Kasper, who is mentally ill, is being cared for in the charitable town of Geel. The sight of a funeral revives distorted memories of a sensual affair, a beautiful woman, the loss of love and hope. Leaving behind the sheltering safety of Geel, Kasper sets out on a quest to find his lost beloved...
"Kasper in de onderwereld" highlights the tragedy of those stricken with madness. The poor protagonist does not see his fellow citizens for who or what they are ; instead a ferryman becomes a psychopomp, while a construction worker in a yellow safety vest becomes an angel sure to ask for a password. Once a fine concert pianist, he is now unable to fend for himself, becoming dependent on random strangers - some of whom are hospitable and gentle, some of whom are not. And in return he invites extremes of emotion and instability. For instance, he meets with a prostitute who remarks upon his likeness with a portrait of Christ seen in childhood, and who crumbles into a heap of existential despair upon considering her distance to God or faith.
By now, dear reader, I won't surprise you if I tell you that this is not the sunniest movie around : if you browse through imdb and if you find sentences like "a delightful romp", "the feel-good experience of the year" or "tears of merriment streamed over my face", these sentences are unlikely to apply to "Kasper"...
The movie works well enough, both as an adaptation of Hubert Lampo's book and as an artistic creation in its own right. Inspired by Greek myth, it is a loose riff on the Orpheus and Eurydice theme, with a modern city turning into an underworld to be navigated and appeased. The music is good and many of the images are visually striking, betraying a painterly eye for mood and composition. Still, it's a pity that the ending falls so flat. If there ever was an occasion for a director to unleash his inner "Odessa Steps", it was here - but no, it all feels as casual as a hamburger and as boring as a year-old newspaper. Much more could have been achieved.
I'm a Fleming myself. When I was a young girl, Hubert Lampo was a much-acclaimed author, to the point where many of his books became required reading in school. I may be wrong but I get the impression that nowadays much of his work has sunk into oblivion. Presumably the next generation will rediscover his work...
"Kasper in de onderwereld" highlights the tragedy of those stricken with madness. The poor protagonist does not see his fellow citizens for who or what they are ; instead a ferryman becomes a psychopomp, while a construction worker in a yellow safety vest becomes an angel sure to ask for a password. Once a fine concert pianist, he is now unable to fend for himself, becoming dependent on random strangers - some of whom are hospitable and gentle, some of whom are not. And in return he invites extremes of emotion and instability. For instance, he meets with a prostitute who remarks upon his likeness with a portrait of Christ seen in childhood, and who crumbles into a heap of existential despair upon considering her distance to God or faith.
By now, dear reader, I won't surprise you if I tell you that this is not the sunniest movie around : if you browse through imdb and if you find sentences like "a delightful romp", "the feel-good experience of the year" or "tears of merriment streamed over my face", these sentences are unlikely to apply to "Kasper"...
The movie works well enough, both as an adaptation of Hubert Lampo's book and as an artistic creation in its own right. Inspired by Greek myth, it is a loose riff on the Orpheus and Eurydice theme, with a modern city turning into an underworld to be navigated and appeased. The music is good and many of the images are visually striking, betraying a painterly eye for mood and composition. Still, it's a pity that the ending falls so flat. If there ever was an occasion for a director to unleash his inner "Odessa Steps", it was here - but no, it all feels as casual as a hamburger and as boring as a year-old newspaper. Much more could have been achieved.
I'm a Fleming myself. When I was a young girl, Hubert Lampo was a much-acclaimed author, to the point where many of his books became required reading in school. I may be wrong but I get the impression that nowadays much of his work has sunk into oblivion. Presumably the next generation will rediscover his work...
