Katie Tippel

Starring:Monique van de Ven, Rutger Hauer, Andrea Domburg, Hannah de Leeuwe, Jan Blaaser, Eddie Brugman, Peter Faber, Mart Gevers, Riet Henius, Walter Kous, Tonny Popper, Jan RetÃ¨l, Fons Rademakers, Riek Schagen, Carry Tefsen, Jennifer Willems, Nelly Frijda, Gonny Sanders, Jaap Hoogstra, Huib Broos
Director: Paul Verhoeven
Studio: Anchor Bay
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
Made in 1975 and directed by Paul Verhoeven, Katie Tippel ("Katie the Streetwalker") is a handsome period drama set in 19th-century Holland, based on a true story. The second eldest daughter in a poor, Friesland family who move to Amsterdam, Katie (Monique Van de Ven) must find whatever work is going to make ends meet. She has already learnt to have no faith in her weak father. Now, as she enters a succession of jobs in which she experiences both exploitation and sexual harassment, she learns that men want her for only one thing. Duly, at the behest of her own mother, she enters prostitution. However, when she becomes model to an artist she is finally able to escape the poverty trap and ascend the social ladder, particularly when banker Hugo (Rutger Hauer) takes her as his lover. All this is set against a backdrop of social foment as the workers' impatience at poor social conditions increases.

Amazon.com

The Paul Verhoeven Collection consists of five films the Dutch director made in Europe before graduating to the Hollywood mainstream with such films as Total Recall and Basic Instinct. A bawdy though sympathetic look at the lives of two Amsterdam prostitutes, 1971's Business Is Business was Verhoeven's film debut. Ronnie Biermann stars as Greet, a worldly wise prostitute who is decently protective of her neighbor and friend in the trade, the busty, younger Nell (Sylvia de Leur). Finally, she decides they must both break out of their decreasingly fulfilling lives and seek out matrimonial stability. Business Is Business probably seemed like an authentic depiction of the Amsterdam demi-monde in its day, but today its kinky peccadilloes look rather quaint. However, both Biermann and Sylvia De Leur forcefully resist any of the clichés of the era in their strong characters.

When Turkish Delight (1973) opens on a brutal attack and then a succession of one-night stands, it seems that bohemian artist Eric Vonk (Rutger Hauer, collaborating for the first time with Verhoeven) is a complete jerk. Then a sudden flashback reveals the motivations for both his dreams and behavior, as well as the subject of the photos he spends his time pining for. He meets Olga (a fantastic Monique van de Ven), but their tempestuous relationship is shaken by many peculiar events: a surreal wedding ceremony, unveiling a statue to the Queen, and the death of Olga's father. The real problem is Olga herself, however, which leads to a shock ending many have compared to Love Story. Somewhat dated now, Turkish Delight is nonetheless unmistakably a product of the now-familiar Verhoeven style.

Katie Tippel (1975) is a handsome period drama set in 19th-century Holland, based on a true story. The second eldest daughter in a poor family, Katie (Monique van de Ven) must find whatever work is going to make ends meet. As she enters a succession of jobs in which she experiences both exploitation and sexual harassment, she learns that men want her for only one thing and so she enters prostitution. However, she is finally able to escape the poverty trap and ascend the social ladder, particularly when banker Hugo (Rutger Hauer) takes her as his lover. All this is set against a backdrop of social foment as the workers' impatience at poor social conditions increases.

Based on real events, Soldier of Orange (1977) tells the story of Dutchman Erik Lanshof (a star-making performance by Rutger Hauer) and a small group of students as they struggle to survive the Nazi occupation to the end of the Second World War. Across a canvas lasting almost three hours, Verhoeven unfolds a saga of friendship, espionage, and romance with almost documentary realism, crafting a deeply affecting film widely regarded as the greatest ever made in Holland.

Only two years separate The Fourth Man (1983), Verhoeven's final Dutch language movie, and the explosive commencement of his Hollywood career. This savage comedy shocker could well be seen as a trial run for Basic Instinct, since it features an ice-cold seductress (Renée Soutendijk) with mysterious motivations and sexual preferences. The hallucinatory tale follows a novelist (Jeroen Krabbé) first falling for her, and then feverishly investigating whether she's a serial husband killer. The film is full of what would soon be recognized as Verhoeven trademarks: a little blasphemy, a lot of nudity, dispassionate characters, and hidden agendas.

