Mainly because it portrays life with such a frank realism that Hollywood has never been able to achieve. In every frame of every second, it is apparent that its makers live in a society where such "big issues" that have America in an uproar like birth control, homosexuality, and sexuality in general, are no big deal. Of course, there are also some parts in this film that make me ask "what the *&@! is wrong with Dutch people?". I'll deal with those parts of the film first (this next section may ruin the film for those who have not seen it).
1) The scene with Rutger Hauer looking in the toilet before flushing it. Funnily referenced in Basic Instinct twenty years later, this was a truly revolting scene that made me really apprehensive about watching the rest of the film. Thankfully, it gets a little less revolting as time marches on.
2) The scene with Rutger Hauer vomiting on everyone present at the dinner party. This was truly disgusting to watch, but also damned funny, because the burgeois society people that Hauer is dining with are so repulsive that they really do make a man feel like throwing up. It is, however, quite repulsive how we are just shown vomit all over everyone.
The plusses for this film far outweigh the negatives, however. Seeing how the love between our main characters defies everything, from societal boundaries to mortality, makes this film a must-see. I just don't recommend attempting to eat anything while you're watching it.
1) The scene with Rutger Hauer looking in the toilet before flushing it. Funnily referenced in Basic Instinct twenty years later, this was a truly revolting scene that made me really apprehensive about watching the rest of the film. Thankfully, it gets a little less revolting as time marches on.
2) The scene with Rutger Hauer vomiting on everyone present at the dinner party. This was truly disgusting to watch, but also damned funny, because the burgeois society people that Hauer is dining with are so repulsive that they really do make a man feel like throwing up. It is, however, quite repulsive how we are just shown vomit all over everyone.
The plusses for this film far outweigh the negatives, however. Seeing how the love between our main characters defies everything, from societal boundaries to mortality, makes this film a must-see. I just don't recommend attempting to eat anything while you're watching it.