The Tin Drum I had heard of the book way back when but have just watched the movie (thought it was amazing!) and had a few questions 1. Was there any factual basis for the troop of dwarves entertaining the troops? 2. Did Charles Aznavour speak German; what was he saying over Agnes’ grave (there were no subtitles) ?
This is one of my all time faves. But I forgot Aznavour was in it. It's been a while since I watched it. Had to refer to The Criterion Channel's streaming edition: Aznavour's Markus doesn't appear to have done anything but simply show up and silently pay reverence. It's the other Germans who call him names and kick him out of the burial ceremony. As for the factual basis of the performing dwarves I'm not sure, but the original Günter Grass novel is considered a modern classic.
He is actually speaking over the grave. He returned after the gathering had dispersed. I imagine he was speaking a Jewish prayer.
I saw it on video in the 80s and my main gripe was that they didn't show the Jesus statue beating Oskar's drum. And the horse head...I assume this is a Polish tradition, but how bad did they want eels??
Ah yes, he did return to recite the kaddish. It brings to mind another kaddish scene from Angels in America, where Louis, a secular Jew, is suddenly inspired to recite it by the ghost of Ethel Rosenberg over the body of Roy Cohn. Great scene; one of the most effective in the mini-series. Now, the question begs how much of it is Hebrew and/or Yidish and/or Aramaic? It's also got me wondering what other prominent films feature the recitation of the kaddish as a part of the narrative...
My question about the dwarves came about because later in this masterpiece there is a scene where the Gestapo comes to capture the 'abnormal child'. I realize that the movie is a giant surreal anti-war fantasy, but the role of the dwarves in entertaining the troops just seemed so real to me.
I am watching the Criterion edition DVD and I can't say I saw that scene of a Jesus statue. But the film is so rich in details that I may have missed it, because I assume Criterion would not issue an incomplete version.
The original Criterion DVD was the shorter theatrical version... they later released a longer director's cut when they reissued the film on DVD and Blu-ray.
I was referring to a scene from the book not recreated in the movie. Horse-head scene was in the book...
Well, that scene was in the DVD I watched, so I gather I have a later edition than some people have. I doubt if the movie could have a disclaimerthat no animals were hurt in the making of the film. Pretty sure those were live frogs being dropped in boiling water by the kids, and eels being decapitated...
