style for days, but shallow characters

Rating: Null/10 (16 February 2000)

i enjoyed this movie, in spite of itself. the word here is; "style," and then some. well told yarn, woven together beautifully; with flashbacks, a fortune teller, a red violin, and fantastic photography. problem is, the characters are not developed, and little boy klaus is the only likeable hero. we also, after beautiful scenery, and masterful pacing, get rudely slapped in the mouth with western anti-politics. it was unsettling. still, this is director 101 stuff. definitely worth seeing.