The Flying Liftboy

Last updated

The Flying Liftboy
Abeltjedutchposter.png
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Ben Sombogaart
Screenplay by Burny Bos
Based on Abeltje
by Annie M. G. Schmidt
Produced byBurny Bos
Starring
CinematographyReinier van Brummelen
Edited byHerman P. Koets
Music by Henny Vrienten
Production
companies
Distributed by Warner Bros.
Release date
  • 26 November 1998 (1998-11-26)
Running time
110 minutes
CountryNetherlands
Languages
  • Dutch
  • English
  • Spanish
Budgetƒ9.2 million [1]

The Flying Liftboy (Dutch : Abeltje) is a 1998 Dutch family adventure film directed by Ben Sombogaart and written and produced by Burny Bos, [2] [3] based on the 1953 Dutch children's book Abeltje by Annie M. G. Schmidt. It is the first feature film to be adapted from Schmidt's books.

Contents

The film was released on 26 November 1998 in the Netherlands by Warner Bros. under their Family Entertainment label. The film became a major success in the country. [4] It won the Golden Calf for Best Feature Film. [5] [6] [7] The film was later re-edited into a seven-episode miniseries for television by AVRO in 2000. [8]

Plot

After a humiliating incident involving his girlfriend Laura, Mother Roef takes her son Abeltje away from school and gets him a job as a lift boy at department store KNOTS. After a tour of the job, his manager Schraap tells him not to push the green button under any circumstances, under pressure, Abeltje pushes the green button and the lift takes off. This to the horror of Roef, the management, and the other inhabitants of the lift, Soon after the lift flies out of the department store, Abeltje finds out how to steer the lift.

His traveling companions - Laura, mothball salesman Jozias Tump, and singing teacher Miss Klaterhoen - are also embroiled in his adventure. Abeltje manages to land the lift on a New York parking lot. There Abeltje sets off to look for work. Millionaire Mrs. Cockle-Smith thinks he is her long-lost son Johnny and kidnaps him. Locked up in the luxury penthouse of his 'second' mother, Abeltje finds out that he does bear an uncanny resemblance to Johnny, this makes his next destination clear: he wants to find Johnny. Mr Tump helps Abeltje to escape and immediately after they reach the lift they set off at top speed for Perugona in South America, the spot where Johnny disappeared.

In Perugona, their visit happens to coincide with a coup. they end up in the hands of the guerrillas who appoint the vain Mr Tump as President. Everyone knows that Tump is only a puppet, Mr Tump himself is convinced that this career leap is a justified confirmation of his personality. Mr Tump's position makes it possible for Abeltje to set off with Laura in search of Johnny. In The Netherlands and New York, it has become clear that the lift and its inhabitants are in Perugona and the mothers of Abeltje and Johnny set off to look for their offspring. The exciting hunt for Abeltje has started. The hunt gets even more exciting when Abeltje does indeed manage to find Johnny.

Roef arrives in Perugona and accidentally takes Johnny back in her plane and sets off to The Netherlands. When Mr Tump is then deposed, it's high time for the lift travellers to set off for the safety of their own home. But then in front of the eyes of Mother Roef, Mrs. Cockle Smith and the guerrillas the lift disappears into the volcano Quoquapepapetl. During the memorial service for our four heroes in the department store, the lift pops up in the elevator shaft and everyone is reunited.

Cast

Release

Critical response

Dana Linssen of NRC Handelsblad wrote a positive review and states that the film "offers great entertainment for Schmidt purists" and that "every joke and every storyline is catchy on several levels, including the art direction full of searching pictures and unexpected discoveries." She concluded her review saying that the film "is more intelligent and witty than many of its American counterparts and the film should definitely be able to win the race with the traditional Christmas Disney releases." [9]

Home media

The film was released on VHS and DVD by Warner Home Video on 19 May 1999.

