A Disappointing Continuation

Tells a fascinating and unsettling true story, and does so well, without pretending to have all the answers.

One of the film's great tricks is that, for a time, you think it will go down a rabbit hole of unrealistic glorification.

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

Slightly before the "frizzling" Frenchmen started their famous Emmanuelle-series, the tardy Dutch had Turkish Delight already available and attracted millions of viewers... Well, they are not directly comparable, but movements and changes in views that began to form in the 1960ies enable to realise such creations for "ordinary" people as well. The film in question is pleasantly moody, showing various angles of love-sex-relationship, and courageous character actors (particularly Monique van de Ven as Olga Stapels, Rutger Hauer as Eric Vonk), skillful directing (Paul Verhoeven) and cinematography (Jan de Bont) provide this not-so-extraordinary script additional values and undertones.At the same time, I have doubts that Turkish Delight is a timeless film, that it approaches and influences future and current people as well, as many attitudes have changed, and many would consider depicted fashion and hairiness as odd (mildly speaking). And those accustomed to Internet have seen much "bolder" stuff...

A relative of the earlier Lovestory (1970) - complete with sine qua non bittersweet denouement - Turkish Delight's dramatic device is a wrong-side-of-the-tracks match. Rutger Hauer's virile, semi-feral sculptor Erik falls for a similarly carefree Hippie in Monique van de Ven's Olga. Their unstoppable union has to negotiate the barely tacit disapproval of her bourgeois parents.What's interesting here though is that Verhoeven takes great care to neither judge characters nor cast them as straightforward pro- or an-tagonists. The couple's raw youth is magnetic (there are a number of stunts patently performed without doubles) but their irreverence can occasionally be as awkward as it is entertaining. Similarly, the outwardly stuffy parents and their coterie have a (characteristically Dutch) tolerance for the brash, carefree couple. The heartrending close to the film comes not by cause of intractable opposition between the groups but as an example of their ultimate similarity despite it.Verhoeven uses Speed director Jan de Bont as his DoP. Their collaboration is a feast of (meticulously framed) perpetual motion and zest, the very equal of Hauer's reeling id-boy. But it's not just a document of raucous youth getting it on. Verhoeven catches all the beauty and pathos of Dutch lovers caught in the post-60s cul-de-sac. 7/10

Few days ago, I watched the documentary Z Channel: A Magnificent Obsession (2004) about a channel that had brought the great and unavailable anywhere else films to its 100, 000 lucky subscribers in LA in 70s - 80s. While enjoying the clips from many Foreign and Independent movies that were the best part of documentary, I was able to recognize the movie that I saw many years ago in Moscow and still remember well, I could not only recall the title. I remember that the movie was Dutch, very erotic – in the raw, brutal, twisted yet beautiful and passionate way. Watching "Z Channel..." I was happy to instantly recognize "Turks fruit" (1973) aka "Turkish Delight" made by Paul Verhoeven in 1973. I checked with Netflix, the movie was available; I bumped it up in my queue and just finished watching it. My memory served me well - Verhoeven's early film is as naturalistic, earthy, brutal, erotic, humorous, poetic, poignant, and captivating as I remember it. Based on the novel by Jan Wolker, "Turkish Delight" stars young, hot, very sexy (and I mean it - VERY SEXY) Rutger Hauer as a bohemian free spirited and often cruel sculptor Eric and even younger Monique van de Van as his wife Olga, child-like yet as sensual as Eric was, "the light of his life, the fire of his loins". The film that describes their stormy relationship has become the most financially successful Holland's film that was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language film and was proclaimed by Jan Wolker a "75% masterpiece".There are not very many directors in the world that can create the atmosphere of raw sensuality as well as Verhoeven (of his Dutch period, especially). Verhoeven is known for uncompromising approach to his work, fiery temperament, and aggressive movie-making. Joe Ezsterhaus who worked with Verhoeven on two films said about him: "The guy is like his movies: brilliant, mercurial, very daring, perverse, a wonderful series of paradoxes and contradictions..." "The Turkish Delight" is all that and I love it but I can understand how its graphic sexuality, more than one disgusting and revolting scenes (but they had to be in the movie) and crude behavior may put off a lot of viewers. Be prepared, "Turkish Delight" is delightful but it is very intense and often not easy to watch.8/10

Only movie I ever went to where I lied about my age, being one year short of the (advised) admittance age. I loved the bohemian sphere of the artist's workshop and still love the leading actress (Monique Van De Ven) who currently stars in a Dutch TV series as a police detective. I loved the development of the romance of the artist and his girlfriend. In 1974 I went to see the movie again with my high school sweetheart and they became sort of a role-model for us. We used to quote the dialogs excessively. The author of the book (Jan Wolkers) was and still is very popular among high school students in the Netherlands. When asked, many will tell you they've learned more about life, romance, relationships, love and sex from his books then from anyone else including school and parents.