It's a mild crowd pleaser for people who are exhausted by blockbusters.

It really made me laugh, but for some moments I was tearing up because I could relate so much.

If you're interested in the topic at hand, you should just watch it and judge yourself because the reviews have gone very biased by people that didn't even watch it and just hate (or love) the creator. I liked it, it was well written, narrated, and directed and it was about a topic that interests me.

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

Due to a lady friend of mine, I just "stumbled upon" this film, without any previous knowledge whatsoever... Well, the depiction is bold from the first scene, but the script and performances (particularly girls) are mediocre at best. The nature is beautiful, the music/soundtrack befittingly chosen, but that is not enough to enjoy a 1,5-hour film, if the transition of scenes is uneven, actor´s lines fictitious and the thoughts and deeds not logical - even when bearing in mind of age of the main (and only) characters. The film also includes evident influences of Pasolini - but not implemented in full. Apparently the German-Italian cooperation with international child performers did not provide an excelling result. Well, there are underaged nudes in the film, but nothing "arousing" is visible, why it is odd that it was labelled as child pornography in various countries; it is more like something happening in nudist colonies. Especially odd now when many teens upload their sex tapes over Internet...

The idea of a teenage couple (and a pet German Shepherd) spending their (last?) summer vacation together, playing (cruel or tender) games, discovering their 'own secret castle' (including a mysterious cave) and, finally, introducing a third teenager into their midst, with dire consequences, is really a good one - a straightforward coming of age story in a way, but darker and meaner than usual. Every scene has its merit, though I found it rather awkward to watch the sex scenes, which also has to do with the acting; I didn't find it that good or natural - even if the honest portrayal of nudity gave it an extra dimension that I have never seen before. Another problem was that a lot of scenes started dragging on at some point. The voice-over musings did work really well, as did most of the dreamy soundtrack (especially the children's songs, but that recurring synth pop song was a bit of an abomination to hear so many times). Without passing further judgment on a film that is clearly a product of its time and place in some respects, this is certainly a special film in more than one way.A good 6 out of 10. Oh, and I almost forgot to mention that poor dove...

OK, I have mixed feelings but I still gave it a 10. I gave it a 10 because the scenery and story was strong and hooks you easily. My mixed feelings come from the facts behind the actors- The movie was released 5/6/77. Eva was 11 yrs, i month old when it was RELEASED. Laura was 12 yr, 1 month. The boy was over 18. How can an 18 yr old boy/man legally have sex with a girl under 12 and one that was probably under 12 when the movie was being made? Ddi anyone else figure out their ages? Amazing. But still worth a look even if you get the edited version. Even some scary parts. Not bad for an old 70's flick!!I also have a 12 yr old daughter so I guess I am biased on my opinion there.

I own this movie & am proud of it. I live in the good old USA and had to buy my copy in Europe, so i could get it uncut, the full 93 min version. This movie may be very controversial, but anybody who can't see past the nudity is very closed minded. This movie is a brilliant piece of art. The forest alone, is worth a million words, not to menchine the story. I'm 19, and had a difficult upbringing, especially in junior high, but this movie nails it, the emotions and feelings that i had as a preteen and young teen. I praise this movie for exploring this difficult transition from childhood to adulthood. Anybody who would call this movie pornography, is ignorant, as far as i'm concerned, at most maybe you could argue that it is mild erotica, but even that is a stretch. When are people going to realize that nudity does not equal pornography, and love making does not always equal sex. Anyway, i have to put in my vote as one of the best coming of age movies that i have ever seen, a 9/10. I have seen a lot of movies, spending a lot of my winters watching movie after movie, I'm a huge movie buff, and through my experience i have found that European movies tend to be a lot more honest about feelings, love, and life in general, then do US movies, where ratings are based on sex and violence. This movie remains a favorite of mine to this day on how brutally honest it protrays this adolescent transition. A must see for anyone who loves art or who is struggling through adolescence.