Wunderland (4 Stars)

This is a documentary about the Miniatur Wunderland (Miniature Wonderland) in Hamburg. It's listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the world's largest miniature railway, with railway tracks more than 10 miles long, but the owners Frederik and Gerritt Braun insist that it's not just about the railway. They've built a miniature world, containing miniature versions of cities from Germany and other countries, all connected by railway. In the documentary the miniature Las Vegas was repeatedly shown.

Frederik and Gerritt are twin brothers, but very different to one another. Gerritt completed school with a top mark (Abitur 1.0), whereas Frederik dropped out of school and ran a discotheque in Hamburg. While on holiday Frederik saw a model railway and was convinced that he could do something bigger and better. He convinced Gerritt to help him, and they started work on their project. They were perfect partners. Frederik had ideas, and Gerritt fulfilled them. It soon became obvious to them that the railway was just incidental. It became all about the surroundings, the miniature people in their miniature lives. They weren't afraid to be scandalous. In one scene a naked man is lying dead in the water while the police are examining the surroundings for clues.

From early on, people wanted to buy the Wunderland. It was obvious that it was a big success, but the Braun twins refused all offers, however generous they were. Not for sale. Others wanted to become partners, but they were also turned down, because they weren't up to the same quality. However, the second half of the film shows a team in Argentina building a miniature version of Rio de Janeiro. I don't fully understand how this cooperation came about, but after four years of work the South American city was set up in Hamburg, becoming part of the exhibit.

When I saw the trailers, I wasn't interested in seeing the film, but Oliver persuaded me. I'm glad I went. I found the film fascinating, especially the technical details. On the other hand, Oliver was bored. He would probably enjoy a visit to Wunderland itself, but a film about it wasn't interesting to him. The cinema was almost full, and most of the audience were adults.

I'd like to visit the Miniatur Wunderland, but Hamburg is a long way away.