Funny Games (1997)

User Rating:

7.7/10   

Director:

Michael Haneke

Writer:

Michael Haneke (writer)

Release Date:

11 March 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

Ein Alptraum.

Plot:

Two psychotic young men take a mother, father, and son hostage in their vacation cabin and force them to play sadistic "games" with one another for their own amusement.

Plot Keywords:

Game | Vacation | Violence | Serial Killer | Disturbing

Awards:

4 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

Susanne Lothar	...	Anna
Ulrich Mühe	...	Georg
Arno Frisch	...	Paul
Frank Giering	...	Peter
Stefan Clapczynski	...	Schorschi
Doris Kunstmann	...	Gerda
Christoph Bantzer	...	Fred
Wolfgang Glück	...	Robert
Susanne Meneghel	...	Gerdas Schwester
Monika Zallinger	...	Eva

Directed by
Michael Haneke

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Michael Haneke		writer

Produced by
Veit Heiduschka	....	executive producer
Veit Heiduschka	....	producer

Cinematography by
Jürgen Jürges

Film Editing by
Andreas Prochaska

Production Design by
Christoph Kanter

Costume Design by
Lisy Christl

Makeup Department
Simone Bachl	....	assistant makeup artist
Waldemar Pokromski	....	key makeup artist

Production Management
Helga Fuchs	....	executive in charge of production
Werner Reitmeier	....	production manager

Art Department
Karl Bech	....	set joiner
Janko Boskovic	....	set painter
Florian Peter Clodi	....	set joiner
Gerhard Dhor	....	set joiner
Peter Dörflinger	....	sculptor
Kurt Drahovzal	....	set painter
Peter Ecker	....	prop buyer
Christian Eder	....	set joiner
Frank Essler	....	set painter
Harald Hajmböck	....	set joiner
Kurt Jahn	....	set joiner
Peter Kreiller	....	set joiner
Peter Lenz	....	painter
Norbert Nagel	....	set joiner
Walter Nagel	....	set joiner
Joseph Rihs-Bacherl	....	set joiner
Rudolf Scheidl	....	set joiner
Werner Schweitzer	....	set joiner
Hans Wagner	....	indoors property
Peter Wenhardt	....	set painter

Sound Department
Walter Amann	....	sound
Bernhard Bamberger	....	sound editor
Hannes Eder	....	sound mixer
Peter Paschinger	....	sound assistant
Daniel Steinbach	....	sound assistant
Hans-Walter Kramski	....	foley artist (uncredited)
Bernhard Maisch	....	foley recordist (uncredited)
Andreas Schneider	....	foley artist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Danny Bellens	....	special effects
Willi Neuner	....	special effects
Mac Steinmeier	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Cania	....	digital artist (uncredited)

Stunts
Danny Bellens	....	stunts
Willi Neuner	....	stunts
Mac Steinmeier	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Peter Dopplinger	....	lighting equipment
Adi Essl	....	dolly grip
Stefan Gauss	....	lighting technician
Volker Gläser	....	second assistant camera
Susanne Habitzel	....	lighting technician
Bernd Karoly	....	lighting technician
Fritz Martan	....	grip
Peter Steuger	....	assistant camera
Walter Stöger	....	chief electrician

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Katharina Nikl	....	wardrobe

Editorial Department
Michael Katz	....	post-production
Ulrike Lässer	....	post-production
Gabriele Uhl	....	assistant editor

Transportation Department
Andreas Djerdjev	....	property driver
Thomas Messer	....	property driver
Rudolf Schnogl	....	production driver
Gunther Stark	....	production driver

Other crew
Katharina Biró	....	script girl
Jessica Hausner	....	script girl
Philipp Kaiser	....	location manager
Wolfgang Knöpfler	....	production assistant
April Morley	....	dog instructor
Gabriela Schuster	....	production secretary
Alfred Strobl	....	location manager

Production Companies

• Austrian Film Institute (support)
• Wega Film
• Wiener Filmfinanzierungsfonds (support)
• Österreichischer Rundfunk (ORF) (support)

