Over Fragmenten.blog

Posted on by Jeppe Kleijngeld

Welkom op Fragmenten uit het Schemerland, mijn persoonlijke website en content-verzameling. Je vindt hier veel artikelen over films en series in de FilmDungeon. Ook vind je op deze site mijn achtergrondverhaal, een selectie van mijn professionele werk, en een groeiende collectie blogs – fragmenten genaamd – over uiteenlopende onderwerpen. Veel leesplezier en bedankt voor het bezoeken van mijn blog!

— Jeppe Kleijngeld

PS: Bezoek ook eens mijn andere website over bewustzijn en mijn visie op de ware aard van het universum:

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms

Posted on by Jeppe Kleijngeld

While waiting for season 3 of House of the Dragon – a show I am possibly enjoying even more than Game of Thrones – HBO has dropped a third Westeros show, which is titled: A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. This is a prequel to Game of Thrones.

This is quite a different beast (dragon) than the previous two shows. It is lighter on its feet – in the beginning at least – and shorter in duration: season one consists of only six episodes of around 35 minutes each. It is however filled with interesting stories and memorable characters and is quite frankly a must see.

The show is an adaptation of ‘The Tales of Dunk and Egg’ series of novellas by George R. R. Martin, beginning with ‘The Hedge Knight’. It’s about a knight – Ser Duncan ‘Dunk’ the Tall (Peter Claffey) and his young squire Egg (Dexter Sol Ansell). Duncan’s master has died, but he made him a knight before he departed. Now Duncan wants to enter a tournament in Ashford.

At first glance, Dunc comes across as something of a lovable goof, but there’s an underlying depth to him that becomes evident early on and that’s what makes this series so compelling. The magic lies in the slow-burn revelation: as viewers, we’re right there with him on his journey, uncovering his layers as he uncovers them himself.

His partner in adventure, the quick-witted and resourceful Egg – brilliantly brought to life by Dexter Sol Ansell – adds the perfect dynamic: where Dunc stumbles, Egg steps in with sharpness and charm, making their bond one of the show’s strongest assets.

At the gathering in Ashford, a contingent of Targaryens arrives and, as we’ve come to expect from this family, their presence spells trouble. The tension escalates when Duncan strikes Prince Aerion ‘Brightflame’ Targaryen in defense of a lady’s honor, setting the stage for the fifth episode’s trial by combat.

This is where the show gets really exciting: a trial of seven, pitting seven knights against seven others in a brutal, no-holds-barred showdown. It’s easily one of the most visceral medieval battles I’ve ever seen on screen, with cinematography so stunning it leaves you breathless.

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms feels refreshingly vibrant. It balances sharp humor, razor-sharp writing, and rich character development, all while delivering the lavish production values you’d expect from a Game of Thrones universe.

I eagerly await season 2 arriving in 2027. In the meantime, House of the Dragon Season 3 arrives in June 2026, promising an all-out war as the Dance of the Dragons erupts into full-scale battles. With the story hurtling toward its four-season climax, the stage is set for epic, fire-breathing chaos.

Dungeon Classics #43: Die Hard with a Vengeance

Posted on by Jeppe Kleijngeld

FilmDungeon’s Chief Editor JK sorts through the Dungeon’s DVD-collection to look for old cult favorites….


Die Hard with a Vengeance (1995, USA)

Director: John McTiernan
Cast: Bruce Willis, Jeremy Irons, Samuel L. Jackson
Running Time: 128 mins.

