Director: Birger Larson, Christian Eklöw, Christopher Panov, Molly Hartleb and Peter Schildt.
Cast: Ola Rapace, Linus Wahlgren, Tuva Novotny
Format – 3 DVDs
Film Genre – TV Crime
Label – Arrows Films’ Nordic Noir
Audio – Swedish (Dolby Digital 2.0)
Subtitles – English
Running Time – 6 x 90 mins
Available – 06/10/14
All good things must come to an end and time certainly appears to be up for CRIMES OF PASSION, which has recently aired on BBC4 in their coveted evening slot. The series has really refreshed UK television and now the episodes are available to download on iTunes and are also available to buy on DVD from October 6th.
With six superb episodes under its belt, based on the early novels by the prolific Swedish crime novelist Maria Lang (real name Dagmar Lange) there was always going to be the danger that the the plots of each one would either overstretch itself in terms of characters and locales or become repetitive and unoriginal. As it is, the series does not let you down as this hugely successful production encompasses the lives of its characters well which is set in the late 1940s and early 1950s.
The TV series stars Wallander’s Ola Rapace the police detective, Christer Wijk set to solve the crimes and his onscreen performance is complemented well by Tuva Novotny, who is very convincing in her role as the inquisitive and beautiful university student, Puck Ekstedt, in a collection of stylish ‘whodunnits’ set in post-war Sweden. She is obsessed with crime novels, so when she finds herself in the middle of mystery and murder, she’s never short on ideas and insights. Just call her the Swedish Agatha Christie.
Puck is also in love with fellow academic Einar `Eje’ Bure, and along with his childhood friend, Police Commissioner Christer, they witness the lies, passions, betrayals and intrigue in the lives of respectable and seemingly quiet-living Swedes.
Set in the most beautiful of surroundings in the lake region of Bergslagen, Southern Sweden, CRIMES OF PASSIONÂ effortlessly brings to life the characters from Lang’s famous mysteries.
The DVD set consists of six 90-minute episodes: “Death of a Loved One,” “King Lily of the Valley,” “No More Murders,” “Roses, Kisses and Death,” “Dangerous Dreams,” and “Tragedy in a Country Churchyard.”
From the very first episode, the stories are light and formulaic. The audience is introduced to the main characters gradually and tension is built slowly and effectively towards a suspect-everyone-and-trust-no-one crescendo.Â
Throughout the series, we see the relationship between Puck and Einar Bure develop and a familiarity to the characters grows along with it. In every film or TV series, there must be someone to slay the monster, to overcome adversity and be better at the end than they were in the beginning and that person is Puck. Novotny makes her character very likeable and you enjoy following her along on her personal and professional journey.
Storytellers are criticised for failing to offer characters who are ‘likable’, or to whom an audience can relate, as if the only stories of value are those in which we can imagine ourselves, but this series thrives well off the success of the characters who become heroes in their own right.Â
Repace unsurprisingly delivers a stand out performance as he busies himself in his investigative work in a cool, calm and collected style, seizing every possible opportunity to find the perpetrators of the crimes.
Visually, in every episode the scenes are stunningly set in picturesque locations and they are complimented perfectly by the music, which adds to the 1950s flavour. The cinematography and clothing stand out beautifully, creating a true feeling of that time period.Â
Fans of crime mysteries will certainly enjoy the series and even for those who are not regular watchers of investigative dramas, they will find the plots easy to follow and be swept away with the stunning settings. Â
Verdict:
★★★★
Here is the trailer for Crimes of Passion:
The DVD is available to buy on October 6th and is also available on digital download. Â