Awards

Related Research Articles

<i>Black Book</i> (film) 2006 Dutch film by Paul Verhoeven

Black Book is a 2006 war drama thriller film co-written and directed by Paul Verhoeven, and starring Carice van Houten, Sebastian Koch, Thom Hoffman and Halina Reijn. The film, credited as based on several true events and characters, is about a young Jewish woman in the Netherlands who becomes a spy for the resistance during World War II after tragedy befalls her in an encounter with the Nazis. The film had its world premiere on 1 September 2006 at the Venice Film Festival and its public release on 14 September 2006 in the Netherlands. It is the first film that Verhoeven made in his native Netherlands since The Fourth Man, made in 1983 before he moved to the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Halina Reijn</span> Dutch actress and filmmaker

Halina Reijn is a Dutch actress, writer and film director.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Annie M.G. Schmidt</span> Dutch writer (1911–1995)

Anna Maria Geertruida "Annie" Schmidt was a Dutch writer. She is called the mother of the Dutch theatrical song, and the queen of Dutch children's literature, praised for her "delicious Dutch idiom," and considered one of the greatest Dutch writers. An ultimate honour was extended to her posthumously, in 2007, when a group of Dutch historians compiled the "Canon of the Netherlands" and included Schmidt, alongside national icons such as Vincent van Gogh and Anne Frank.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Netherlands Film Festival</span> Annual film festival held in Utrecht, Netherlands

The Netherlands Film Festival is an annual film festival, held in September and October of each year in the city of Utrecht.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2006 People's Party for Freedom and Democracy leadership election</span>

The 2006 People's Party for Freedom and Democracy leadership election was called to elect the new Leader of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy after incumbent Jozias van Aartsen announced his retirement from national politics. Mark Rutte the State Secretary for Education, Culture and Science closely beat Rita Verdonk the Minister for Integration, Immigration and Asylum Affairs and backbencher Member of the House of Representatives Jelleke Veenendaal.

<i>Interview</i> (2003 film) 2003 Dutch film

Interview is a 2003 Dutch drama film, directed by Theo van Gogh, starring Katja Schuurman and Pierre Bokma. The film is about a war correspondent having an interview with a soap opera actress.

<i>Gruesome School Trip</i> 2005 Dutch film by Pieter Kuijpers

Gruesome School Trip is a 2005 Dutch horror family film written and directed by Pieter Kuijpers and co-written and produced by Burny Bos, based on the Dutch novel series De Griezelbus by Paul van Loon.

<i>Miss Minoes</i> 2001 film

Miss Minoes is a 2001 Dutch family film written and directed by Vincent Bal and co-written and produced by Burny Bos, based on the Dutch children's novel Minoes by Annie M.G. Schmidt. The film stars Theo Maassen and Carice van Houten as the titular character.

<i>Winkys Horse</i> 2005 Dutch film

Winky's Horse is a 2005 Dutch-Belgian Sinterklaas drama film directed by Mischa Kamp, produced by Burny Bos and written by Tamara Bos, based on her book Winky en het paard van Sinterklaas. The film follows Winky Wong, who develops a fascination with horses amist her struggles with her family immigrating from China to the Netherlands, When she hears about the arrival of Sinterklaas, she decides to get one from him this season.

<i>Where Is Winkys Horse?</i> 2007 film

Where Is Winky's Horse? is a 2007 Dutch-Belgian Sinterklaas drama film directed by Mischa Kamp and written by Tamara Bos, based on her book of the same name. It is the sequel to Winky's Horse.

<i>Abeltje</i> Book by Annie M.G. Schmidt

Abeltje is a children's novel by celebrated Dutch author Annie M. G. Schmidt, originally published in 1953 by De Arbeiderspers. It was one of Annie M. G. Schmidt's first children's books, and such an instant success that it was already in its fourth edition when the sequel, De A van Abeltje, came out in 1955. Since 1988, the book has been published by Querido with illustrations by Thé Tjong-Khing.

Bos is a Dutch surname. Meaning "woods" or "forest", the name often is toponymic. Alternatively, the surname sometimes has a patronymic origin, referring to the now rare given name Bos. In 2007, 35,405 people carried the name in the Netherlands, making it the 14th most common surname there. Notable people with named Bos include:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Burny Bos</span> Dutch producer, screenwriter and writer (1944–2023)

Bernard Gerrit "Burny" Bos was a Dutch film producer, screenwriter and children's book writer. He also worked as an actor in children's programs on radio and television.

