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Hodet over vannet is a Norwegian comedy thriller film by director Nils Gaup. It became a big success at the Norwegian box office. In 1993, it was one of the ten most seen films in Norwegian movie theaters. In the year after, 1994, it won the Amanda Award for Best Norwegian Film in Theatrical Release.

It is a production of the company Filmkameratene A/S. In 1996, an American remake of the film was released, which starred Cameron Diaz and Harvey Keitel.

It was filmed at Yxnøy on Østerøya (East Island) in Sandefjord, Norway. It is inspired by Steven Spielberg's Jaws and various Alfred Hitchcock films.

Plot

The storyline revolves around married couple Lene and Einar, who are vacationing on a small island off the coast of Southern Norway. The husband leaves for a fishing trip with his friend Bjørn. While they are gone, Lene is visited by Gaute, a former lover who arrives drunk. He spends the night at the vacation house. When Lene goes to wake Gaute, she discovers he is dead. The following morning, Einar comes back from his fishing trip and discovers Gaute's dead body in the basement. He and Lene then try to decide how to dispose of the body.

Cast

• Lene Elise Bergum as Lene
• Svein Roger Karlsen as Einar
• Morten Abel as Bjørn
• Reidar Sørensen as Gaute
• Jon Skolmen as the Police officer

Film music

The title track was recorded by pop artist Morten Abel who also plays the role of Bjørn in the film. On January 15, 1994, the song reached No. 9 in the Norwegian national record chart VG-lista for Top 10 Singles. It remains one of two times Morten Abel gained a hit on VG-lista. Additionally, "Hodet over vannet" charted on the Eurochart Hot 100, peaking at No. 88.

Remake

In 1995, the film was sold to Hollywood for a remake production. Actor and filmmaker Kevin Costner was impressed with the film and later purchased the remake rights under Tig Productions in Hollywood. The American remake version, which is starring Cameron Diaz and Harvey Keitel, was directed by Jim Wilson. The U.S. version ultimately had little success at the box office in either country.

The U.S. version was rated PG-13 by the MPAA, while the Norwegian version was given a 15+ age restriction by the Norwegian Media Authority.

Awards and nominations

Hodet over vannet was nominated for the Amanda Award for Best Nordic Film, Best Norwegian Film in Theatrical Release, Best Actor (Svein Roger Karlsen), and Best Actress (Lene Elise Bergum). It received the Amanda Award for Best Norwegian Film in Theatrical Release. It was also selected as the Norwegian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 66th Academy Awards, but was not accepted as a nominee.

References

1. ^ Cowie 1999, p. 122.
2. ^ Bakke 1996, p. 253.
3. Sørdahl, Roger W. (2000). "Plantagenet Somerset Fry". Jubileumsboken år 2000: vår historie. Norsk fakta forlag. p. 970. ISBN 8278880271.
4. Steigan, Pål (1997). Caplex: leksikon, atlas, tabellverk. J.W. Cappelens Forlag. p. 462. ISBN 8202159903.
5. Buddrus, Petra (29 January 1999). "Jacobsen's Ladder". Screen International. p. 19.
6. ^ Braaten, Holst & Kortner 1995, p. 60.
7. ^ Nestingen 2005, p. 269.
8. ^ Stenport 2019.
9. Kristiansen, Inge S.; Rogne, Vebjørn; Paulssen, Kjell M. (1995). Hvem, hva, hvor: Aftenpostens aktuelle oppslagsbok 1995. Schibsted. p. 149. ISBN 8251615399.
10. Nilsen, Dag Viggo; Paulssen, Kjell M.; Rogne, Vebjørn (1997). Hvem, hva, hvor: Aftenpostens aktuelle oppslagsbok 1998. Schibsted. p. 155. ISBN 8251616638.
11. Henriksen, Petter; Munthe, Preben; Haug, Agnes Nygaard; Trætteberg, Marit; Walløe, Lars (1995). Aschehoug og Gyldendals Store Norske Leksikon 1. Kunnskapsforlaget. p. 237. ISBN 8257306762.
12. Hjort, Mette; Lindqvist, Ursula (2016). A Companion to Nordic Cinema. Wiley. p. 438. ISBN 9781118475256.
13. Lee, Phil (2009). The Rough Guide to Norway. Penguin. p. 813. ISBN 9781405380119.
14. Davidsen, Roger (2008). "Et sted i Sandefjord: lokalhistorisk stedsnavnsleksikon". Sandar historielag. p. 74. ISBN 9788299456753.
15. "Hodet over vannet" (PDF). Det Norske Teatret. 2012. p. 32. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 12, 2018.
16. ^ Bergan, Jon Vidar (April 2, 2020). "Morten Abel". Great Norwegian Encyclopedia (in Norwegian). Retrieved August 25, 2021.
17. "Hits of the World - Norway". Billboard. Vol. 106, no. 6. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. February 5, 1994. p. 43. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved June 7, 2023.
18. "Eurochart Hot 100" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 10, no. 48. November 27, 1993. p. 17. Retrieved March 24, 2024.
19. Hanche, Øivind; Iversen, Gunnar; Aas, Nils Klevjer (1997). Bedre enn sitt rykte: en liten norsk filmhistorie. Norwegian Film Institute. p. 85. ISBN 8290463693.
20. Fredheim, Bjørn (2000). Frå ABC til http: Mediekunnskap for den vidaregåande skolen. 3.b. (in Norwegian Nynorsk). Høyskoleforlaget. p. 181. ISBN 8276341586.

Bibliography

• Bakke, Tormod (1996). Film Max 1997. Schibsted. ISBN 8251616417.
• Braaten, Lars Thomas; Holst, Jan Erik; Kortner, Jan H. (1995). Filmen i Norge: norske kinofilmer gjennom 100 år. ISBN 8241701950.
• Cowie, Peter (1999). Straight From the Heart: Modern Norwegian Cinema 1971-1999. Kom Forlag. ISBN 8290823517.
• Nestingen, Andrew K. (2005). Transnational Cinema in a Global North: Nordic Cinema in Transition. Wayne State University Press. ISBN 9780814332436.
• Stenport, Anna Westerstahl (2019). Nordic Film Cultures and Cinemas of Elsewhere. Edinburgh University Press. ISBN 9781474438087.

External links

• Hodet over vannet at IMDb

• 1993 films
• 1993 black comedy films
• Norwegian comedy films
• Films set on islands
• Films about vacationing
• Films set in Norway
• Films shot in Norway
• 1990s Norwegian-language films