MovieChat Forums > Die Blechtrommel (1980) Discussion > It really wasn't that disgusting! (spoil...

It really wasn't that disgusting! (spoilers)

posted 17 years ago by eloisefiendish
25 replies | jump to latest

I read the novel, loved it, and decided that I'd like to see the film. I was very nearly put off by all the outraged complaints on this messageboard, saying that it was "sick" and very difficult to watch.

Perhaps I'm being insensitive, but I really didn't think it was that bad. The eel scene isn't very pleasant to watch, I know, and admittedly I had to turn away when Matzerath was choking on the badge, but otherwise I thought it was all right, and nowhere near as bad as some people on here said it was.

Does anyone else agree? And those of you who think it's "unwatchable" - what are your main complaints?

P.S - I'm fifteen, and if I could cope with this I don't see why those of you who are older than me couldn't! :P

[–] Astralrat 17 years ago

the only thing that bothered me and that i was not able to watch was the brief rape scene. that truly is sick, i cant watch any movie with a rape seen or female abuse. oh yeah the eels were pretty disgusting.

[–] eloisefiendish 17 years ago

The rape scene wasn't that graphic, really, so it didn't bother me too much.

I was more bothered by the eels, however wrong that may sound. Probably because I'm a vegetarian. :S

[–] PoppyTransfusion 7 years ago

The rape scene was graphic in sound. That the sound did not bother you is ... interesting ...

Ever tried, ever failed?
No matter.
Try again, fail again.
Fail better.

[–] s_barragan_v 17 years ago

I AGREE WITH YOU ELOISE.

TO ME, OSCAR REPRESENTS THE GERMAN PEOPLE AND THE WHOLE SUBJET THIS PEOPLE HAD TO ENDURE DURING AND AFTER THE WAR IS SYMBOLICLY REPRESENTED BY GUNTER GRASS, WHO LIVED THROUGH THAT AWFUL EXPERIENCE.

I READ THE BOOK AND THINK IT REALLY DESERVED THE NOBEL PRICE FOR FOR HELPING SOME OF US TO CLARIFY IDEAS AND SUBJECTS RELATED WITH WW II

[–] am_buglet_82 17 years ago

What rape scene?

Oh, the one in the basement?

I almost forgot about that :(.

-Amanda

"She will remember your heart when men are fairy tales in storybooks written by rabbits"

[–] janetleebrown1 17 years ago

The Tin Drum was a movie of allegories. I think that Oskar symbolizes the Germany of the 20's and 30's, stunted by the burden of the war reparations of WWI. The German populace (Oskar's family) wanted a stable economy and would probably have fallen in line behind any leader who promised to provide that. Oskar was also representative of Adolf Hitler, his drum symbolizing Hitler's militaristic aspirations; his irrational screaming put him on a par with Hitler's orations. Oskar's mother was pre-WWI Germany: she was Teutonic without the need to subjugate her neighbors. She could love Poland (her cousin Jan) as well as fascist Germany (her husband). When she became pregnant the second time, she died rather than choose between the two. The aunt who was raped was also an allegory for fascist Germany. The soldiers represented the brutality of Russia's conquest of Germany. A fascinating film. I need to read the book.

[–] slimone (7996) 5 years ago

I plan to watch this film again. It's been several years since I last watched it and it is quite a film. Allegories, yes!

[–] Theo87 17 years ago

i would say it's mildly disgusting, nothing special, but that's the point at times. it's also not that difficult to watch. people who can't sit through a movie with this kind of running time should pause it from time to time.

[–] peanutsboy 17 years ago

ok does anyone not understand that the 16 year old girl LICKED OSKAR'S SPIT OUT OF HER HAND? ok what about that is not disguisting? and then they forced oskar to eat that pot filled with a little boy's pee, some dead frogs, spit, dirt, who knows what else, and a little girl peed in a pot right on the street, when oskar was drumming at the nazi thing, a man was takin a dump p in a bucket, a real life 12 year old hugged a naked woman (ok there was TISSUE PAPER IN BETWEEN) all i can say for someone who doesn't think this movie is disguisting, is that they are pretty clueless.

[–] ae7641 17 years ago

What was that taking fizzies mixed with spit and a girl is supposed to lick up
the stuff? What is this "The cooks soup" (made of little girl urine, frog, spit from a bored old german man, ect) is that some cruel childhood german game kids play? Why did that older man take part in the game?

Anybody grow up in germany and can tell us about these wonderful childhood experiences?