<i>My Foolish Heart</i> (2018 film) 2018 Dutch film

My Foolish Heart is a 2018 Dutch biographical film by Rolf van Eijk. It follows a police detective in Amsterdam who tries to reconstruct the final days of Chet Baker before his death on 13 May 1988. The film was Van Eijk's feature film directorial debut.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ena Sendijarević</span> Bosnian film director

Ena Sendijarević is an Amsterdam-based Bosnian filmmaker and screenwriter. She is best known for her short film Import (2016) and her debut feature Take Me Somewhere Nice (2019). The latter was part of the Cannes ACID programme at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival and won the Heart of Sarajevo award for Best Feature Film at the 2019 Sarajevo Film Festival.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frits Lambrechts</span> Dutch actor, musician and cabaret artist

Fredericus Amos (Frits) Lambrechts is a Dutch actor, musician and cabaret artist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hans Beerekamp</span> Dutch journalist

Hans Beerekamp is a Dutch journalist with NRC, including for many years with a daily column on television.

<i>The Delivery</i> (film) 1999 English-language Dutch action film

The Delivery is a 1999 English-language Dutch action film directed by Roel Reiné, starring Fedja van Huêt, Freddy Douglas and Aurélie Meriel. The film follows two friends on a task delivering $25 million worth of XTC-pills from Amsterdam to Barcelona, but they find out that making the delivery doesn't seem simple as it looks. This was Reiné's first full-length feature film.

<i>Îles flottantes</i> 2001 Dutch film

Îles flottantes is a 2001 Dutch tragicomedy film written for the screen and directed by Nanouk Leopold, in her directorial debut, produced by Stienette Bosklopper. It stars Maria Kraakman, Manja Topper, Halina Reijn,Leo Hogenboom and Gillis Biesheuvel, and it follows the dysfunctional lives of three best friends who all just turned thirty and struggle with giving meaning to their lives. The film is a stand-alone sequel to Leopold's graduation film, Weekend (1998).

<i>Nadine</i> (2007 film) 2007 drama film by Erik de Bruyn

Nadine is a 2007 Dutch road movie drama film directed by Erik de Bruyn from a script he co-wrote with Gwen Eckhaus and starring Monic Hendrickx, Sanneke Bos and Halina Reijn. It follows a career woman named Nadine, who is played by the three lead actors at three different life stages of her life, the story starts when the oldest (Hendrickx) kidnaps a baby and goes on a road trip towards Portugal.

References

  1. ↑ van Gelder, Henk (19 June 1999). "Abeltje". Filmjaarboek 1998. By Hans Beerekamp. International Theatre & Film books. p. 31. ISBN   9064035415.
  2. ↑ Bots, Pieter. "Abeltje, James Bond voor kinderen" (in Dutch). Filmkrant. Archived from the original on 8 December 2021. Retrieved 5 October 2024.
  3. ↑ Stienen, François. "Burny Bos, Iedereen heeft het over Abeltje" (in Dutch). Filmkrant. Archived from the original on 8 August 2016. Retrieved 5 October 2024.
  4. ↑ van de Kamp, Miriam (25 June 2009). "Where Corporate Culture and Local Markets Meet. Music and Film Majors in the Netherlands, 1990-2005" (PDF). Erasmus University Rotterdam. p. 208. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
  5. ↑ "NFF Archief - Abeltje". Netherlands Film Festival (in Dutch). Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  6. ↑ "Abeltje - VPRO Cinema" . Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  7. ↑ "Abeltje" . Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  8. ↑ "Abeltje (2000)". KinderTV Geheugen (in Dutch). Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  9. ↑ Linssen, Dana (25 November 1998). "Abeltje: van een verlegen ventje tot bedeesde skater" . NRC Handelsblad (in Dutch). Retrieved 11 November 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.