80s Movie Review - Spoorloos

Director: George Sluizer
Genre: Thriller/ Mystery
Runtime: 107 minutes
Year: 1988
Starring: Gene Bervoets, Bernard-Pierre Donnadieu, Johanna ter Steege, Gwen Eckhaus

Description: Rex (Gene Bervoets) and Saskia (Johanna ter Steege), a couple in love, are on vacation. They stop at a busy service station and Saskia goes missing. After three years and no sign of Saskia, Rex begins receiving letters from the abductor.  

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2023 MOVIE CHALLENGE
WEEK 6: A PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER

Review: Saskia and Rex are on vacation. In the car, Saskia tells him she has a recurring nightmare, about her being trapped in a golden egg and must love forever alone in darkness. The book this movie is based on is called “The Golden Egg” by author Tim Krabbé and it has a deeper meaning, which you will learn at the end of the film.

While on the road, Rex and Saskia stop at a service station. Saskia goes inside to get both of them something to drink, but she never returns. Rex is left with a million questions. After 3 years, he starts receiving letters.

“Spoorloos” is one of our Dutch national film treasures, that not many people seem to talk about. Or probably seem to remember. It had a limited budget, but this movie proofs that you don’t need it. A good story and solid performances are often enough. I was invested in this movie from start to finish and loved the symbolism the golden egg represents. The movie was remade in the US in 1993, starring Kiefer Sutherland, Jeff Bridges and Sandra Bullock, as “The Vanishing” (also the English title for the Ditch version), which I also really loved. But for once, the Dutch version is the better one here. Directed by George Sluizer as well, but not loved by athor Tim Krabbé.

Rating: 4/ 5