The Alzheimer Case
Encyclopedia
The Alzheimer Case is a 2003
film
directed
by Erik Van Looy
, based on the novel De Zaak Alzheimer by Jef Geeraerts
.
An American remake of the film is in development at Focus Features
. Stephane Sperry is the producer. Matthew Michaud adapted the screenplay from the original film.
for organized crime
, agrees to a last killing, despite his recently-developed Alzheimer's disease
. He is to kill two people; on killing the first and recovering a package from the first victim, he then learns the second victim is Bieke, a twelve-year-old girl pimped by her father, who had been recently busted; Ledda refuses to kill a child. Resultantly, his employer, Seynaeve, has another hitman kill Bieke and orders him to kill Ledda. Ledda kills the hitman first but loses a prostitute who had befriended him.
As a result, Ledda decides to kill Seynaeve. He also reviews the contents of the safety deposit box, and discovers that his employer had Bieke and the first target killed to cover for several individuals who had used the services of the child. He decides to clean house by killing them all, several of whom are high-ranking government officials. Ledda's Alzheimer's condition (for which he takes an experimental drug) periodically impacts him throughout the movie, resulting in disoriention and seemingly forgetful of what he was doing for a brief period of time. It grows worse as the movie progresses.
In his attempts to seek revenge upon his employers, Ledda contends with police pursuit. Two detectives in particular (Vincke, and Verstuyft) seem to be one step behind him. Ledda toys with the police, although he ends up with a gunshot wound to the arm from Verstuyft because of attempting to talk to Vincke at one point.
Ledda kills all of his intended targets, except the last, a high-ranking government official, Baron de Haeck, who manages to get away because of Ledda's worsening Alzheimer's, which leads him to forget to put the firing pin in his silenced pistol when preparing for the hit.
Ledda is captured by the police, and between his worsening mental condition, and his gunshot wound, is bed-ridden and in poor health. The prosecutor, Bracke, who is in the pocket of the Baron, tries to have a court-appointed psychiatrist kill Ledda, which results in Ledda making a hasty escape. Ledda ends up meeting the two detectives in a car, and gives them a clue as to the whereabouts of a tape from the safety deposit box which implicates the Baron in murder.
The corrupt police close in and surround the car, placing all inside at risk. Ledda decides to sacrifice himself by making a run from the car, and is gunned down. The movie ends with the detectives finding the tape and watching the Baron getting arrested.
2003 in film
The year 2003 in film involved some significant events. Releases of sequels took place with movies like The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, 2 Fast 2 Furious, Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle, The Matrix Reloaded, The Matrix Revolutions, Pokémon Heroes, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines,...
film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
directed
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
by Erik Van Looy
Erik Van Looy
Erik Ludovicus Maria Van Looy is a Belgian film director.In Flanders he is also known as a television presenter .His most famous movies are:*Ad Fundum *Shades...
, based on the novel De Zaak Alzheimer by Jef Geeraerts
Jef Geeraerts
Jef Geeraerts is a Flemish writer. He was a colonial administrator in Belgian Congo. On the independence of the Congo he sent his wife and children back to Belgium and in August 1960 he himself returned to Belgium. During the next six years he was paid by the government . After that time he needed...
.
An American remake of the film is in development at Focus Features
Focus Features
Focus Features is the art house films division of NBC Universal's Universal Pictures, and acts as both a producer and distributor for its own films and a distributor for foreign films....
. Stephane Sperry is the producer. Matthew Michaud adapted the screenplay from the original film.
Plot
Ledda, a former hitmanHitman
A hitman is a person hired to kill another person.- Hitmen in organized crime :Hitmen are largely linked to the world of organized crime. Hitmen are hired people who kill people for money. Notable examples include Murder, Inc., Mafia hitmen and Richard Kuklinski.- Other cases involving hitmen...
for organized crime
Organized crime
Organized crime or criminal organizations are transnational, national, or local groupings of highly centralized enterprises run by criminals for the purpose of engaging in illegal activity, most commonly for monetary profit. Some criminal organizations, such as terrorist organizations, are...
