Set in 1928 Germany during Weimar Republic era, the film follows a man who has just been released in prison hoping to become a decent man unaware that he is living in a world where decency is hard to find. It is a sprawling film that explore the life of Franz Biberkopf (Gunter Lamprecht) as he was a former pimp that was put into prison for killing his girlfriend Ida (Barbara Valentin) in an act of rage. Upon his release, Biberkopf re-enters society with a promise that he will become a decent person only to encounter a world that is on the brink of collapse. Rainer Werner Fassbinder’s screenplay that includes his own narration that include events happening around Berlin during that year as it plays into the decline of the Weimar Republic is broken in thirteen episodes with the first episode with an 82-minute running time and the other 12 at around an hour. The script plays into Biberkopf’s willingness to become a good man and not get into trouble although he is an extremely flawed individual who is also naïve about the ways of the world as he also has a childlike demeanor in his facial expressions and drinks a lot to the point that he would descend into alcoholism numerous times.
Each episode opens with an operatic song with images of the Weimar Republic era where it plays into Biberkopf’s encounter with the new world as he has a few friends in a former lover in Eva (Hanna Schygulla) and Meck (Buchrieser Franz) as the former would often give him money and other things to help him out every once in a while, with the latter trying to help Biberkopf in getting a honest job. Biberkopf and Meck would often frequent at a bar run by Max (Claus Hom) who often observes a lot while also giving the former some advice on things. The first five episodes has Biberkopf struggling to find honest work while also beginning a relationship with a Polish woman in Lina (Elisabeth Trissenaar) as well as work with a friend of Lina’s father in Luders (Hark Bohm) in selling shoelaces where things go wrong leading to a mental breakdown for Biberkopf until he is helped by a man in Baumann (Gerhard Zwerenz) to get back on track. It is there where he would meet a businessman in Pums (Ivan Desny) who runs an illegal markets operation where Biberkopf would befriend one of his men in Reinhold (Gottfried John).
The two would go into a woman-swapping scheme to help curb Reinhold’s dependence on women where Biberkopf would engage into another relationship with another of Reinhold’s former girlfriends in Cilly (Annemarie Duringer). The happiness would be brief in the seventh episode where Biberkopf is asked to fill in for one of Pums’ men where some revelations occur and would leave Biberkopf dead and losing his right arm. Once Eva and her lover Herbert (Roger Fritz) learn what happened, Herbert decides to use his connections to bring problems to Pums though Pums eventually decides to pay for Biberkopf’s medical bills with contributions from his men minus Reinhold. After meeting Willy (Fritz Schediwy) at a cabaret club where Cilly was performing having not seen or heard about Biberkopf believing he had died from the accident. Biberkopf goes into business with Willy through dishonest means just as Eva would introduce Biberkopf to Mieze (Barbara Sukowa) who would become the love of his life.
Despite learning that she is a prostitute and going to political meetings that has him relapsing into alcoholism, he would still enjoy his time with Mieze though would get despondent over her job prompting him to go Pums for help despite reservations from people working for Pums. The script has Fassbinder often highlighting things where Biberkopf going into situations including bad ones where he would be too forgiving through those close to him are aghast over this. Even in the last two episodes where Biberkopf would go insane over a major incident leading to a two-hour epilogue as the 14th and final episode. It is an episode of its own where it is surreal in its overall presentation as it plays into Biberkopf’s own faults, naivete, refusal to see reality, and his lack of judgement towards those who are truly the worst.
Fassbinder’s direction is immense not just in its grand presentation but also in creating a world that is on the verge of collapse where it is dirty yet exciting. Shot on location at Bavaria Film Studios in Munich, Fassbinder creates a world that plays into a period as Fassbinder would also be the film’s production designer. The sets such as the apartment that Biberkopf lives in as well as the bar he often goes to are key set pieces in the film where Fassbinder’s usage of wide and medium shots cover a lot of space as there are a lot of scenes where Fassbinder shoots on a wide shot to play into Biberkopf’s disconnection with reality. There are also shots that would last longer than a few minutes in some of these wide shots where Fassbinder showcase something happening where Fassbinder would also narrate whatever a character is thinking about or an offscreen event that is happening outside of the scene.
