Search - The Chicken Coop Lool/Shablool on DVD

Could become a cult film

Stuart Berman | Grand Rapids, MI United States | 12/11/2004

(3 out of 5 stars)

"This is an Israeli film from the early 70's in Hebrew with English subtitles. It is part music video and part story - certainly not of the quality of American films.

If you are looking for something very 'off the wall' you may well enjoy this movie. Althoug quite different, if you enjoyed the Beatles "Magical Mystery Tour" you would probably enjoy this. (I once ran that film in a movie theater and mixed up the reels, and no one seemed to notice, in Shablool the same could happen with the same effect.)

People that want to find what Israel was like in the 1960's and early 70's (as a young crowd) will enjoy this. I enjoyed it because I found the source of several popular expressions that made no sense when I was there in the 80's. They still don't make a lot of sense, but they now have a context and I can see how people 'glommed' onto them, as an example, go to 'Kibinimatres'. Don't get it? You still won't after watching this film.

Fans of Arik Einstein or Shalom Hanoch will appreciate seeing these guys in their early days. Uri Zohar also has a scene. There is also a sccene that features a Jewish divorce (a 'get') ceremony that is done pretty well."