''Hodet over vannet'' is a Norwegian comedy thriller film by director Nils Gaup. It became a big success at the Norwegian box office. In 1993, it was one of the ten most seen films in Norwegian movie theaters. In the year after, 1994, it won the Amanda Award for Best Norwegian Film in Theatrical Release. It is a production of the production company Filmkameratene A/S. In 1996, an American remake of the film was released, ''

Head Above Water ''Head above Water'' is a 1986 non-fiction book by Nigerian novelist Buchi Emecheta. It was published in 1986 in the African Writers Series by Heinemann and has been described as " anecdotal autobiography." Plot summary ''Head above Water'' is ...

'', which starred Cameron Diaz and Harvey Keitel. It was filmed at

Yxnøy Yxnøy (also spelled Yxney, formerly: Yxnøyn) is the southernmost part of Østerøya (East Island) in Sandefjord, Norway. It stretches from Nordre Truber to Ertsvika. It is one of the largest undeveloped areas found along the Vestfold coast. It ...

Østerøya Østerøya (East Island) is one of two peninsulas outside Sandefjord, Norway. It borders in west to the Mefjord and east to the Tønsbergfjord. Tønsberg Barrel is located on the southern end of the peninsula. Tønsberg Barrel is an old beacon ...

(East Island) in Sandefjord, Norway. It is inspired by

Steven Spielberg Steven Allan Spielberg (; born December 18, 1946) is an American director, writer, and producer. A major figure of the New Hollywood era and pioneer of the modern blockbuster, he is the most commercially successful director of all time. Spie ...

's '' Jaws'' movies and various

Alfred Hitchcock Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock (13 August 1899 – 29 April 1980) was an English filmmaker. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of cinema. In a career spanning six decades, he directed over 50 featur ...

films.

Plot

The storyline revolves around a married couple, Lene ( Lene Elise Bergum) and Einar ( Svein Roger Karlsen), who is vacationing in Southern Norway. The husband leaves for a fishing trip with his friend Bjørn ( Morten Abel). While they are gone, Lene is visited by Gaute ( Reidar Sørensen), a former lover who arrives drunk. He spends the night at the vacation house but his heart stops before morning. On the next morning, Einar comes back from his fishing trip and discovers the dead body in the basement. The couple then tries to decide how to dispose of the body.

Cast

* Lene Elise Bergum as Lene * Svein Roger Karlsen as Einar * Morten Abel as Bjørn * Reidar Sørensen as Gaute * Jon Skolmen as the Police officer

Film music

The title track was recorded by pop artist Morten Abel who also plays the role of Bjørn in the film. On January 15, 1994, the song reached No. 9 in the Norwegian national record chart VG-lista for Top 10 Singles. It remains one of two times Morten Abel gained a hit on VG-lista.

Remake

In 1995, the film was sold to

Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywood, ...

for a remake production. Actor and filmmaker Kevin Costner was impressed with the film and later purchased the remake rights under Tig Productions in Hollywood. The American remake version, which is starring Cameron Diaz and Harvey Keitel, was directed by Jim Wilson. The U.S. version ultimately had little success at the box office in either country. The U.S. version was rated PG-13 by the MPAA, while the Norwegian version was given a 15+ age restriction by the

Norwegian Media Authority The Norwegian Media Authority ( no, Medietilsynet) is a Norwegian government agency subordinate to the Ministry of Culture and Equality charged with various tasks relating to broadcasting, newspapers and films. It enforces rules on content, ad ...

Awards and nominations

It was nominated for the Amanda Award for Best Nordic Film, Best Norwegian Film in Theatrical Release, Best Actor ( Svein Roger Karlsen), and Best Actress ( Lene Elise Bergum). It received the Amanda Award for Best Norwegian Film in Theatrical Release. It also became the movie of the year 1994. It was also nominated for an

Oscar for Best Foreign Film The Academy Award for Best International Feature Film (known as Best Foreign Language Film prior to 2020) is one of the Academy Awards handed out annually by the U.S.-based Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It is given to ...

.Fredheim, Bjørn (2000). ''Frå ABC til http: Mediekunnskap for den vidaregåande skolen. 3.b.'' (in Norwegian Nynorsk). Høyskoleforlaget. Page 181. ISBN 8276341586.

References

External links

* {{IMDb title, id=0107121, title=Hodet over vannet 1990s black comedy films 1993 films Norwegian comedy films 1993 comedy films