This movie works as a bizarre dark comedy. But I know there is a deeper meaning in this movie.

[–] dlambe_2000 17 years ago

This story is an allegory about nazism in Europe........I don't hink it is meant to be pleasant. If you can't handle this stick with Hollywood hppy endings.

[–] tadeu-br 17 years ago

Couldn't agree more.

[–] cd_boy_33 17 years ago

is the The cook's soup in the book?
if it is what did it say?
where can i find the book?
(i have seen the movie)

[–] alison_dinsmore 16 years ago

You can find the book in any decent-sized library or bookstore. It's not obscure. If I turn out to be wrong, try bookfinder.com.

[–] jodaviro 17 years ago

Life is disgusting, don't you realize that? What this movie does is show the outrageousness of life, just as TV does everyday, not to mention that life is usually even worse than fiction. Believe me this movie is not that disgusting; as someone wrote, a movie set in WW2 is not intended to be pleasant.

[–] Kinematico 16 years ago

I didn't find particularly disgusting. It portrays some strong stuff of course but is not as violent as let's say "Apocalypto" nor as gross as many comercial flicks out there.
This movie has some flaws but one of its greatest triumphs was to remain remarkably close to the novel by Günter Grass.

Those are my principles, and if you don't like them... well I have others

[–] PoppyTransfusion 7 years ago

Good post jodaviro. Life is disgusting in terms of gross, smelly, relentlessly brutal and utterly compelling.

Ever tried, ever failed?
No matter.
Try again, fail again.
Fail better.

[–] joshsureisgreat 17 years ago

dumbdumbdumbdumbdumbdumbdumbdumbdumbdumbdumbdumbdumbdumbdumbdumbdumb

[–] nihilistic_tyranny 17 years ago

Alright, The Tin Drum didn't bother me at all.
Why it would bother anyone, eel scene excluded, is beyond me.
But hey, if you think the eel scene is bad, watch Cannibal Holocaust.

Last movie watched:
The Seventh Seal 10/10

[–] melissafoley1 17 years ago

I think those of us that read the novel were more prepared for the movie since while reading, our own imaginations create the grossness of the scenes. The book stuck with me more.
I also think that while watching the movie, some viewers are affected by the overall mood and feel of the movie, which aren't exactly cheerful, and are thus more horrified.

[–] cd_boy_33 17 years ago

where can i get the book?
i saw the movie

[–] am_buglet_82 16 years ago

I saw the movie before reading the book.

I have to say, I like the book better :D.

It's more informative about Oskar's frame of mind.
And there are a lot more scenes.
The movie only dealt with about half the book, actually.

-Amanda

"She will remember your heart when men are fairy tales in storybooks written by rabbits"

[–] filip_spurs58 16 years ago

I didn't think that this movie was disgusting. The eels didn't bug me at all, for some strange reason. I was only grossed out by the spit swapping fizzy part, and the badge choking wasn't pleasant, either. However, I didn't think it was particularly horrible, although it was meant to be grotesque, dark, satirical, and eccentric. I am surprised that so many people think that this movie is disgusting, but low-brow Hollywood comedies like American Pie and Old School that have no artistic, moral, or intellectual value (and the Tin Drum has all three) are not. Personally, I would prefer non-graphic, implied sexual relations between a ten-year-old and an adult woman or the eel scene to a man gluing his hand to his genitals or someone drinking semen-infused beer.

Funny how life is.

[–] lolee_the_pigeon 16 years ago

I don't think it was that bad and taking it in mind that it's a film and not real even though there are certain parts of world history within it.

I think the only bit I found a tad difficult to watch was the part where oskar and em i can't remember the girl's name but her are meant to be having sex. I do realise it's simulated and fake and nothing is seen which is why it's not outrageous but i think it's just the idea of omg that's a child actor seems a bit iffy. Other than that though it's a good film.

[–] perorewen 16 years ago

I didn't like this film one bit, due to some of this scenes. Espessially between the boy and Maria.
However, I wouldn't have minded so much if I had found at least one of the charachters sympathic. Which I didn't. Not any of them. I mean, I don't say I have to like them, I just need to have some sort of sympathy or understanding for them or their actions. Which I didn't. And when their actions are so extreme, it's all the more important to understand why they act like this. But this film just weren't able to give me that understanding.

And yes, I know it's supposed to describe the German people during the nazi-period. But it doesn't help.

**********
They blew up Congress!!! HAHAHA!