Varg Veum

Varg Veum
Varg Veum character
First appearance Bukken til havresekken (The Buck to the Sack of Oats)
Created by Gunnar Staalesen
Portrayed by Trond Espen Seim
Information
Gender Male
Occupation Private detective
Nationality Norwegian

Varg Veum is the central character in a series of crime novels, written by the Norwegian author Gunnar Staalesen, about a private detective who lives in Bergen, on the west coast of Norway. The books have been translated into several languages, including English, German, and Swedish.

In the series there are 16 novels, two short story compilations and an additional short story, a collaboration (1993) with writer Fredrik Skagen, in which Veum meets a hero of Skagen's books, Morten Martens.[1]

List of Novels

Cover of the first novel, 1977.

* Available in English.[2]

Films

Production history

In film adaptations, private detective Varg Veum is portrayed by Norwegian actor Trond Espen Seim.

In 2005 the Norwegian film production company SF Norge announced they would produce six films based on the books.[3] The first film, Bitre Blomster (Bitter Flowers), opened in cinemas in Norway September 28, 2007.[4] The film was directed by the Norwegian director Ulrik Imtiaz Rolfsen, who was previously known for the 2005 comedy crime film Izzat.

The second and third films, Tornerose (Sleeping Beauty) and Din til døden (Yours Until Death), were directed by Erik Richter Strand, a director who had won awards both in Europe and in the United States for his previous films. Both went direct to DVD.

The fourth film Falne Engler (Fallen Angels) was directed by Morten Tyldum, who later became well known after his 2011 film direction of the Jo Nesbø novel Hodejegerne (Headhunters). It received a cinema release.

The fifth and sixth films, Kvinnen i kjøleskapet (The Woman in the Fridge) and Begravde hunder (Buried Dogs) respectively, were directed by Alexander Eik and released direct to DVD.

In 2009 it was announced that six more of the Varg Veum novels would be filmed.

The first of these was Skriften på veggen (The Writing on the Wall), directed by Stefan Faldbakken, a director of commercials.

Svarte får (Black Sheep) was directed by the television director Stephan Apelgren, best known for directing many of the Swedish detective Kurt Wallander crime films. Apelgren continued directing duties on the next film in the series, Dødens drabanter (Consorts of Death).

The tenth film, I mørket er alle ulver grå (At Night All Wolves Are Grey), saw the return of director Alexander Eik.

The eleventh film, De døde har det godt (The Dead Have It Easy), is the only one not directly based on a Varg Veum novel but rather combined elements from several short stories from the compilation of the same title.

The last film, Kalde hjerter (Cold Hearts), was co-written and directed by lead actor Seim.

The second series films have seen a cinema release in Norway. All titles have been since then released both on DVD and on Blu-ray.

List of Films

First Series

Second Series

References

  1. ↑ http://www.vargveum.no/Default.aspx?tabid=509&subtabid=604
  2. ↑ http://www.vargveum.no/Default.aspx?tabid=507
  3. ↑ VG Nett – Film: Gunnar Staalesens Varg Veum i seks filmer.
  4. ↑ Varg Veum – Bitre blomster (2007). IMDb.com.
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