish political drama Borgen has seen me jumping for joy and wallowing in a regular fix of intelligent, sharp and insightful drama once more.
Now in its third and final season the show has so far shown no sign of letting up and continues its consistent high quality across a double bill of episodes every Saturday night from 9pm on BBC4.
I wish the UK could produce such thought provoking and entertaining political drama (we haven't done anything as good as this in that genre, certainly not since Party Animals at least) and I certainly wish UK television could provide the kind of strong female role models that Scandinavian television seem to excel in. Seriously, Saga in The Bridge, Sarah Lund in The Killing and both Birgitte and Katrine in Borgen are light years ahead of the tired old men hating tarts with hearts stereotypes that our drossy TV programmes churn out.
Scandinavian TV can show us female characters who an audience can totally invest in. They are three dimensional, highly intelligent, determined and with strong will power, empathetic, focused, professional and with ideals and principles that any viewer can benefit from taking notice of.
They're also very pretty, but their characters are rightly never defined by that point. If this were a UK show they'd have to reference their attractiveness time and time again, until it becomes the character rather than just a facet of who they are.
Now in its third and final season the show has so far shown no sign of letting up and continues its consistent high quality across a double bill of episodes every Saturday night from 9pm on BBC4.
I wish the UK could produce such thought provoking and entertaining political drama (we haven't done anything as good as this in that genre, certainly not since Party Animals at least) and I certainly wish UK television could provide the kind of strong female role models that Scandinavian television seem to excel in. Seriously, Saga in The Bridge, Sarah Lund in The Killing and both Birgitte and Katrine in Borgen are light years ahead of the tired old men hating tarts with hearts stereotypes that our drossy TV programmes churn out.
Scandinavian TV can show us female characters who an audience can totally invest in. They are three dimensional, highly intelligent, determined and with strong will power, empathetic, focused, professional and with ideals and principles that any viewer can benefit from taking notice of.
They're also very pretty, but their characters are rightly never defined by that point. If this were a UK show they'd have to reference their attractiveness time and time again, until it becomes the character rather than just a facet of who they are.
Sidse Babett Knudsen who plays Birgitte Nyborg
Birgitte Hort Sorensen who plays Katrine Fonsmark
And making her debut in this final series, Julie Agnete Vang as the utterly delightful Nete Buch
Monday, 20 May 2013
Bumday or The Eurovision Thong Contest
A special bumday today focusing on Eurovision on Saturday and the magnificent bottom of Norway's entrant, Margaret Berger.
If only it were The Eurovision Thong Contest, she'd have easily won! As such she came fourth with her song I Feed You My Love
Enjoy...
Saturday, 2 February 2013
Bye Bye Borgen
Tonight sees the final 2 episodes of Borgen series 2 air on BBC4, which means it'll probably be another year before we get to see it again, with series 3. As with series 1 last year I have been absolutely hooked these past 5 weeks thanks to BBC4's double billing each Saturday night from 9pm to 11pm. I will, quite controversially perhaps, claim that this is the finest Danish export we have been treated to, yes even better than The Killing. I love the political machinations, seeing how parties interact and what similarities, good and bad, there are between government here and government there. I also love the human aspect of the show as States Minister Birgitte tries to juggle her family and her personal life with her endlessly demanding professional one. She is excellently played by Sidse Babett Knudsen.
But, the good news is as one excellent foreign language drama comes to a close, we have the return next Saturday of another; the excellent French thriller Spiral which will commence its 4th series on BBC4. WOO! I love Spiral for its graphic gritty depiction of crime and the search for justice in a Paris you seldom see in fiction. Plus, it also helps that like Borgen, Spiral has an absolutely gorgeous actress in the mix. The divine Audrey Fleurot
I will also miss once again the beautiful Birgitte Hjort Sorensen as the intrepid journalist Katrine, whom I have quite a crush on.
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