Peter Diamond - Peter-Spotting Card #22


Peter-Spotting Card #22
	______________________________ ______________________________	1981 IK BEN JOEP MELOEN directed by Guus Verstraete starring André van Duin, Corry can Gorp, Frans van Dusschoten _______________________________________ A starring vehicle for comedian André van Duin, this Dutch film follows his exploits as the down-on-his-heels piano tuner Joep Meloen. Joep can't sell his concerto music and can't pay his rent. Now his childhood sweetheart is about to marry someone else, and he can't even arrange his own assassination properly. There's nothing left to do but take his own life. But by chance he encounters another would-be suicider who rekindles his passion for life and together they attempt to break out for stardom as a singer and songwriter. The only trouble is, the gangsters Joep originally hired are still after him... "Ik Ben Joep Meloen"was a big hit in Holland and Belgium. And the rumpa- pumping theme song was released as a single. What's more if you look down the credits, you'll see that infamous Dutch director Paul Verhoeven supervised the editing! Filming took place in Holland. The stunt co-ordinator was Dicky Beer, and Alf Joint was the fight arranger. Dicky, Marc Boyle, and our own Peter Diamond are credited for their stunts. And Peter got a great star turn in front of the camera... _______________________________________ Peter plays a BUMBLING WAITER. Look for his main appearance 88mins into the film, as we reach the climax in the nightclub. As chaos breaks out, mad-haired Peter inadvertently sprays tonic water on the chest of a guest... She shoves him... and he stumbles into the gunman, spraying him too... Now the gunman levels at Peter, who backs away, arms raised... Meanwhile, the film's hero has also inadvertently fondled the same blonde guest... She grabs a bottle... But ends up cracking it over Peter's head! Peter stumbles back into the arms of the gunman, who batters him away. As other folks now wrestle with the bad guy, Peter grabs a chair... But he wallops the wrong person too! We go back to our hero, bumbling past the tables... And when we return, Peter gets thumped by the gunman.. The guy's going for his gun again.. But Peter's grabbed a big vase of flowers and - KER-ASH! - he slams it over the chap's head... As the gunman collapses in a heap, Peter strikes a victorious pose! "Ik Ben Joep Meloen" may be a small film on Peter's extensive list of famous film credits, but this is a super, farcical duel! Oh, and you can also see Peter again, a minute-or-two later. He's ducking and dodging as the film's hero drives wildly around the club in an out-of-control hatchback!