, agrees to a last killing, despite his recently-developed Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease also known in medical literature as Alzheimer disease is the most common form of dementia. There is no cure for the disease, which worsens as it progresses, and eventually leads to death...
. He is to kill two people; on killing the first and recovering a package from the first victim, he then learns the second victim is Bieke, a twelve-year-old girl pimped by her father, who had been recently busted; Ledda refuses to kill a child. Resultantly, his employer, Seynaeve, has another hitman kill Bieke and orders him to kill Ledda. Ledda kills the hitman first but loses a prostitute who had befriended him.
As a result, Ledda decides to kill Seynaeve. He also reviews the contents of the safety deposit box, and discovers that his employer had Bieke and the first target killed to cover for several individuals who had used the services of the child. He decides to clean house by killing them all, several of whom are high-ranking government officials. Ledda's Alzheimer's condition (for which he takes an experimental drug) periodically impacts him throughout the movie, resulting in disoriention and seemingly forgetful of what he was doing for a brief period of time. It grows worse as the movie progresses.
In his attempts to seek revenge upon his employers, Ledda contends with police pursuit. Two detectives in particular (Vincke, and Verstuyft) seem to be one step behind him. Ledda toys with the police, although he ends up with a gunshot wound to the arm from Verstuyft because of attempting to talk to Vincke at one point.
Ledda kills all of his intended targets, except the last, a high-ranking government official, Baron de Haeck, who manages to get away because of Ledda's worsening Alzheimer's, which leads him to forget to put the firing pin in his silenced pistol when preparing for the hit.
Ledda is captured by the police, and between his worsening mental condition, and his gunshot wound, is bed-ridden and in poor health. The prosecutor, Bracke, who is in the pocket of the Baron, tries to have a court-appointed psychiatrist kill Ledda, which results in Ledda making a hasty escape. Ledda ends up meeting the two detectives in a car, and gives them a clue as to the whereabouts of a tape from the safety deposit box which implicates the Baron in murder.
The corrupt police close in and surround the car, placing all inside at risk. Ledda decides to sacrifice himself by making a run from the car, and is gunned down. The movie ends with the detectives finding the tape and watching the Baron getting arrested.
Main cast
- Koen De Bouw - Det. Eric Vincke
- Werner De Smedt - Det. Freddy Verstuyft
- Jan DecleirJan DecleirJan Decleir is a prolific Belgian movie and stage actor born in Niel, Antwerp .He had his first big role in Fons Rademakers "Mira" and has since then appeared in countless Flemish and Dutch films and tv productions...
- Angelo Ledda - Jo De Meyere - Baron Henri Gustave de Haeck
- Tom Van Dyck - Jean de Haeck
- Vic de Wachter - Dr. Joseph Vlerick
- Hilde De BaerdemaekerHilde De BaerdemaekerHilde de Baerdemaeker is a Flemish actress. She is most famous for her roles as Louise in "Louislouise, and as Linda De Leenheer in "De Zaak Alzheimer" , "Team Spirit", and "Halleluja".She reprised her role as Linda de Leenheer in Dossier K.- Filmography :* Alias 2002 - Eva* Team Spirit II...
- Det. Linda de Leenheer - Geert Van Rampelberg - Det. Tom Coemans
- Johan Van Assche - Comm. François Van Parys
- Jappe Claes - Prosecutor Marcel Bracke
- Gene Bervoets - Seynaeve
- Lone van Roosendaal - Henriette Seynaeve
- Lucas van den Eijnde - Bob Van Camp
- Els DottermansEls DottermansEls Dottermans is a Belgian actress. Trained at Studio Herman Teirlinck in Antwerp, she has been the recipient of several film awards, including two Best Actress wins at the Joseph Plateau Awards, a Golden Calf award for Best Actress at the Nederlands Film Festival, and a Golden Goblet award for...
- Eva Van Camp - Patrick Descamps - Gilles Resnais
- Deborah Ostrega - Anja Laeremans
- Laurien Van den Broeck - Brigitte 'Bieke' Cuypers
- Dirk Roothooft - Mr. Cuypers