Suburban crocodiles (2009)
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| Original title | Suburban crocodiles |
| Country of production | Germany |
| original language | German |
| Publishing year | 2009 |
| length | 98 minutes |
| Age rating |
FSK 6 JMK 6 |
| Rod | |
| Director | Christian Ditter |
| script |
Christian Ditter Martin Ritzenhoff |
| production |
Christian Becker Co: Martin Moszkowicz Executing: Lena Olbrich Commercial: Anita Schneider |
| music |
Heiko Maile Theme music: Apollo 3 "Superheroes" |
| camera | Christian Rein |
| cut | Ueli Christians |
| occupation | |
| |
Vorstadtkrokodile is the second film adaptation of the children's book of the same name (1976) by Max von der Grün (1926–2005). The film was awarded the title “particularly valuable” by the Wiesbaden film evaluation office .
action
As a test of courage to join the crocodile gang, Hannes, around ten years old, has to climb the roof of an old brick factory. In the process, he slips and his life is in danger, hanging from the gutter and finally only hanging on a thin chain. The incident is being observed by telescope from the paraplegic wharf. He alerts the fire department. At the last moment, the rescuers arrive at the brickworks and can use their safety cushions so that Hannes survives the fall unharmed. Hannes learns the name of the caller from the fire brigade and visits him to say thank you.
Kai, who has not yet made friends in his new place of residence and feels put under pressure by his mother because of that, would like to get in touch with the gang, but initially all children except Maria, the only girl, oppose the proposal that Hannes made submitted to them. So Kai remains dependent on his contacts via schuelerVZ etc. One night while chatting outside , he overhears glass splinters, turns away from the computer and witnesses a shop being broken into by three motorcyclists. The gangs are also interested in the 1000 Euro reward offered to catch the serial perpetrators - especially Hannes, whose mother can barely earn a living and who ultimately becomes the victim of one of these attacks. Kai, whom Hannes finally took to the previous headquarters of the suburban crocodiles, arrives there exactly at the moment when the children discover that the tree house has burned down. He guides them to the site of the old brickworks, where they discover a warehouse - obviously the burglar's hiding place.
Based on Kai's observations and the tire tracks on the brick works, the children begin to investigate the area. In doing so, they get in the way of various two-wheelers, in particular Dennis, the older brother of gang member Frank, and his two friends Kevin and Achmed. The conflict culminates in an attack by the three motorcyclists on Kai, who can initially defend himself by throwing a melon and then set off on a rapid escape, in the course of which he is flashed by a radar system and at the end of which he finally finds one between the tables and chairs Sidewalk cafes falls. For Hannes this attack is the signal to finally go to the police and report the observations on the intruders - so far the gang has still refused to do so out of consideration for Frank and because the final evidence was missing. At the police station, however, the crocodiles not only find out that Kai has now been put on record by the picture of the speed trap, but that the burglars have also now succeeded in blaming a group of Albanians for the break-ins. So they decide to provide solid evidence and to lie in wait for the intruders on the last night before the brickyard was blown up in order to film and photograph them as the loot was being transported away. This plan finally works, so that the crocodile gang comes into possession of the reward. She uses the money to buy a handbike for Kai who, contrary to his mother's original plans, is not sent to a special school. Maria, who was in love with Hannes from the start, gets her first kiss from him during the demolition of the brickworks, and finally Hannes' mother can also report that she passed the exam, which gives hope for a better future for her son and her.
Differences to the film version from 1977
While the film version from 1977 , produced for television with the help of Grüns , stuck closely to the literature, this first film version deviates from it. The crocodile gang consists of eight members (eleven in the TV film, ten in the book) who have been given new names in addition to Hannes, Maria, Frank and Peter. The family situations are partly adjusted to more current conditions; Hannes is shown as the son of a single student. While only German children were members of the gang in the book and in the first film adaptation, a Greek now also belongs to the suburban crocodiles. The Italian guest workers in the book have become Albanians. The crime to be investigated is not a break-in, but a robbery of a shop, and Hannes' mother, who works in this shop to complete her studies, is directly affected. Other changes, such as the inserted references to social networks on the Internet, are primarily used to adapt the plot to today's reality of life for children and young people.
