Soldier of Orange - Rutger Hauer

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S E A R C H D V D B e a v e r

(aka "Soldier of Orange" or "Soldaat van Oranje" or "Survival Run")

directed by Paul Verhoeven
Netherlands 1977

"Wine, women, and song" students Erik (Rutger Hauer, who had previously starred in Verhoeven's outrageous arthouse erotic film TURKISH DELIGHT), Gus (Jeroen Krabbé, who would play the lead in THE FOURTH MAN), Alex (Derek De Lint, later in BLACK BOOK), and Jan (Huib Rooymans) all find themselves on different sides of the collaborators and the resistance when Germany occupies the Netherlands. Erik and Guus join the resistance (Erik does so in the spirit of adventure) while Alex joins the Dutch army. Jan is a Jew and finds his life threatened. Erik's friend Robby (Eddy Habbema) arranges for Erik to flee to London, but Erik tries to give his space to Jan but he is captured. Erik and Guus escape to London where they meet the Dutch Queen (Andrea Domburg, KEETJE TIPPEL) who has a residence there, and they collaborate with Colonel Rafelli (Edward Fox, A BRIDGE TOO FAR) and British soldier Susan (Susan Penhaligon, THE CONFESSIONAL/HOUSE OF MORTAL SIN). When Guus and Erik are sent home to bring some resistance leaders back to London on behalf of the Queen, changed alliances back home lead to tragedy. Based on the true story of Erik Hazelhoff Roelfzema (and his own novel), SOLDIER OF ORANGE is early big-budget Paul Verhoeven; indeed, it was the most expensive Dutch film at the time (with British location footage and stars). Although the plot is highly eventful and the tone is epic (Verhoeven also edited a four-hour version for Dutch television), it is not without elements of Verhoeven's trademark envelope-pushing sex and violence, but it also possesses several great Verhoeven moments (for instance, once-friends-now-enemies Erik and Alex's tense/humorous tango in the middle of a party). Fans of vintage Verhoeven will want to pick this one up (as well as, perhaps, fans of his action and sci-fi American work), but BASIC INSTINCT fans might want to check out TURKISH DELIGHT and THE FOURTH MAN.

Eric Cotenas

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Theatrical Release: 16 August 1979 (USA)

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DVD Review: Palisades Tartan - Region 2 - PAL

Big thanks to Eric Cotenas for the Review!

DVD Box Cover		CLICK to order from:
Distribution	Palisades Tartan Region 2 - PAL
Runtime	2:27:05 (4% PAL speedup)
Video	1.61:1 Original Aspect Ratio 16X9 enhanced Average Bitrate: 5.44 mb/s PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate
Audio	Dutch/German/English Dolby Digital 2.0 mono
Subtitles	English, none
Features	Release Information: Studio: Palisades Tartan Aspect Ratio: Widescreen anamorphic - 1.61:1 Edition Details: • Dutch Trailer (16:9; 0:41) • US version: SURVIVAL RUN trailer (16:9; 2:21) • Paul Verhoeven Filmography • Rutger Hauer Filmography • Jeroen Krabbe Filmography • Tom Dawson Film Notes • Trailers for AUDITION, BATTLE ROYALE, CONFESSION OF A TRICKBABY, JULIEN-DONKEYBOY, THE TERRORIST, • and THE BERGMAN COLLECTION DVD Release Date: August 16th, 2010 Amaray Chapters 32

Comments

Released twice previously in the UK by Tartan (in 2002 and 2007), SOLDIER OF ORANGE has been reissued by Palisades Tartan in a dual-layer, progressive, anamorphic transfer of the Dutch theatrical version (in what is apparently otherwise a direct port of the Tartan release). Three versions of the film exist. There is the four hour TV version, which is only available on non-English friendly Dutch DVD (the theatrical version is available in a separate edition). Then there's the Dutch theatrical version as seen here and on Anchor Bay's US DVD. The film's original English-dubbed theatrical was titled SURVIVAL RUN and was cut down to 120 minutes (this version was released on tape in the UK and US and is likely the 115 minute cut offered on the French disc along with the original theatrical cut).

Palisades' DVD features the Dutch teaser, the US theatrical trailer, film notes by Tom Dawson, filmographies, and a World Cinema Trailer Reel (likely also a port from Tartan as it includes BATTLE ROYALE, which has since been reissued by Arrow Video). Like their DVDs of Verhoeven's THE FOURTH MAN and KATIE TIPPEL, the OOP and expensive Anchor Bay disc preserves only the Dutch language version (although all three of these films were released on cassette in their English dubs) and includes an English audio commentary track with Verhoeven that has not been carried over to the Tartan and Palisades editions (the French disc includes the commentary but no English subtitles for the film, it also includes an hour-long documentary and Verhoeven interview).

- Eric Cotenas

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