Krabat and The Legend of The Satanic Mill [DVD] [2009]

The German HP! is written on the cover, but Preussler's Krabat novel came 1st winning awards at the time (in some country the title is translated instead as "The mill of the 12 crows"), & it differs for many aspects from HP wizard's plot & character.Since its dark undertone, it's not suitable for children under 12 (without a parent), in fact it's the mood to be different from Potter & others within his league (i.e. you won't find humour as in Percy Jackson & co.), being inspired by a Czech ancient legend (here the period is seventeenth century), it's serious doom & gloom closer to brothers Grimm's style, but it's worth it especially for this different vibe.My friend (studying German) talked me once about this popular book (unknown to me) & its indirect link to nazism too, but it's really a tale that is universal: that's why I've appreciated it, & also the fact that it still holds that gritty mood quite lost in the modern fables (particularly on Disney American movies, you know what I mean).You are able to feel the cold realistic atmosphere within the magic & the empathy with the characters: naturally the book is more detailed as usual compared to this 2h tale), but I've loved also this visual adaptation.The young protagonist is ok but the dark master & Daniel Bruhl's Tonda in my opinion steal the scene...it's an all male cast but the 2 girls involved are symbolically important for the sake of the plot. It's been filmed in the Eastern Europe with a beautiful natural landscape that adds to the spooky atmosphere & which also works as a contrast to the dark claustrophobic mill.So give it a chance if you're a fan of fantasy genre, since it's a special little gem.

Krabat is familiar to me since I read it as a young person...The movie is a very good attempt at creating a visual experience of a widely known folk-tale with different versions in related cultures.I enjoyed it the first time I saw it and bought this copy to be able to share it with my English speaking friends.

We thought this was going to be an altogether different kind of film. It's a kind of gothic fairytale, but feels a bit like a Dickens adaptation at times. It has somebody familiar from Game of Thrones in it. And crows...lots of crows.

I read the book years ago under the original name of 'the satanic mill" and loved it, so do yourself a favour and buy the book instead because the film is crap.

Krabat is a film that is essentially one of those `Fairy tales' that you use to make children do as they are told; well it is and it isn't, but it is rather good. It starts with our eponymous hero being born into an unforgiving world during the Thirty Years war that ravaged Germany, it is 1646 and Krabat has lost his family to war and famine and is now eeking a survival begging from hovel to hovel with his only two surviving friends and trying to avoid catching a nasty bout of plague. They have all three, made a pact to stay together for ever and ever and ever. Then he has a dream that tells him good things await him at a mysterious mill. So after giving it quite literally minutes of consideration, he does a runner and finds himself at `The Satanic Mill'.On arrival he is greeted by a one eyed scary bloke who tells him `never leave the mill and always do as you are told'. He meets the lead Journeyman played rather well by Daniel Bruhl (Germanys marmite actor - that is you either love him or hate him, he is good in this though). He then finds he is one of twelve boys/young men, who all do the Masters bidding, and often have to grind strange things that come in heavy sacks during a full moon.As I said earlier this is a fairy tale, it soon transpires all is not as it seems, but Krabat (David Kross) soon finds out that like American Express, Membership has its' privileges'! The film is beautifully shot and brilliantly acted; it also has a great supporting cast including two of my favourite German actors Robert Stadlober (Lyschko) and Hanno Koffler - the stammering Juro (both were in `Summer Storm' another Peccadillo film). There is a love interest and lots of sorcery and magic. Whilst there is some CGI it is done so well that you either don't notice or are happy to accept the illusion.It is a two hour film but feels way shorter director and co writer Marco Kreuzpaintner is to be commended on originality and a great piece of film making. Whilst this is not the best film ever made, it is certainly one of the best in this fantasy, historical fairy tale genre (if one exists). I found it totally engrossing and can not wait to see it again as there was so much going on, I must have missed something. As ever Peccadillo have found another gem so can only hope they keep bringing such high quality films to our shores.

Very good film indeed, certainly wasn't dull nor boring and money well spent. Most enjoyable and will be watching it again soon Thank you !!!

Está en castellano genial se ve muy bien y se escucha bien es alemana y la buscaba hace años grcias

Ottmar Preusser tells us the story of his childhood in Hitler-Germany with a fairytale. Good actors, good special effects and the story line came very close to the book I like so much. I do recommend it to everybody.

La película es maravillosa pero la edición penosa. Tienes la opción para verla en español, catalán y en versión original (alemán) pero sin subtítulos!!!!! Tanto cuesta poner subtítulos? Cutres