Fassbinder would also maintain an intimacy in some of the settings where he would use some close-ups to play into some of the moments where Biberkopf would gain a semblance of happiness or engage into something hopeful. Even as it also play into moments of suspense such as a scene where Biberkopf fills in for one of Pums’ men as they make a getaway where Reinhold becomes uneasy over Biberkopf’s behavior. The direction would also have this dream-like element as it plays into Biberkopf’s own happiness that is fleeting where is unable to face reality. Yet, he would encounter it through a flashback in which he beats Ida to death as it would appear often as a reminder of him at his most inhumane. Even in a scene late in the eleventh episode where Mieze confesses to Biberkopf leading to a moment of violence that even shocks the sadistic Reinhold where he would intervene.
The film’s final two episodes plus its epilogue would be the emergence of the inhumanity that Biberkopf would be ignorant to where he succumbs to madness over a tragic event while those close to him are trying to make sense of his behavior. The film’s epilogue is where Fassbinder breaks all the rules where he create surrealistic sequences that play into Biberkopf’s troubled mind including his regrets, failures, and inability to see the dark side of humanity. Especially in set pieces where there are a lot of anachronisms in its setting and music soundtrack with a couple of angels (Margit Carstensen and Helmut Griem) commenting on what is happening with even Fassbinder himself making a cameo as an observer. The film’s ending is really about Biberkopf’s fate but also being disconnected from the world that has already fallen into total chaos where he has accepted his fate despite being in Hell on Earth. Overall, Fassbinder crafts an astonishing and visceral 14-part film about a troubled man’s attempt to become decent in an indecent world on the verge of collapse.
Cinematographer Xaver Schwarzenberger does brilliant work with the film’s 16mm photography stock with its emphasis on heightened lights for some of the daytime interior/exterior scenes as well as low-key lights for the scenes set at night with an emphasis on soft lighting in some parts of the film. Editors Julian Lorenz and Rainer Werner Fassbinder (in his Walsch Franz pseudonym) do excellent work in the editing in maintaining straightforward cuts as well as a few jump-cuts in some of the film’s montage sequences. Costume designer Barbara Baum does amazing work with the look of the clothes the men wear as well as the stylish clothing that the women wear during those times.
The visual effects work of Theo Nischwitz is terrific for the film’s epilogue as it adds to the surreal presentation such as a boxing match between Biberkopf and Reinhold. The sound work of Hans R. Weiss, along with sound mixer Milan Bor, is superb for its natural approach to the sound in the way music is presented from a gramophone and the way a pub or a club sounds. Music by Peer Raben is incredible for its music score ranging from brass pieces as well as elements of piano-based music like the late 1920s and some low-key electronic pieces to give the film its odd presentation while its music soundtrack also features many of the music from that period plus an operatic piece that opens each episode while its epilogue would feature some anachronistic music from the likes of the Velvet Underground, Janis Joplin, Donovan, Kraftwerk, Leonard Cohen, and Dean Martin.
The film’s tremendous ensemble cast feature some notable small roles and appearances from Udo Kier as a young cabaret club goer, Lilo Pempeit as Pums’ wife Peter Kuiper as a bald man who runs a decadent district full of prostitutes, Margit Carstensen and Helmut Griem as a couple of angels in the film’s epilogue, Karin Baal as Ida’s sister Minna whom Biberkopf meets and later rapes, Herbert Steinmetz as the newspaper seller Eddie that Biberkopf befriends, Axel Bauer as a former friend of Biberkopf in Dreske who is part of a communist group that Biberkopf dislikes, Jurgen Draeger as a Jewish sausage seller who politely asks why Biberkopf would wear the swastika, Helen Vita and Irm Herrmann as a couple of women who would date Reinhold as part of a swapping scheme with Biberkopf, Volker Spengler and Gunther Kaufmann in their respective roles as two of Pums’ men in Bruno and Theo, Gerhard Zwerenz as Baumann who would help Biberkopf recover from alcoholism, and Barbara Valentin as Biberkopf’s lover Ida whom he would kill in an act of rage and jealousy as she would often be seen in flashbacks.
