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De wisselwachter

  • 1986
  • R
  • 1h 36m
IMDb RATING
7.1/10
930
YOUR RATING
The Illusionist (1983)
Drama

A woman gets off a train by mistake and finds herself stranded alone with a peculiar man who doesn't even speak her language.A woman gets off a train by mistake and finds herself stranded alone with a peculiar man who doesn't even speak her language.A woman gets off a train by mistake and finds herself stranded alone with a peculiar man who doesn't even speak her language.

  • Director
    • Jos Stelling
  • Writers
    • Jean-Paul Franssens
    • George Brugmans
    • Hans de Wolf
  • Stars
    • Jim van der Woude
    • Stéphane Excoffier
    • John Kraaijkamp Sr.
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.1/10
    930
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Jos Stelling
    • Writers
      • Jean-Paul Franssens
      • George Brugmans
      • Hans de Wolf
    • Stars
      • Jim van der Woude
      • Stéphane Excoffier
      • John Kraaijkamp Sr.
    • 8User reviews
    • 1Critic review
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 9 wins & 3 nominations total

    Photos3

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    Top cast5

    Edit
    Jim van der Woude
    • De Wisselwachter
    Stéphane Excoffier
    • De Vrouw
    John Kraaijkamp Sr.
    John Kraaijkamp Sr.
    • De Machinist
    • (as John Kraaykamp)
    Josse De Pauw
    Josse De Pauw
    • De Postbode
    Ton van Dort
    • De Hulpmachinist
    • Director
      • Jos Stelling
    • Writers
      • Jean-Paul Franssens
      • George Brugmans
      • Hans de Wolf
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews8

    7.1930
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    Featured reviews

    2xsfanning

    I couldn't sit through it!

    I understand the draw and appeal to such a different type of movie and I am a huge admirer of movies with little dialog but all the same this one absolutely terrible. I've been to the Scottish highlands and found the lack of Scottish accents in the characters disappointing. This plot was strong enough in theory but the cheap sets and lack of a single realistic character kept this film from getting off the ground. I feel the use of silence to create atmosphere only works when you have actors who can exude some sort of presence without speaking and these actors certainly cant. If you want a silent movie that captures that presence try (Le Dernier Combat). There have been very few movies that I couldn't even manage to finish and this was one of them. Absolute dribble!
    7MUPH

    Simply brilliant

    Movies like this are the reason I don´t like Hollywood movies. All Stelling´s movie are simply brilliant. But who knows them. De Wisselwachter is quite, slow, with almost no dialogues. At the same time it´s very funny and full of surprises. You don´t have to think and be clutterd up with thousands of words which explain everything. You just sit and feel the atmosphere and emotions. Wonderful!!!
    idpstils

    Wonderful visuals

    Great film!!! But should be viewed in letterbox widescreen format. The movement, lighting and medium frame close ups work on this film. Absolutely nothing like "Days Of Heaven" and "Secret Of Roan Inish." They are good films,but very hard to watch. "Pointsman" is an excellent example of the director and cinematographer working in harmony.
    7jeeap

    For A Change

    Watch this movie if you're tired of explosions, car crashes, and talks. You will go to great lengths without hearing a word from thoses lunatics on the mission shown on a screen. In addition to the unpredictable events you'll also find some beautiful music and landscapes as well as several subplots that will make you scratching your head for a while.
    10bjacob

    A masterpiece

    I've seen De Wisselwachter for the first time about fifteen years ago, but this movie is still with me in some way, and sometimes I feel the need to see it again. The director guides us in an absurd story with an absurd background, but like in a dream, the disbelief never settles in and we are projected in the little world of the movie as it was a perfectly coherent parallel universe. The events in the storyline are scarce, but the tension is always very high, like in a well-made thriller, and the attention of the viewer never fleets.

    The visuals are stunning, with no shot falling short of having a perfect composition and gorgeous colors. The sound is used sparingly - the film is nearly completely speechless and the music is used with great parsimony, only the ambient noise is always present - but with great effect. Very original and throughly enjoyable.

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    Storyline

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    Did you know

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    • Connections
      Featured in Allemaal film: Tussen kunst en kassa (2007)

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    Details

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    • Release date
      • September 18, 1986 (Netherlands)
    • Country of origin
      • Netherlands
    • Languages
      • Dutch
      • French
    • Also known as
      • Der Weichensteller
    • Filming locations
      • Loch Ossian, Highland, Scotland, UK
    • Production companies
      • Concorde Film
      • Jos Stelling Filmprodukties BV
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

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    • Runtime
      1 hour 36 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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