Sint
This article is missing information about the film's production and release.(March 2017) |
Sint | |
---|---|
Directed by | Dick Maas |
Written by | Dick Maas |
Produced by | Tom de Mol Dick Maas |
Starring | Huub Stapel Egbert Jan Weeber Caro Lenssen Bert Luppes |
Cinematography | Guido van Gennep |
Edited by | Bert Rijkelijkhuizen |
Music by | Dick Maas |
Distributed by | A-Film |
Release dates |
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Running time | 85 minutes |
Country | Netherlands |
Language | Dutch |
Sint (released on DVD as Saint in Europe and Saint Nick in the United States) is a
Plot
This article needs an improved plot summary. (March 2017) |
On December 5, 1492, members of a gang led by former bishop Niklas are killed by villagers who refuse to put up with the gang's looting and killing any longer. In years in which the gang's death date coincides with a full moon, they return as murderous ghosts.
The public is unaware of this and annually celebrates the
Goert, the oldest child of a family living in the farmlands, celebrates Sinterklaas with his little brother and sisters in 1968. As the Saint arrives to his house, he hears rumbling and growling noises. After comforting the pigs in the nearby barn, he sees Niklas on horseback on the roof of his house, and his helpers enter his house. He survives that night, but loses both his parents and all his siblings. 42 years later, the orphan is a police detective working in Amsterdam; as
Frank, a high school student from the wealthy South Amsterdam neighbourhood, is noted that this Saint Nicholas' Day falls on a full moon, as he prepares to play Sinterklaas at a university student housing complex near the city centre. While driving to the location, a violent gang attacks his car, killing his two friends who play the Petes. Frank successfully defeats the gang on his own, but gets arrested for killing his friends, as well as his ex-girlfriend who ended her relationship with him earlier that day, who was found dead at the fireplace of her house. As he tells his story, no one at the police bureau believes him. As he is brought to prison, the police officers who drive the police car see Niklas on horseback and try to stop him by shooting him. Niklas' horse then falls on top of the police car from the rooftops. The officers are killed, and Frank escapes, as he discovers that Niklas and his horse are back on their feet despite being riddled by bullets. Frank's life is saved by a man who chases the two away with a flamethrower.
That man is revealed to be Goert, who brought Frank to his boat. He tells him that he spent much of his life doing research to Saint Nicholas. In 1968, roughly 300 people around the country were killed on 5 December, and according to him, it is no coincidence, as he assumes that Niklas and his gang invaded those people's houses like they did to his. He says that the authorities downplay the incidents, and they, as well as the
News reports reveal that such incidents have happened throughout the country that day. Despite this, Frank is told not to talk about Niklas and his murderous gang and how they might have caused those incidents, as they undermine the notion that Saint Nicholas is a good man that gives people, in particular children, happiness and something to look forward to, as well as a reason to behave well towards their peers and their family, for they are rewarded by the Saint for good manners. Frank tells his new girlfriend that he will tell the real story to her one day. Otherwise, she and everyone else will know after the next full moon Saint Nicholas' Day 23 years later.
Cast
- Huub Stapel as St. Niklas, an evil bishop who was killed 475 years ago and murders every 32 years on average on 5 December.
- Egbert Jan Weeber as Frank, a teenage boy who is falsely accused of being the 5 December killer.
- Madelief Blanken as Natasha, a good friend of Frank.
- Caro Lenssen as Lisa, Frank's new girlfriend who believes in the myth of the evil bishop.
- Escha Tanihatu as Sophie, Lisa's best friend.
- Niels van den Berg as young Goert
- Bert Luppes as Goert, a suspended police officer who survived Sint's murderous attack 40 years earlier and does not observe the Sinterklaas holiday anymore.
- Cynthia Abma as Lisa's mother
- Kees Boot as a police officer
- Joey van der Valden as Hanco, a good friend of Frank
- Jim Deddes as Sander, another friend of Frank
Release
Sint had a substantial international release with rights being sold to over 30 countries.[1] It was released on DVD with English subtitles in the United Kingdom by Metrodome Distribution in 2011.[2]
Reception
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Sint received negative reviews upon its release, with critics stating that the film's premise showed promise, but never reached its full potential.
Chris Cabin of Slant Magazine rated the film one out of four stars, calling it "predictably plotted and visually monotonous", criticizing the film's "unexceptional" kills and, lack of tension and/or scares.[3] James Dennis from Screen Anarchy gave the film a mixed review, writing, "With strong effects work, it's a breezy, fun ride while it lasts, but it's not something that will linger in the mind long. And that's a bit of a shame given the potential of Saint's creepy premise."[4]
Controversy
Although children were not permitted to see the film, parental concern arose over the film's poster, seen in the streets and in the lobbies of movie theaters. It shows Sinterklaas with a mutilated face and a malevolent look. Some people were concerned that this could be confusing and frightening for little children who still believe in Sinterklaas. A legal complaint was filed in October 2010, requesting the removal of all posters. In the subsequent court case, director Dick Maas argued that if parents could make their children believe that Sinterklaas existed they could also inform their children that the man on the poster was not the real Sinterklaas. The court ruled in favor of Maas, noting that the mutilated face was not visible enough on the poster, and rejected the complaint.[5][6][7]
References
- ^ MacNab, Geoffrey (14 May 2011). "Saint sells for Film Factory". Screen Daily. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
- ^ Benson, Daniel (30 November 2011). "Saint DVD Review". Horror DNA. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
- ^ Cabin, Chris (27 April 2011). "Review: Saint - Slant Magazine". SlantMagazine.com. Slant Magazine. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
- ^ Dennis, James (28 August 2011). "FRIGHTFEST 2011: SINT (SAINT) Review". ScreenAnarchy.com. Screen Anarchy. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
- ^ "Sint film poster worries classification body". Dutchnews.nl. 18 October 2010. Retrieved 14 November 2010.
- ^ "Beslissingen Reclame Code Commissie over de reclame-uitingen voor de film SINT" (in Dutch). Retrieved 14 November 2010.
- ^ "College van Beroep bevestigt uitspraak: Poster voor de film Sint niet in strijd met Reclamecode" (in Dutch). Retrieved 14 November 2010.
External links
- Sint at AllMovie
- Sint at IMDb
- Sint at Rotten Tomatoes