The danish TV series 'Matador' had it's first run in danish TV from 1978 till 1982 and tells the story of the lives and fates of the inhabitants in the small fictional village Korsbæk, placed somewhere on Mid-Zealand, Denmark. The story takes place from 1929 till 1947 and is an image of the danish culture in the years surrounding World War 2. Among the inhabitants are the prestigious Hans Christian Varnæs and his frail wife Maude. Maude's spinster sister Elisabeth Friis, the town Doctor Hansen, the draper Albert Arnesen and his much younger wife Vicky, the communist "Red", the farmer Oluf Larsen and his wife Katrine and their daughter Ingeborg and many others. The quiet and stale life of the village is suddenly turned up-side-down when a stranger from out of town turns up with his young son, and starts a big successful business. The TV series has had many reruns on danish TV and is now one of the most important cultural and national treasures of Denmark. It is very special to most danes, because of it's rich storyline, brilliant acting and directing and historical aspect. It is brilliantly written by Lise Nørgaard and directed by the equally brilliant Erik Balling. This blog is for you who like me, have grown up with Matador in your mother's milk, or for anyone who have come to love it. Let's face it, once you've seen it, how can you not love it?! Enjoy!
I've always found Jørgen Varnæs and Gitte Graa's relationship very interesting, and in many ways very sad. Gitte of course is a very modern and free spirit, and it is unlikely that she would even call her and Jørgen an item, but Jørgen however is a very interesting and sad character. He is doomed from the first episode, and we witness how he gradually sinks deeper and deeper into the hole he has dug himself. The actors Susse Wold and Bent Mejding who play these two, are married in real life, and their on-screen chemistry is electric. The picture above is of course from the famous fighting scene, which is strongly inspired of the play 'Private Lives' by Noël Coward, which Wold and Mejding have also played together.
To celebrate the beginning of this brand new Matador Blog, I thought it would be appropriate with a little song from Agnes' and Lauritz's wedding! Welcome to Denmark anno 1935!
As far as I can see, most of the series can be found on youtube at the moment. However I couldn't find the first episode, but here is the second, with a short resume at the beginning. It has english subtitels, so don't worry.
The family Skjern with it's head Mads Skjern who came to Korsbæk with only his son Daniel, a suitcase and a big idea. The rest of the family consists here of his wife Ingeborg Skjern, her parents Katrine and Oluf Larsen, her daughter Ellen and later their son Erik.
The prestigious family Varnæs, with the Bank Director Hans Christian Varnæs as the grand and respected head of the family, his frail and hysterical wife Maude Varnæs, their two children Ulrik and Regitze and Maude's sister Elisabeth Friis.
(Also in the pictures: Laura the cook, Doctor Hansen, Colonel Hachel, his daughter Vicki and her husband Albert Arnesen)
annaxmalina
theartofmadeline
vaporwave
kianamaiart
areudirty
ellievsbear
2087