Customer Reviews:

Only for arthouse fans.......2005-06-29

Paul Verhoven's Hollywood films have been a fascinating blend of old-school SF and B-grade sleaze- ROBOCOP,TOTAL RECALL, BASIC INSTINCT, SHOWGIRLS, STARSHIP TROOPERS and HOLLOW MAN range from excellent to plain bizarre. However this collection of arthouse classics showcases some interesting talent that makes for entertaining viewing. These films are not for everyone's tastes, but for fans of the genre, movies like THE 4TH MAN and TURKISH DELIGHT (1986) are a treat. However there's not much to get excited about with KATIE TIPPEL and I'll be frank about BUSINESS IS BUSINESS (or WAT ZIEN IK?). I don't understand it and I don't like it. There are few redeeming qualities, and this should probably be forgotten. Some scenes are vaguely involving, but sometimes the director's sensibilities are over-shadowed by style, and you can ask the question: Do these stories really need to be told? The best film in the box set is SOLDIER OF ORANGE (1977) which tells a story of seven young men living the good life in the Netherlands who find their lives turned inside out, and onto many different paths, by the Second World War. The subject matter and some graphically violent scenes occasionally make this movie difficult to watch, but the story movingly illustrates the painful choices and serendipitous paths that wartime brings. Rutger Hauer, ably abetted by Jeroen Krabbé, deservedly became an international star with this amazing performance. A nice DVD box set with great digital transfer allows Verhoven fans to appreciate his earlier films, but for mainstream audiences, look elsewhere.

Five dutch movies for one great price.......2004-02-09

The Paul Verhoeven is one of the best DVD collections that I have seen. These movies were very different from his movies made in Hollywood. They were made in his native country The Nederlands, before he went to Hollywood. Since I am originally from Belgium and Dutch is my native language, I was very exited that these movies were available on DVD in the United States. I was also satisfied that the English Subtitles were optional, so I turn them off. Soldaat van Oranje (Soldier of Orange) was one of my favorite movies. It is a WW2 war movie and one of the best war movies ever made. Wat zien ik (Business Is Business) is a good comedy about the Red Light District. Keetje Tippel (Katie Tippel), Turks fruit (Turkish Delight), and De Vierde man (The Forth Man) were also good movies. I also would like to warn parents that these movies are not appropriate for children because they contain some nudity. Business Is Business

5 movies for a great price.......2003-11-26

Five of the movies that dr. Paul Verhoeven (Ph.D. in math & physics) made in the Netherlands before moving to the US, in a pretty, stylish box (rather like the box sets for the extended "Lord of the rings" movies). Each movie has Paul's always interesting commentary (in English). As a Dutchman, I grew up having watched "Soldier of Orange" and "Turkish Delight" quite a number of times, so I figured that while living in the States, this box was an essential thing for me to have. Fortunately for me, the English subtitles are optional so I can turn them off! :)

For fans of Verhoeven's American work, these films will certainly be interesting as we can see significant similarities and differences between his Dutch and American works. Obviously, the Dutch movies are older, and some things are now outdated (notably "Business is business" feels so terribly outdated it's almost embarassing to watch, and I imagine it's included primarily for historical interest). On the other hand, whereas his American films are mostly Sci-fi-based, a few of these films are period pieces based on autobiographical writings, and as such the Dutch films are more based on realism (for instance, the excellent WW2-drama "Soldier of Orange", and the 19th-century period piece "Katie Tippel"). Nevertheless, we clearly see the themes that always run through Verhoeven's work: moral ambiguity, sexuality, violence, religion, plot ambiguity, etc.).

I should mention the two gripes I have with this box set. First, although the films are old, many older films these days are rereleased on DVD with a remastered 5.1 soundtrack. Although the mono soundtrack here is adequate, it's just too bad we get to miss the surround sound. Second, the omission of "Spetters", which is strange because that's such an interesting movie, and it would have been a better inclusion than "Business is Business".

I guess you can look up descriptions of the individual films by looking up their single-disk versions. Just a brief summary for each:
"Business is Business", his first movie based on a book of short stories written by Albert Mol (who has a cameo appearance), is a comedy about two prostitutes.
To a degree, "Turkish Delight", based on the classic novel by Dutch author Jan Wolkers, also feels somewhat dated, although it's less bothersome here, the story feels like a period piece stuck in the '60s or '70. It's rated as one of the best Dutch films of all time, and it's a drama about an almost-obsessive, intensely sexual relationship.
"Katie Tippel" is a "rags-to-riches" period piece based on the memoires of Neel Doff (1858-1942), set against the background of the rise of socialism in the 19th century. Although this story is also about a prostitute, it's a very dark story.
"Soldier of Orange" is a WW2 drama based on the autobiography of war hero Erik Hazelhoff. If I'm not mistaken, it was rated by critics as the best Dutch film ever. Very interesting, very good movie.
Finally, the best one, "The Fourth Man" is a surreal movie based on the novel by Gerard Reve. In essence, it's both an art film and a "parody" on artsy movies. Large parts of it were "re-used" in "Basic Instinct". Although this one is much better.

