Mad Heidi, a crazy new film, parodies Heidi by Johanna Spyria that has been adapted numerous times. In this story, Heidi (Alice Lucy) lives in the Alps with her grandfather Alpöhi (David Schofield). Switzerland is being ruled over by an evil cheese dictator named President Meili (the very busy Casper Van Dien), who has a monopoly on dairy products and has outlawed lactose intolerance.
One day, Meili’s forces, led by Kommandant Knorr (Max Rüdlinger), find out that the guy that Heidi loves, Goat Peter (Kel Matsena), is selling illegal dairy products. They shoot him and throw Heidi into jail. While she was in custody, she was mistreated by the guards under Fräulein Rottweiler (Katja Kolm) and other prisoners including one of them Klara Sesemann (Almar G. Sato).
Heidi is eventually put in solitary confinement for refusing to eat prison cheese. “Eat,” says Rottweiler coming to her cell as if she wants her to eat so as to show submission but then adds “Such a good girl.” Instead of accepting what Rottweiler suggests about herself being submissive through eating, she kills her saying “I’m not a good girl anymore.” However, could she be said to have been a good girl ever? Let us consider two of twelve different meanings of the word good.
By ‘good girl’ Rottweiler means someone who does what they are told and Heidi never did So at the movie’s beginning when heidi isn’t going through some shit yet and this is where you know heidi is still innocent. She happily ignores Alpöhi suggesting he doesn’t like Goat Peter which pisses him off.
However, Heidi remains a “good girl” in terms of being basically decent despite everything else . Even before taking up arms for bloody vengeance. Towards the end of the movie Heidi is made to go against her former cellmate who used to bully her. She does not kill her though she has all reasons to, instead she talks to her, and tells her that Meili is their common enemy.
It’s the type of film that is very similar to Commando or Star Wars where it’s more intimate between the main henchman and hero than with the chief villain. Knorr’s the one who kills Goat Peter right in front of Heidi and killed her parents years before when they took part in a failed rebellion. On his side, Knorr also holds grudge against Heidi for killing Rottweiler – his lover. And Knorr is also the more dangerous one.
Hence, during the film’s climax , like RoboCop, Heidi’s last battle with Meili lasts for five seconds while it takes longer and becomes more cathartic as far as a fight with Knorr is concerned. Unlike Commando or Tomorrow Never Lies, this means that you kill the mastermind first then fights with henchman begins at last That might have been better, since taking care of Meili feels less personal and more like checking something off a to-do list
Lucy’s performance as the lead is worth singling out. The way she can present all aspects of Heidi, whether it is being love with Goat Peter or playing accordion until a guy dies. Furthermore, I like that Heidi has more to her than just being a hard woman. Van Dien’s Meili was also good as an over-the-top performance. This said, everyone acted well in the movie. Furthermore, they all look as if they are having a lot of fun doing their parts.
The cast performances aside, the cinematography in Mad Heidi is simply amazing. It has great shots plus lovely sets and costumes. Some of the special effects in this movie look fake but that type of cheesiness (no pun intended) contributes to its attraction; it may seem like an insult because it works perfectly for this kind of film.
Mad Heidi is a funny film; however you must have some sense of humor for you to enjoy it. A few jokes are off-color such as Knorr bringing up Goat Peter using an offensive Jim Crow-like display complete with red clown lips. It is also a very violent movie but meant to be absurdly overdone.
If you’re not sure if you should watch this movie then try watching “Hobo With a Shotgun” (2011) first.This throwback piece calls back to exploitation films like Mad Heidi and stars always- amazing Rutger Hauer himself..Just keep watching even after seeing somebody get his head cut off and half naked female starts dancing on what remains of him while geysers of blood fountain from him.The next stop is Mad Heidi-keep going!
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