Stora skälvan

This TV show is probably the least memorable of the hit delivering director Leif Krantz's efforts. Several of the child actors participating in the previous - and rather formidable - shows "Kullamannen" ("The Man from Kullen" 1967) and "Kråkguldet" ("Crow's Gold" 1969) reappear as teenagers.

To begin with, the title "Stora skälvan", "The Willies", is totally misleading as it is nothing like a scary movie. Awkward, dull and repetitious.

There is no straightforward story or plot. Each episode is presented as a sort of bonfire tale told by a member of a crowd of teenage buddies. With the exception of the very last episode, which according to the other reviewer here was not aired due to censorship, the stories are absolutely pointless, badly acted, and badly shot. Even the direction displays surprisingly obvious shortcomings. Krantz cannot have been wholeheartedly committed to this enterprise. The reason for canceling episode ¤6 is not clear to me, but the theme here is somewhat reminiscent of "Lord of the Flies", and that might have disturbed the political double standards of the day. I wish to salute Krantz for not yielding to the pressure of the left-wing establishment of the era.

I seem to discern a chord of sexual frustration: half a dozen handsome fifteen-year-olds who hang out together at a seaside summer location, partly semi nude too, and none of them shows any kind of tendresse or erotic interest towards another member of the group. That's bloody odd. Especially when considering how open-minded Sweden of the 70s was.

A series definitely best remembered as a trifle, and best preserved inside the vaults of the Govenmnet Television fortress at Oxenstiernsgatan in Stockholm.