Danish film/TV-series recommendations
Hi there! I just thought of the idea for this post the other day and how much english TV has helped me learn english. Listening to native speakers talk is really helpful if you want to sound like one. This post is for the people who understand danish fairly well and maybe are able to read danish subtitles.
I will divide the films/TV-series after genre and difficulty (to understand), so that its easier to choose after what you can comprehend. I would suggest choosing a lower difficulty than you would watch in your native language. Hope you like it!
“Nissebanden i Grønland” (1989) - The elf-gang in Greenland
Nissebanden i Grønland is a Christmas-calendar with 24 episodes, one for each day in december until Christmas Eve. Christmas calenders have been a tradition in Denmark since 1962, where the state founded TV-channel, Danmarks Radio, makes a new one every year. Nissebanden i Grønland is about 5 elves who have to go to Greenland to help santa make presents for all the children, because Santa has to go find the “Starstones”. The show is with real actors and the songs are really catchy and fun. This show is considered a Christmas classic in Denmark.
“Bamses billedbog” (1983) - Teddys Picturebook
This show is about the yellow bear, Bamse, who with his friends, Kylling and Ælling, explore a lot of things. The characters are actors in giant suits. Bamse lives in a tiny house where the chimney always falls over. The show is for smaller children up to 7 years old i would say. The language is basic and easy to follow along with. This show is considered a classic in childrens TV.
I would recommend the older disney movies for someone who still has a hard time understanding danish, because in the newer ones they speak really fast.
“Skammerens Datter” (2015) - The Shamer´s daughter
This movie is based on the novel by Lene Kaaberbøl from 2000. It has later been translated to english, but the original film is in danish. If you have not read the book, it takes place in a fantasy world, where the girl, Dina, has inherited the power of her mother, also known as “the Shamer”. Her power gives her the ability to see what people are the most ashamed of by looking them in the eyes. Dina has no friends because no one wants to look her in the eyes. Dinas mother mysteriously disappears after a trip to the fortress-city of Dunark where she would use her power to see if the liege’s son, Nico, has truely killed his farther. Dina now must find her mother and step into her role as the Shamer’s daugther.
The language is ridden with made-up words from the world of Lene Kaaberbøl but is otherwise fairly easy to understand, the children often talk fast and mumble, so it would be an idea to have danish subtitles while watching the film.
“Pagten” (2009) - The pact
Another one of the danish christmas calenders with 24 episodes. Pagten is about the boy, Malte, who meets Lyda the elf. Her family is threatened by the evil ice-witch named Isilin, who wants to freeze all elves and take all the magic for herself. Only the pact between the elves and the humans can stop her. Lyda and Malte must go through 3 trials to forge the pact.
The language is more complex than in “Nissebanden i Grønland” because the core audience is a little bit older. This series is also translated to norweagian and swedish. It has a really catchy theme song. Its called “Uden hinanden” - find it on Spotify. This Cristmas calender is a personal favorite
TV-series/films catered to adults
Matador is a Danish TV series with 24 episodes produced and shown between 1978 and 1982. It is set in the fictional Danish town of Korsbæk between 1929 and 1947. It follows the lives of a range of characters from across the social spectrum, focusing specifically on the rivalry between the families of two businessmen: The banker Hans Christian Varnæs, an established local worthy, and social climber Mads (Andersen-)Skjern, who arrives in town as the series opens. The name Matador was taken from the localised edition of the boardgame Monopoly, also the series' tentative English title. Taken from Wikipedia
The series really says something about the lives of danish people in that time and gives insight in danish cultural history. I would categorize the series as a Drama. The language is a reflection of the time, and many of the words are outdated. But they do not speak as fast, which makes it easier to understand. This series is consideres a classic in Denmark, and everyone has seen it at least once.
“Den eneste ene” (1999) - The one and only
A romantic comedy about two unfaithful married couples faced with becoming first-time parents. The film was considered to mark a modern transition in Danish romantic comedies, and became the third biggest box-office success of the 1990s in Denmark. The story follows the main charactors of Niller and Sus.
The story both makes you laugh and cry and is lightheated as well as shedding light on the problems that many couples face when becomming parents. I honestly love this film.
“Rejseholdet” (2000-2004) - Unit One (international title)
A Danish television crime drama series that ran for four series from October 1, 2000 to January 1, 2004. The series, produced by Danmarks Radio, revolves around an elite mobile police task force that travel around Denmark, assisting each local police force solve serious crimes. The series’ main charactor is called Ingrid Dahl, an ambitious detective who is promoted to the role of unit commander seemingly on the basis of being female. A total of thirty-two episodes aired across four series. Each episode is titled with a reference to an assistancemelding, which roughly translates into English as "Request for Assistance". Each case portrayed in the show was loosely based upon actual sensational crimes such as murders, kidnappings, cross-border sex trafficking and child pornography. Taken from wikipedia
Hope this post can help some people in finding a new danish TV-series or film to help them learn danish. Have a nice day!
