Frans Weisz always wanted to be an actor but when the acting school in Arnhem didn't accept him, he became the first to enroll in the brand new Filmacademie in Amsterdam. That same year, 1958, he starred in an 8 minute experimental student film directed by classmate Rob du Mée. To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Filmacademie, film director Frans Weisz revisited Moreelse Park (literaly) by editing new footage of himself and his son into the original short. He also included a shot of young Du Mée and dedicated the finished product to his long time collaborator who passed away in 2003.
As before, a young artist (Frans Weisz) sets out to draw a building called 'De Inktpot' at the Moreelse Park in Utrecht. But this time he notices an old man with a cellphone and tries to draw his portrait. The old man, also played by Frans Weisz, seems to recognize his younger self and fetches his son (Geza Weisz). Together they begin teasing and confusing the younger man until at the end father and son climb the stairs of the 'Inktpot' and disappear into each other.
The inclusion of Frans's real life son is two fold: Geza is tasked to do the more physical stuff (running up and down the stone walls of Moreelse Park) and also happened to be the exact same age his father was when the original was shot. The new footage seamlessly blends into the old thanks to some digital degrading and a couple of simple effects. Like before, the music is by jazz combo The Jimmy Giuffre Three. Although Rob du Mée is credited as an actor for appear in archive footage, Anne-Marie Stevens, who played the old lady in the original Moreelse Park, receives a special thanks credit instead of being listed as an actress.
The elder Weisz calls 'Terug Naar Moreelse Park' his proudest achievement because it brings together two versions of himself divided by 50 years. This may be true, but to casual viewers who don't notice that Frans Weisz appears in both young and old form and to all those unfamiliar with the original Moreelse Park, this short will simply be a baffling few minutes without any meaning. Oh well, as long as Frans is happy.
7 out of 10
As before, a young artist (Frans Weisz) sets out to draw a building called 'De Inktpot' at the Moreelse Park in Utrecht. But this time he notices an old man with a cellphone and tries to draw his portrait. The old man, also played by Frans Weisz, seems to recognize his younger self and fetches his son (Geza Weisz). Together they begin teasing and confusing the younger man until at the end father and son climb the stairs of the 'Inktpot' and disappear into each other.
The inclusion of Frans's real life son is two fold: Geza is tasked to do the more physical stuff (running up and down the stone walls of Moreelse Park) and also happened to be the exact same age his father was when the original was shot. The new footage seamlessly blends into the old thanks to some digital degrading and a couple of simple effects. Like before, the music is by jazz combo The Jimmy Giuffre Three. Although Rob du Mée is credited as an actor for appear in archive footage, Anne-Marie Stevens, who played the old lady in the original Moreelse Park, receives a special thanks credit instead of being listed as an actress.
The elder Weisz calls 'Terug Naar Moreelse Park' his proudest achievement because it brings together two versions of himself divided by 50 years. This may be true, but to casual viewers who don't notice that Frans Weisz appears in both young and old form and to all those unfamiliar with the original Moreelse Park, this short will simply be a baffling few minutes without any meaning. Oh well, as long as Frans is happy.
7 out of 10