Soldier of Orange

Starring:Rutger Hauer, Jeroen KrabbÃ©, Susan Penhaligon, Edward Fox, Lex van Delden, Derek de Lint, Huib Rooymans, Dolf de Vries, Eddy Habbema, Belinda Meuldijk, Peter Faber, Rijk de Gooyer, Paul Brandenburg, Ward de Ravet, Bert Struys, Reinhard Kolldehoff, Andrea Domburg, Guus Hermus, Henny Alma, Bert AndrÃ©
Director: Paul Verhoeven
Studio: Anchor Bay
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
Based on real events, Soldier of Orange 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. The destinies of the characters range from joining the German army to making for England, the OSS, and the Resistance. Across a canvas lasting almost three hours, director Paul Verhoeven unfolds a saga of friendship, espionage, and romance with almost documentary realism--though not as graphically violent as his later American films, the torture scenes are intense--crafting a deeply affecting film widely regarded as the greatest ever made in Holland. Comparable recent films such as Enigma (2001) and Charlotte Gray (2002) do not come close. Hauer is brilliant at the heart of what is a detailed and thoughtful drama made with integrity and passion. Twenty years later in 1997, Verhoeven made Starship Troopers, a satirical science-fiction companion to this modern European classic. --Gary S. Dalkin

Paul Verhoeven Collection - Limited Edition (The 4th Man / Turkish Delight / Katie Tippel / Business Is Business / Soldier of Orange)
Average customer rating:

Only for arthouse fans

Five dutch movies for one great price

5 movies for a great price

Great Movies! Great Price!

Paul Verhoeven Collection - Limited Edition (The 4th Man / Turkish Delight / Katie Tippel / Business Is Business / Soldier of Orange)
Starring: Jeroen Krabbé , Renée Soutendijk , Thom Hoffman , Dolf de Vries , and Geert de Jong
Director: Paul Verhoeven
Manufacturer: Anchor Bay
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00005O5C2
Release Date: 2003-04-29

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:

Soldier of Orange
One of my Favorite Films...............
a very good Dutch movie seen from a Dutch point of view
"Even if they die, they will keep the Nazis busy for months."
A Resistance's epic!

Soldier of Orange
Starring: Rutger Hauer , Jeroen Krabbé , Susan Penhaligon , Edward Fox , and Lex van Delden
Director: Paul Verhoeven
Manufacturer: Anchor Bay
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Drama | Military & War | Genres | DVD | Video

International | Military & War | Genres | DVD | Video

World War II | Military & War | Genres | DVD | Video

Ambush
Come and See
Decision Before Dawn
THE WINTER WAR (Talvisota)
Stalingrad

ASIN: 6305972885
Release Date: 2001-04-24

Amazon.com

Based on real events, Soldier of Orange 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. The destinies of the characters range from joining the German army to making for England, the OSS, and the Resistance. Across a canvas lasting almost three hours, director Paul Verhoeven unfolds a saga of friendship, espionage, and romance with almost documentary realism--though not as graphically violent as his later American films, the torture scenes are intense--crafting a deeply affecting film widely regarded as the greatest ever made in Holland. Comparable recent films such as Enigma (2001) and Charlotte Gray (2002) do not come close. Hauer is brilliant at the heart of what is a detailed and thoughtful drama made with integrity and passion. Twenty years later in 1997, Verhoeven made Starship Troopers, a satirical science-fiction companion to this modern European classic. --Gary S. Dalkin

Customer Reviews:

Soldier of Orange.......2007-07-04

Director Verhoeven's breatkthrough Dutch film would win him a ticket to Hollywood, along with stars Hauer and Krabbe (who are both outstanding here), but none of the three would again equal this breathless, beautifully realized film, which, like most outstanding war movies, also manages to tell an affecting human story. Intelligent, involving and highly evocative, "Soldier Of Orange" is one of the finest war films of this or any period.

