Apt Pupil (1998)
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A high school student's obsession with Nazi atrocities leads him to blackmail a fugitive war criminal living in his neighborhood.
The story
In 1984 Southern California, 16-year-old high school student Todd Bowden discovers that his elderly neighbor, Arthur Denker, is actually Kurt Dussander—a former Nazi concentration camp commandant who is now a fugitive war criminal. Fascinated by Nazi atrocities, Todd blackmails Dussander into sharing disturbing stories of his time in extermination camps. Todd even forces the old man to wear an SS uniform. As their relationship intensifies, Todd's schoolwork suffers and he begins to conceal his growing obsession from his parents, while Dussander begins to blackmail Todd in return, threatening to expose their secret dalliance with Nazism.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In 1984 Southern California, 16-year-old Todd Bowden discovers his neighbor Arthur Denker is actually Kurt Dussander, a former Nazi concentration camp commandant. Todd blackmails Dussander into sharing stories of the Holocaust and forces him to wear an SS uniform. As Todd becomes obsessed, his grades slip and he loses interest in his girlfriend. Dussander retaliates by blackmailing Todd to keep his secrets. The dynamic shifts as Dussander poses as Todd's grandfather to meet his school counselor, Edward French. One night, Dussander attempts to kill a homeless man but suffers a heart attack; Todd finishes the killing and calls an ambulance. At the hospital, Dussander is recognized by a survivor and arrested. Todd graduates as valedictorian, giving a speech about Icarus while a montage shows Dussander's home being searched and his corpse found in the basement. Todd convinces police he knew nothing of Dussander's identity. When French realizes the truth, Todd blackmails him into silence by threatening to accuse him of making inappropriate sexual advances. Finally, Dussander commits suicide by giving himself an air embolism.
- First release year
- 1998
- Runtime (minutes)
- 111
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Bryan Singer
- Writers
- Brandon Boyce · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Ian McKellen · Kurt Dussander; Brad Renfro · Todd Bowden; David Schwimmer · Edward French
- Genres
- thriller; drama
- Themes
- Cruelty; Infectious nature of evil; Paternal bonds; Homoeroticism; Sadomasochism
- Tone and mood
- Disturbing; Dark; Suspenseful; Gothic
- Premise and plot tags
- Nazi fugitive; High school student; Blackmail; Holocaust; Psychological thriller
- Source material / true-story basis
- Apt Pupil novella by Stephen King (1982)
- Reception
- The film was considered a critical and commercial disappointment, described as a somewhat disturbing movie that works as a suspenseful thriller but is ultimately unsatisfying and exploitative.
- Awards and nominations
- Best Actor · Tokyo International Film Festival · 1998 · Won; Best Actor · Critics' Choice Award · 1998 · Won; Best Supporting Actor · Saturn Award · 1998 · Won; Best Horror Film · Saturn Award · 1998 · Won
- Production trivia
- Bryan Singer used the name of his high school football team, the Pirates, and the green-and-gold team colors in the film.; The film's score was a mix between the scores of 2001: A Space Odyssey and 1941.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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