Thanks for taking the time to read this.

Great Movies! Great Price!.......2003-08-26

Anchor Bay has come through again with this wonderful set of Paul Verhoeven's early films. All of the transfers are top-notch and the subtitles are very clear and concise. As the individual titles have already been reviewed seperately, the big draw to this collection is being able to collect all of these brilliant films for much less than their retail price. The collectible booklet that's included provides plot summaries and quotes from the director and/or cast member(s). Overall, I highly recommend this collection for even the casual filmgoer who is looking for that unique film experience.

Average customer rating:

Visually stunning Verhoeven film
Glorious and Sumptuous Early Verhoeven
Intriguing, but falls short . . . 3 and 1/2 stars
KATIE THE STREETWALKER.....
I usually do not like foreign films...............

Katie Tippel
Starring: Monique van de Ven , Rutger Hauer , Andrea Domburg , Hannah de Leeuwe , and Jan Blaaser
Director: Paul Verhoeven
Manufacturer: Anchor Bay
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Business is Business
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ASIN: 6305972842
Release Date: 2001-10-23

Amazon.com

Made in 1975 and directed by Paul Verhoeven, Katie Tippel ("Katie the Streetwalker") is a handsome period drama set in 19th-century Holland, based on a true story. The second eldest daughter in a poor, Friesland family who move to Amsterdam, Katie (Monique Van de Ven) must find whatever work is going to make ends meet. She has already learnt to have no faith in her weak father. Now, as she enters a succession of jobs in which she experiences both exploitation and sexual harassment, she learns that men want her for only one thing. Duly, at the behest of her own mother, she enters prostitution. However, when she becomes model to an artist she is finally able to escape the poverty trap and ascend the social ladder, particularly when banker Hugo (Rutger Hauer) takes her as his lover. All this is set against a backdrop of social foment as the workers' impatience at poor social conditions increases.

Although director Verhoeven, as well as Hauer and cinematographer Jan De Bont eventually became involved in mainstream American movies, Katie Tippel is very much of the European school of film-making, episodic and harsh in its depiction of everyday poverty. The dead puppy at the beginning definitely marks it as contrary to Hollywood's near-zero canine mortality rate. The sexual scenes are graphic to the point of gratuitousness but always grimly non-titillating. Budgetary limits cramp some of the mass street scenes, but generally the film is beautifully shot and ageless in feel. A far cry, certainly from Showgirls, for which Verhoeven was later responsible. --David Stubbs

Customer Reviews:

Visually stunning Verhoeven film.......2004-08-17

This film is visually stunning with a soundtrack that sounds truly haunted. Occasionally the film lets itself down with it's editing. I sometimes feel disorientated thinking " wait slow down will you." Having said that - this film is well acted, and really puts you in the Netherlands of the 19th Century. It may not be as hard hitting and exciting as Turkish Delight but this film is equally competent and well worth watching.

Glorious and Sumptuous Early Verhoeven.......2004-01-05

Awesome! Great performances, cinematography, score and of course direction. Brilliant and realistic period film about a young girl struggling through poverty stricken Europe in the late 1800's in the Netherlands. The ending may seem abrupt to some but it does thankfully end on a happy note.

Intriguing, but falls short . . . 3 and 1/2 stars.......2003-09-19

This movie was far overrated. I bought it because everybody seemed to be giving away stars. At one point I actually yawned. I just couldn't feel what Katie was feeling at all. Granted, the acting, costumes, setting etc. were great. I just think the film failed to really pull the audience in. Katie's character was too vague, hence we really didn't get into her mind. There was absolutely no climax. Just a series of quick transitions from point A to B with nothing to make you really shake your head, or your fist. For pete's sake, the woman was forever starving, and not to mention raped, yet I couldn't foster up an ounce of pity for her (and this is coming from someone who still hasn't watched "The Lion King", because I heard one of the lions died). I'll tell you this though, you'll get more reaction out of Katie if you mess with her food. Yep, steal her bread and she'll introduce your face to some heavy duty washing solution that could blind you. But rape her, and she'll merely break your window and run away with a satisfied smirk.

And what's up with the ending? Did they run out of $$? I don't know if reading these reviews actually raised my hopes up too high, or maybe it's the fact that I'd just finished watching "Turkish Delight", also with Rutger and Monique, and absolutely loved it. Bottom line: mediocre film, better just to rent it. I certainly won't be watching this again for at least another year or two.

