I bought this DVD as I read on IMDb that this is a remake of the German movie "Konrad oder das Kind aus der Konservendose". It was made only two years after the original movie. Well, we know that it is a bad American habit to make very early remakes, once they find an interesting European story, and prevent their own audiences from seeing the original. Technically this DVD is well made, the quality is good. The actors, including the child actor playing Konrad, are also good standard what you would expect on TV. In fact it is like a typical American daily soap, no more, no less. I know from my experience as a language teacher, that it is sometimes difficult, to translate humour, but the movie-makers could have tried harder! The German original is much funnier. You should also compare this movie to the original book by Austrian author Christine Noestlinger.
>>>SPOILER<<<: One scene near the end really puzzled me: in the American remake, Konrad is taken back to the factory and has to be freed by his new friends. There is an Orwellian scenery slightly reminding of "1984", on a simpler basis though. But what has that scene to do with Noestlinger's story? >>>SPOILER END<<<
She never intended to write a chilling utopian novel but a funny, witty children's story about friendship, parents and their problems, etc. So at this point the American film loses points. I cannot recommend this movie.
>>>SPOILER<<<: One scene near the end really puzzled me: in the American remake, Konrad is taken back to the factory and has to be freed by his new friends. There is an Orwellian scenery slightly reminding of "1984", on a simpler basis though. But what has that scene to do with Noestlinger's story? >>>SPOILER END<<<
She never intended to write a chilling utopian novel but a funny, witty children's story about friendship, parents and their problems, etc. So at this point the American film loses points. I cannot recommend this movie.
Tell Your Friends