Kai - in the book Kurt - is paraplegic due to an accident while playing with his father, which creates additional tension in the family situation, which is already presented as difficult. This accident, unlike in Max von der Greens template, was not long ago. Kai has just moved into the neighborhood with his parents and, unlike Kurt in the earlier film and book, does not attend a special school. However, his mother, who assumes that he will not find any friends in the new neighborhood, wants to send him to a special school for the physically handicapped and thus puts him under pressure and her protective behavior. At the same time he is portrayed as more independent than the Kurt of the television film. This culminates in a chase scene in which he tries to escape the robbers with his wheelchair, which has been equipped with a rocket drive for model aircraft. At the end he is surprised with a handbike, while the first film and book version only talk about using the reward to buy a handicapped tricycle.
backgrounds
occupation
Willy Semmelrogge (1923–1984) played the owner of the mini golf course in the 1977 film adaptation. His son Martin (* 1955), who played one of the burglars at the time, plays the owner of the mini golf course in this film adaptation. Heiner Beeker, who took on the role of Frank in the first film adaptation, now appears as a firefighter who is on duty at Hannes' rescue.
Aaron Fotheringham doubled the character of the quay in the scene with the chase; At some points in the recordings you can see that he did not use the wheelchair for the stunts in which the actor on the quay acts.
Locations
The film was shot from June 17 to August 30, 2008 near the locations of the earlier film:
- Mönchengladbach : Hannes' mother's shop (Dohler Strasse 71 in Bonnenbroich-Geneicken ); Mini golf course (Carl-Diem-Strasse); in front of the EDEKA, pedestrian zone (on the city wall); Chase quayside and motorbikes (Hindenburgstrasse between Saturn and Theater).
- Hückelhoven : Police station (Dinstühler Straße); Houses of Peter, Frank, Dennis and Jorgo (Loerbrockstraße); Basketball court (at Landabsatz); Olli and Maria's house (Van-Woerden-Straße); Kai's house (Körferstrasse); Tree house (forest in front of Doveren ).
- Dülken : motorcycle shop (Lindenallee / Kastanienstraße).
- Wildenrath : Roof at the test of courage (Friedrich-List-Allee).
- Brüggen : The brickworks on the L 221 was not blown up, it will stay that way for a long time. Swimming pool (Brüggener Straße, to Laarer See ).
- Viersen : Rocker pub (Freiheitsstraße).
Allusions to other films
One scene shows Maria reading in bed. She reads the book Die Welle . The book cover shows the movie poster of 2008 with Jürgen Vogel twisted film version , also by Christian Becker was produced.
In the credits and in the scene in the police station with Ralf Richter , the song Amada Mia Amore Mio can be heard on the radio. This is a cover version by the K-Rings Brothers of the original version of the song by El Pasador, which was heard in the TV version from 1977.
Premieres
The movie was released on March 26, 2009. On the occasion of the Berlinale , the film was shown on February 10, 2009 in the Willy-Brandt-Haus in front of a prominent audience; Guests were u. a. Franz Müntefering and Frank-Walter Steinmeier .
costs
The budget was 4.5 million euros. The film was funded by the Filmstiftung NRW GmbH (900,000 euros), the FilmFernsehFonds Bayern , the FFA FilmFörderungsAnstalt GdöR and the German Film Funding Fund (DFFF) .
Reviews
- Christina Krisch wrote in the Kronen-Zeitung on March 26th, 2009 that the film captivates with convincing young talent. Action-packed sequences and an original Rififi number at the end made for great fun. The fact that the film deals with the issue of paraplegia in a relaxed manner also attests to its didactic qualities.
Awards
In 2009, suburban crocodiles received two awards at the Dutch film festival Cinekid (audience award and MovieSquad Junior Award ). This was followed in 2010 by the German Film Prize for Best Full-Program Children's Film , while lead actor Nick Romeo Reimann was nominated for the US Young Artist Award as best international lead actor .
Sequels
Web links
- Crocodiles in the Internet Movie Database (English)
- Suburban crocodiles in the online film database
- Official website for the film
Individual evidence
- ↑ Age rating for suburban crocodiles . Youth Media Commission .
- ↑ Report of the FBW
- ↑ Official website, crew ( Memento of the original from October 11, 2010 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ Official website, locations ( memento of the original from June 17, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link has been inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ Suburban crocodiles in the Willy-Brandt-Haus ( Memento of the original dated February 14, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , Blog zitty, February 11, 2009
- ↑ a b Suburban crocodiles at crew united
- ↑ Kronen-Zeitung of March 26, 2009
- ↑ cf. Official Twitter profile of the German Film Award (accessed April 23, 2010)