The Die Hard franchise built its reputation on a simple yet gripping premise: a tough, resourceful cop trapped in a confined space under siege by terrorists. This formula worked brilliantly in Die Hard (1988) and Die Hard 2 (1990). For the third installment, however, the creators sought fresh ground. The script was originally titled ‘Simon Says’ and was considered by Joel Silver as the third sequel to Lethal Weapon (1987). When Twentieth Century Fox refused to sell the rights however, the script was reworked into Die Hard with a Vengeance, recasting the villain Simon as the vengeful brother of Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman’s iconic antagonist from the first film). The result is a high-energy, action-packed thriller, and the best sequel to the brilliant original. John McClane (Bruce Willis) and his reluctant sidekick, Zeus (Samuel L. Jackson), race across New York City, completing Simon’s deadly tasks to prevent a series of explosions. The film balances humor and spectacle better than its predecessors, delivering both sharp wit and explosive action. The chemistry between Willis and Jackson is electric, especially with Zeus’s fiery, anti-white rhetoric adding a provocative edge. Their dynamic is further enriched by a clever nod to their previous collaboration in Pulp Fiction (1994), with a humorous reference to “smoking cigarettes and watching Captain Kangaroo.” Die Hard with a Vengeance proves that even within a familiar franchise, innovation can keep the excitement alive.

Dungeon Classics #42: Sexy Beast

Posted on by Jeppe Kleijngeld

FilmDungeon’s Chief Editor JK sorts through the Dungeon’s DVD-collection to look for old cult favorites….

Sexy Beast (2000, UK, Spain, USA)

Director: Jonathan Glazer
Cast: Ray Winstone, Ben Kingsley, Ian McShane
Running Time: 89 mins.

Retired British safecracker Gal (Ray Winstone) enjoys a tranquil life in Spain with his girlfriend, basking in the sun, lounging by his pool, and sharing dinners with a nearby British couple. His idyllic routine is shattered – first symbolically by a boulder crashing into his pool, then literally by the arrival of Don Logan (Ben Kingsley), an obnoxious gangster from London. Logan’s mission: to drag Gal into a heist masterminded by the eccentric Teddy Bass (Ian McShane). Like the boulder, Logan is an unstoppable force, disrupting Gal’s peace with relentless aggression. The film is best remembered for Kingsley’s unhinged performance – a whirlwind of rage, bluster, and toxic masculinity. His character’s relentless pressure on Gal creates an atmosphere of suffocating tension, embodied by the film’s tagline: Yes or yes? There’s no escaping Logan’s demands, and the audience is drawn into Gal’s impossible dilemma. The dialogue crackles with sharp, Cockney-flavored wit, delivering lines like: “Shut up, cunt-louse. Look at your fucking sun tan. You’re like fucking leather man, your skin. You can make a fucking suitcase out of you.” You get the picture. Glazer and his team subvert expectations with the film’s climax, offering a fresh twist on the British gangster genre. Sexy Beast is a stylish, unsettling ride – equal parts sun-soaked and sinister.

Dungeon Classics #41: L.A. Confidential

Posted on by Jeppe Kleijngeld

FilmDungeon’s Chief Editor JK sorts through the Dungeon’s DVD-collection to look for old cult favorites….

L.A. Confidential (1997, USA)

Director: Curtis Hanson
Cast: Kevin Spacey, Russell Crowe, Guy Pearce, Kim Basinger
Running Time: 138 mins.

Three L.A. cops in the 1950s – three different personalities – each dealing with corruption in their own way. Jack Vincennes (Kevin Spacey) is a celebrity cop, something like the influencer of his day, working closely with tabloid journalist Sid Hudgens (Danny DeVito) and frequently appearing on the TV cop show Badge of Honor. Bud White (Russell Crowe) is an explosive sledgehammer with a particular hatred for abusive men. He’s not afraid to bend the rules to punish the guilty. Ed Exley (Guy Pearce) is the son of a legendary cop who wants to advance his career strictly by the book, which is hard to do in a city with a massively corrupt police force. When organized crime boss Mickey Cohen goes to prison, he leaves a wide gap for new players to move in, and the three leads soon find themselves in the middle of the heat. L.A. Confidential is a true masterpiece: a fantastic recreation of 1950s Los Angeles and an exceptional character study. The three leads, young and fairly unknown at the time, are truly stellar in their roles. There’s also an excellent supporting cast, with Kim Basinger especially stealing the spotlight as high-class prostitute Lynn Bracken. A great movie from start to finish – on the QT and very hush-hush.