One of my Favorite Films......................2007-01-11

I REALLY DO LOVE THIS FILM...............I WATCH IT ABOUT ONCE A YEAR AND ENJOY IT EVERY TIME...........HOWEVER , AS A REALITY CHECK , I SAW IT FOR THE FIRST TIME AT A FILM FESTIVAL HERE IN PORTLAND , OREGON IN 1978........IN THE AUDIENCE WAS MY FILM PROFESSOR AT THE TIME , ANDRIES DEINAM.............HE WAS FROM THE NETHERLANDS AND IMMIGRATED TO THE US IN 1939...........HE ENLISTED IN THE US ARMY AND THEY SENT HIM TO LONDON TO BE PART OF THE DUTCH RESISTANCE............HE WORKED WITH THE O.S.S. , WHICH BECAME THE C.I A...........WHEN THE LIGHTS CAME UP AT THE END , I ASKED HIM WHAT HE THOUGHT ABOUT IT.........HE SAID , "TERRIBLE......TOO MANY GIRLS........" ALTHOUGH THE FILM IS BASED ON FACT , PROBABLY HE HATED THE ROMANTICIZED PORTIONS OF THE FILM........YET IT IS GREAT ENTERTAINMENT !

a very good Dutch movie seen from a Dutch point of view.......2005-12-11

In the late seventies Paul Verhoeven's 'Soldaat van Oranje' (= Soldier of Orange) was a huge success in the Netherlands. Not in the least by its authentic Dutch locations, as well as by employing the best Dutch actors & actresses around at the time.

The main reason for this movie's success, though, was its excellent reflection of the common Dutch memory of world war 2. This goes in particular for the heroic role of Dutch Queen Wilhelmina in those dark years. Her stern, uncompromising, Calvinistic opposition against Adolf Hitler made Winston Churchill call her 'the only King in Europe'.

Wilhelmina's character is very well acted out here. And, if you wonder what the color orange has to do with it: Wilhelmina belonged to the royal house of Orange. For this reason 'orange' was a sincere pride and inspiration to all her soldiers. Up to this very day Dutch national sports teams perform in the same color.

"Even if they die, they will keep the Nazis busy for months.".......2005-06-30

Winner of the Los Angeles Film Critics Award as Best Foreign Film in 1979, Soldier of Orange is based on the memoir of the same name by Erik Hazelhoff Roelfzema, one of the founders of the Dutch Resistance, aide to Queen Wilmelmina during her exile in England, and RAF Pathfinder pilot in the last days of the war. Directed by Paul Verhoeven, the film dramatizes the traumatic effects of the Nazi occupation on Holland, and the often futile attempts to form a local Dutch Resistance.

Location scenes provide stunning realism--from the boisterous hazing of students in Leyden, where Hazelhoff (known in the film as Lanshof) was a law student, to the beach of Scheveningen, where Lanshof and his friends attempted to cross the Channel to England by small boat, and the streets of The Hague, where one of Lanshof's friends is seen late in the war.

Often said to be the best film ever made in Holland and the best film ever made by Paul Verhoeven, the film is also the best film ever made by Rutger Hauer, who plays the role of Lanshof with great panache. Jereoen Krabbe, playing his best friend, Guus LeJeune, is equally good in his role as a long-time friend from Leyden and hero of the Resistance. Focusing on these two men and four friends who react to the Occupation in different ways, the film brings to life the choices made by people in occupied Holland. Of the 144 who, like Lanshof and LeJeune, escaped and then made the decision to return to Holland to set up a Resistance, only 28 survived.

Beautifully photographed by Jost Vacano, the film gives a sense of the helplessness of Holland's small army against the Nazi juggernaut, the beauty of the countryside, and the victimization of the Dutch people as they faced subjugation. Though the torture scenes are graphic and brutal, the film is so well done and so involving that one even forgets the film has subtitles. Hazelhoff continues this story in his recent autobiography, In Pursuit of Life, which I strongly recommend, not only to fans of this film and the book which inspired it, but to anyone interested in fine writing and a fascinating life story. Mary Whipple

A Resistance's epic! .......2005-04-07

To my mind this film constitutes one of the most invaluable documents in the whole cinema story. This picture, inspired in real facts shows us the hard combative spirit of the Dutch Resistance during the WW2.
A true portrait and honest work, that meant for Paul Verhoeven his leap and allowed to Rutger Hauger to ascend in his fulgurant career.
A real cult war movie all the way !

Average customer rating:

Soldier of Orange
One of my Favorite Films...............
a very good Dutch movie seen from a Dutch point of view
"Even if they die, they will keep the Nazis busy for months."
A Resistance's epic!

Soldier of Orange
Starring: Rutger Hauer , Jeroen Krabbé , Susan Penhaligon , Edward Fox , and Lex van Delden
Director: Paul Verhoeven
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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