Distributors

• Arthaus (1998) (Norway) (theatrical)
• Atalanta Filmes (1998) (Portugal) (theatrical)
• Attitude Films (1998) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Concorde-Castle Rock/Turner (1997) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Cult Filmes (Brazil) (DVD)
• Cult Filmes (Brazil) (VHS)
• Fox Lorber (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• Future Film (2006) (Finland) (DVD)
• Föreningen FilmCentrum (1998) (Sweden) (VHS)
• Golem Distribución (1998) (Spain) (theatrical) (subtitled version)
• Homescreen (1998) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Kamras Film Group (1998) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Kino Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Kulturföreningen Kedjan (1998) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Les Films du Paradoxe (1998) (France) (theatrical)
• Líder Films (1998) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Madman Entertainment (2007) (Australia) (all media)
• Madman Entertainment (2007) (New Zealand) (all media)
• Maywin Media (1999) (Estonia) (theatrical)
• Maywin Media (1999) (Latvia) (theatrical)
• Maywin Media (1999) (Lithuania) (theatrical)
• Maywin Media (1999) (Russia) (theatrical)
• Sandrew Film & Teater (1998) (Sweden) (VHS)
• Stamm Film AG (1997) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Transeuropa Video Entertainment (TVE) (199?) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Triangelfilm (1998) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Triangelfilm (1998) (Sweden) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Animal Action  animals
• Listo Video  post-production
• Moviecam F.G. Bauer  camera equipment
• Rotorwing  Helicopter
• Tremens Tonstudio  sound studio

Also Known As:

Ölümcül oyunlar (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
Brincadeiras Perigosas (Portugal) [pt]
Funny Games (Poland) [pl]
Funny Games (Finland) [fi]
Funny Games (France) [fr]
Funny Games: juegos divertidos (Spain) [es]
Horas de terror (Argentina) (video title) [es]
Paraxena paihnidia (Greece) [el]
Violência Gratuita (Brazil) [pt]

Runtime:

108 min

Country:

Austria

Language:

German | French | Italian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Hungary:18 | Italy:T | Brazil:16 | France:-12 (DVD rating) | Argentina:18 | Australia:R | Chile:18 | Finland:K-16 | France:-16 | Germany:18 | Hong Kong:III | Japan:R-15 | Netherlands:16 | New Zealand:R18 | Norway:15 | Portugal:M/18 | Singapore:R(A) | South Korea:18 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:18 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:18 (canton of Vaud) | UK:18 | USA:Unrated | Singapore:PG (re-rating)

Filming Locations:

Atelier Rosenhügel, Vienna, Austria

Company:

Austrian Film Institute

Trivia:

When the film was screened at Cannes in 1997 it shocked the audience badly enough that many viewers, including some film critics, walked out of the screening.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: When Anna and Georg are driving in their car, a reflection of a microphone between the front seats can be seen on the window.

Quotes:

[first lines]
[subtitled version]
Anna: Björling... Suliotis?
Georg: Almost. Björling is easy.

Movie Connections:

References The Hills Have Eyes (1977)

Soundtrack:

Cara Salva

Two realities put into one

Mr Haneke seems to love observing family member characters dealing with extreme situations. On one hand we have a typical family which one could call civilized, and on the other hand two young violent sadists. The two worlds are opposed to each other, but then in reality they meet everyday in every part of the world. Their difference is the difference of classical music and black metal (both musical styles can be listened in this movie)...But yet, what is the difference of a normal humorous pretty bomber pilot with Paul and Fatty? They both guarantee a fatal sadistic without hope end. Maybe some people have these realities inside them too. Yet Mr Haneke did not present the beauty of violence as Hollywood movies would (mainstream or Tarantino), nor he directed an hymn to violence as it is clearly seen in "Clockwork orange". The "normal" watcher sympathizes the normal family. On the contrary in real life situation, maybe reading through a newspaper or watching TV, he would feel sympathy for them for 5 minutes. The power of "evil" is presented unquestionable. No hope can survive, even time rewinds and cannot beat the violent (re)actions of these young monsters. The personalities of Paul and Fatty are very interesting as in the end they express some questionable pseydophilosophies. What's their difference again with Nazis and current aggressive wars? Maybe this is a reference to Chaplin's "Monsieur Verdoux"... The movie can also be seen through the "shocking effect" theory. We question the strength of the family especially father’s protectiveness, but we miss the point that in reality people with normal lifes become easily victims, one can say they are conformists. The shock is less intense for a person who lives an abnormal life and is ready to protest against violence... The actors perform excellently. One must be ready for a "disturbing" movie no happy end, no cheap Hollywood violin music, no Deus ex machina, but as it was written above this is an every day incident...We cannot expect from people who are hypnotized all their lifes by "happy endings and superheroes" to credit this movie.