De Rijn van Lobith tot aan Zee, made in 1922 by Filmfabriek Polygoon, is considered the first proof of the famous Dutch documentary school. In our day, the beautifully captured boat trip on the Rhine is also an interesting historical document. Eighty-five years later, architect/filmmaker Jord den Hollander and State Advisor on Landscape Dirk Sijmons repeat the trip. Their film account has been laced with scenes and intertitles from the original educational film. A lot has changed in the Netherlands; that much is certain. 'Enjoyment has permanently outstripped by-the-sweat-of-your-face', Sijmons finds. As a result of the lasting peace and huge increase in prosperity since 1945, the production landscape has become a consumer landscape. Holiday-makers have taken the place of hard workers. The 'horsification', as Sijmons calls the growth in the number of riders, is only one symptom. The advancing urbanisation also strikes the eye. It makes you wonder what things will look like in 2092.
