Lift, De (1983)

Director:

Dick Maas

Writer:

Dick Maas (writer)

Release Date:

4 July 1985 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Horror | Mystery | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

Take the stairs, take the stairs. For God's sake, take the Stairs!!!

Plot:

A lift begins displaying some erratic behavior, like trapping some party goers and nearly suffocating them...

Plot Keywords:

Toy Ambulance | Nipples | Nudity | Female Nudity | Breast Suckling

Awards:

2 wins

Cast

Huub Stapel	...	Felix Adelaar
Willeke van Ammelrooy	...	Mieke de Beer
Josine van Dalsum	...	Saskia Adelaar
Liz Snoyink	...	Vrouw in Lift
Wiske Sterringa	...	Vrouw in Lift
Huib Broos	...	Man in Lift
Pieter Lutz	...	Man in Lift
Johan Hobo	...	Ober
Dick Scheffer	...	Gérant
Matthias Maat	...	Ober
Ger van Groningen	...	Ober
Jan Anne Drenth	...	Nachtportier
Emma Onrust	...	Dochertje
Sydney Kuyer	...	Zoontje
Cor Witschge	...	Dagportier

Also Known As:

The Lift (Philippines: English title)
Goin' Up

Runtime:

Netherlands:95 min | Argentina:99 min | Sweden:99 min | USA:95 min

Country:

Netherlands

Language:

Dutch

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Netherlands:16 | Italy:VM14 | Iceland:16 | Argentina:16 | Finland:K-16 | France:-12 | Norway:16 (1984) | Sweden:15 | USA:R | West Germany:18 | Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Almere, Flevoland, Netherlands

Company:

First Floor Features

Trivia:

Crewmembers were often asked to fill in as extra's. For instance, caterer Mariëlle Sprong appears as Piet Römer's secretary.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: When Felix arrives at the Office from 'Nieuwe Revu' we see the sound technician moving in the back of the van.

Quotes:

Head Waiter: These damn machines will be the death of us all some day!

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Allemaal film: De amerikaanse droom (#1.6)" (2007)

Lots of ups and downs

A new lift has been installed recently. A few people get stuck in it. A few days later, a blind man falls into the shaft. A guard is beheaded by the same lift. 'What we have here is a killing machine...!'

Director Dick Maas is a big fan of Steven Spielbergs films (same here, but only his earlier movies). 'De Lift', describable as another alternative for the JAWS-formula, makes clear that Dick Maas lacks a lot in comparison to the most successful Hollywood-director.

The movie has a few good scenes which are shocking, but the majority of the movie is surprisingly dull and tedious. As long as the story keeps to the elevator, it's OK. However, there are a lot of scenes about family problems and interminable discussions about elevators. Those do not build up tension, they're just very, very boring and though I am not much of a sadist, I only kept watching because I was anxiously waiting for the next person to be killed by the lift. In a very cruel way of course. One should not watch this movie for the story-line in the first place. The plot doesn't make ANY sense: how would you explain a killer lift? Anyhow, there IS some kind of explanation in the movie, but only kids under 8 years old would believe that nonsense. Under 8, for I watched this movie first when I was 7 years old and I was scared to death. Perhaps I am too old for this movie now..