The Tin Drum (1979)

The review finds that the director’s cut deepens some subplots without fundamentally changing the story. It praises Oskar’s distinctive characterization as a figure caught between two nations and implicated in their tragedy.

Thomas finds the film disturbing, powerful and visually beautiful, with a cruelly precise view of German complicity. He singles out its bizarre, unsettling scenes as a source of its force.

The critic regards the film as a work of lasting, inflammatory power. They praise its bizarre visuals and Schlöndorff’s restraint in portraying a society bent on self-destruction.

The review praises the film’s visual bravado despite its reduced thematic complexity and occasional expressionist excess. It particularly singles out David Bennent’s performance as the boy who protests adult complicity through his screams and drum playing.

D’Angelo finds the adaptation fascinating but ultimately superficial, with its long runtime and lack of interior narration weakening its impact. He praises David Bennent’s performance, whose unsettling stare helps fill the gaps left by the novel’s missing inner thoughts.

The critic finds the film an often quirky, symbol-heavy portrait of a society gone mad. He singles out the scene where Hitler’s voice enters the family home as especially telling and forceful.

The review finds the adaptation faithful and skillfully made, though it says David Bennent does not fully capture Oskar’s character. It particularly praises the staging of the Danzig Post Office attack and the Nazi Party Day crowd scene.

The review finds Schlöndorff’s adaptation ultimately inferior to Günter Grass’s novel. It praises the film’s sumptuous cinematography and design, but says the source material’s scale is difficult to match.

Sheridan gives the film a strongly positive verdict. He singles out Schlöndorff’s visual artistry and imaginative translation of the novel’s mix of realism and comic fantasy.