KATIE THE STREETWALKER............2003-06-18

Based on the true story of a woman named Neel Doff, this film is somewhat of a departure from Verhoeven's other films in that it's a period piece but his style and master's touch remain. Monique Van Der Ven plays Katie, an impoverished waif whose indominatable will to survive is this film's backbone. Van Der Ven is remarkable. All wide eyed innocence yet streetwise when necessary. The poverty of 1800's Amsterdam is vividly captured as Katie's knockabout family struggle with hunger---prompting Mama to prostitute first one daughter (who goes from pig to alcoholic pig) then Katie. Katie learns fast what money can do and she leaves her foul family to be the mistress of a social climbing user (Rutger Hauer). But her fate changes again...and again. This is tamer than some of Verhoeven's work. There is a rough but quick rape scene that's handled well and not exploitive and some frank nudity but all in all Verhoeven concentrates on telling Katie's story rather than sex. The ending is rather ambiguous but leaves you satisfied that Katie has indeed finally overcome her overwhelming obstacles. Rich in detail and period flavor, this film is sumptuous to look at and the acting is sublime---esp. Van Der Ven as Katie. Some strong scenes may make some viewers squirm but, as with pre-Hollywood Verhoeven, he's honest as a filmmaker. The DVD from good old Anchor Bay is glorious.

I usually do not like foreign films......................2002-08-11

their just too ,well ahh foreign, but this is really a great film. The copy I bought was dubbed, and it was done quite well. Judging from the credits I can imagine that the subtitled copy must be hard to read. If you have any fantasies about the nobility of being poor do not watch this film. Though the movie is successful on many levels, the one thing you will remember most is that "poverty sucks" no matter where or when you were born.

Turkish Delight / Katie Tippel - Paul Verhoeven 2 Pack ( In Dutch with Opitional English Subtitles )

Average customer rating:

Turkish Delight / Katie Tippel - Paul Verhoeven 2 Pack ( In Dutch with Opitional English Subtitles )

ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Product Description

(In Dutch with Opitional English Subtitles) Paul Verhoeven graduated from the University of Leiden with a degree in math and physics. He entered the Royal Netherlands Navy, where he began his film career by making documentaries for the Navy and later for TV. In 1969 he directed the popular Dutch TV series "Floris", about a medieval knight. This featured actor Rutger Hauer who has appeared in many of Verhoeven's later films. Verhoeven's first feature, "Wat Zien Ik?" (trans. "What do I See?"), was released in 1971. However it was his second, "Turks Fruit", with its combination of raw sexuality and a poignant story line, that gained him great popularity in the Netherlands, especially with male audiences. When his films, especially "Soldaat van Oranje" and "De Vierde Man", received international recognition, Verhoeven moved to the US. His first US film was "Flesh + Blood", 1985, but it was "Robocop" and especially "Total Recall" that made him a big box office success. Sometimes accused of portraying excessive violence in his films, Verhoeven replies that he is only recording the violence of society. Verhoeven has co-scripted two of his films: "Soldaat van Oranje" and "Flesh + Blood". He also directed an episode of the HBO "Hitchhiker" TV series. Several of his films have been photographed by Jost Vacano.

Turkish Delight / Katie Tippel / Business is Business - Paul Verhoeven 3 Pack (In Dutch with Opitional English Subtitles)

Average customer rating:

Turkish Delight / Katie Tippel / Business is Business - Paul Verhoeven 3 Pack (In Dutch with Opitional English Subtitles)

ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Product Description

(In Dutch with Opitional English Subtitles) - Audio commentary with the director. - Theatrical Trailer - Still Gallery - Talent Bios ---------------------------------- Paul Verhoeven graduated from the University of Leiden with a degree in math and physics. He entered the Royal Netherlands Navy, where he began his film career by making documentaries for the Navy and later for TV. In 1969 he directed the popular Dutch TV series "Floris", about a medieval knight. This featured actor Rutger Hauer who has appeared in many of Verhoeven's later films. Verhoeven's first feature, "Wat Zien Ik?" (trans. "What do I See?"), was released in 1971. However it was his second, "Turks Fruit", with its combination of raw sexuality and a poignant story line, that gained him great popularity in the Netherlands, especially with male audiences. When his films, especially "Soldaat van Oranje" and "De Vierde Man", received international recognition, Verhoeven moved to the US. His first US film was "Flesh + Blood", 1985, but it was "Robocop" and especially "Total Recall" that made him a big box office success. Sometimes accused of portraying excessive violence in his films, Verhoeven replies that he is only recording the violence of society. Verhoeven has co-scripted two of his films: "Soldaat van Oranje" and "Flesh + Blood". He also directed an episode of the HBO "Hitchhiker" TV series. Several of his films have been photographed by Jost Vacano.

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