theres just something about it...
before directing the ultaviolent american sci fi films hes best known for dutch director paul verhoevan was directing much more personal (art?) films like spetters. i'm embarrased to say this is the only dutch film from verhoevan i've seen, being more used to his american films like robocop and total recall wich is one of my personal favorites. after being pretty happy with spetters i'll probably try to look up some of his other early films. spetters is the story of 3 motocross buddys who fall under the spell of a pretty food vender who wants more in life. she sees these boys who are allready interested in her as a way out of her boring, pointless life. through the film each of the 3 boys take a try at her. in the end one boy seems to be there to stay and maybe they'll live hapilly ever after but i really felt like the girl didnt love any of them. the other 2 boys suffer darker fates. one is a closet homosexual whose father is a stern christian and the other ends up in a wheelchair after a motocross accident and commits suicide after realizing he'll never walk or have sex again. at least the homosexual boy makes it out of his fathers opressive grasp and seems to find happiness after taking a beating after confessing to his father his feelings. the whole thing ends on an upbeat note even though the second half of the movie is a a bit grim and depressing. spetters has a reputation of being explicitly sexual and violent. while the sex scenes are a bit graphic, there nothing to get to flustered about and the only scene that could be considered violent is the brutal rape of the homosexual boy by a gang of gay thugs. that scene was very graphic and should not be seen by the easily offended or weak hearted. overall i was happy with spetters. its a movie that makes you fell kind of good despite the depressing second half. my only complaint was i thought the movie was alittle slow but that may be because i'm used to verhoevans action films. still a great film that really touched me in a way few films can.

Who would want to watch this?
I could not find anything in this movie that would cause me to recommend it to anyone. Especially offensive to my wife an me are the graphic homoerotic scenes - and I mean graphic. I don't care to see heterosexual sex organs in the act of copulation; even less so in oral homosexual sex. This is not really a movie - it is pornography disguised as a movie. If I could give this movie '0' stars I would.

Verhoeven's supercharged Dutch treat
I've been a fan of Paul Verhoeven since Robocop was released. Over the years I've checked out his earlier work he did in Holland, and am convinced he is one of the best directors working today. Many critics have derided him for alleged sleaziness and overwrought sexuality and violence, but these prude police are only looking at the surface. Spetters certainly took a critical drubbing in Holland when it was released in 1980, and many special interest groups took righteous offense to the portrayal of gays, the handicapped and women that were evidenced in the film. They were understandably concerned over the negative impact that could have, but Verhoeven and his scriptwriter Gerard Soeteman were going for an ambitious tapestry that wove all these elements into a modern day coming of age story for three Dutch working class youthes. They have good and bad times, they are good friends who often commit terrible acts, there is nothing perfect about them. When a food truck worker (Renee Soutendijk) comes into their lives and turns their worlds upside down, she isn't an evil woman out to destroy them but one who is trying to make a better life for herself, however ruthless that could be. Verhoeven is a humanist, or at least he understands that humans aren't simple definable creatures. I thoroughly enjoy his vivid dramatic sensibilities and his carnivalesque depictions of the human condition in all its filthy zany madness. To end this ramble, go check out his latest film Zwartboek, or the Black Book. It's his first WWII film since Soldier of Orange, and a real kicker. He's teamed back up with his regular Dutch writing collaborator Gerard Soeteman, someone who understands and relishes complexity. After Black Book, go purchase the Anchor Bay Verhoeven collection which has all his Dutch work (excluding Spetters) before he came to the States. Go Verhoeven!

Homoerotic Art
This is what I look in a movie: you get to see naked bodies without being porno. The Homoerotic concept is beautiful. However, the music and the final are too deppresing. Specially the music: I just wanted to use the mute botton several times in order to get rid of it. The other critic is to find out that the person who needed the most to find love and stay with this at the end of the movie, just took the wrong decision (the gay issue) which makes no sense. When are we going to find a good movie where the gays just live together and for ever? Why the prostitute? Anyway, it is worth to see it.

Great Dutch Work
Unlike most Hollywood flicks, this one stands out as very real with acting so good you forget you are watching a film... and few films can do that for me. Excellent directing; raw, much nudity, good story line; very likeable characters you care about.... I loved it.