Fritz Schediwy is terrific as Willy as a young criminal that Biberkopf befriends as he would align himself into some political causes that would put Biberkopf in trouble. Brigitte Mira is superb as the landlady Frau Bast whom Biberkopf is fond of as she always takes care of him. Ivan Desny and Hark Bohm are fantastic in their respective roles as the crime boss Pums and the salesman Otto Luders as two men who would give Biberkopf employment with the former being an illegal markets operator and the latter who would put Biberkopf into trouble and a mental breakdown. Elisabeth Trissenaar and Annemarie Duringer are excellent in their respective roles as two of Biberkopf’s lovers in the Polish woman Lina and the cabaret performer Cilly as these two different women who provide Biberkopf with a sense of purpose and care only for certain things to end the relationships abruptly.
Claus Holm and Roger Fritz are brilliant in their respective roles as the bar owner Max and Eva’s husband Herbert as two men who often bring advice to Biberkopf with the former being more patient while the latter has connections to help Biberkopf. Franz Buchrieser is amazing as Meck as an old longtime friend of Biberkopf who tries to help him find honest work while is a reluctant employee of Pums as he later feels regret for what happened to Biberkopf as he would also deal with a tragic event, he played a part of to his own regret. Gottfried John is incredible as Reinhold as a man Biberkopf befriends who also works for Pums as he is a man with a stutter but also a sadistic man that would take advantage of Biberkopf to the point of extreme measures. Hanna Schygulla is phenomenal as Eva as a former lover of Biberkopf who has become wealthy as she helps him whenever she can while also having some love for him where she also copes with his own views of the world and her concern for Mieze.
Barbara Sukowa is great as Mieze as a prostitute who becomes Biberkopf’s great love as she hopes to give him some hope while is also insecure thinking, she is not good enough for him where she later copes with his own activities and those he surrounds himself with. Finally, there’s Gunter Lamprecht in a spectacular performance as Franz Biberkopf as a former pimp who goes to prison for killing his girlfriend as he is released where he hopes to become a decent man. Lamprecht brings this childlike presentation as someone who is hopeful about starting a new lease on life unaware of the world he is in where he is brought down by his own naivety, lack of judgement, jealousy, and delusions about life as it is an intense performance that is also reserved at times but also dangerous once he goes into a rage as it is a career-defining performance from Lamprecht.
Berlin Alexanderplatz is a magnificent film by Rainer Werner Fassbinder that features a tremendous leading performance from Gunter Lamprecht. Along with its supporting ensemble cast, striking visuals, study of humanity during an inhumane time, an offbeat presentation, and a whimsical music soundtrack. It is a daunting film that is challenging in not just its 902-minute running time but also in its study of a man trying to fit in at a world that is constantly changing but on the verge of collapse during a crucial period in Germany’s history. In the end, Berlin Alexanderplatz is an outstanding film by Rainer Werner Fassbinder.
Rainer Werner Fassbinder Films: Love is Colder Than Death - (Katzelmacher) - (Why Does Herr R. Run Amok?) - (Rio das Mortes) - (The American Soldier) - (Whity) - (Beware of a Holy Whore) – The Merchant of Four Seasons - The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant - Eight Hours Don't Make a Day - (Jailbait) - World on a Wire - Ali: Fear Eats the Soul - (Martha (1974 film)) - (Effi Briest) - (Fox and His Friends) - (Mother Kuster’s Trip to Heaven) – (I Only Want You to Love Me) – Satan's Brew - (Chinese Roulette) - (Germany in Autumn) - (Despair) - (In a Year of 13 Moons) – The Marriage of Maria Braun - (Third Generation) - (Lili Marleen) – Lola - Veronika Voss - Querelle
© thevoid99 2024
Written and directed by Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Satansbraten (Satan’s Brew) is the story of a revolutionary poet whose life is in a freefall due to debt and lack of inspiration as he borrows money from a nymphomaniac prostitute to find new ideas through the gay underground in West Germany. The film is a study of a man who is trying to re-start his career as a poet as he would explore new cultures as well as base his life on the German poet Stefan George. Starring Kurt Raab, Margit Carstensen, Helen Vita, Volker Spengler, Ingrid Caven, Ulli Lommel, Brigitte Mira, and Marquad Bohm. Satansbraten is an offbeat and whimsical film from Rainer Werner Fassbinder.
The film follows a poet who was once a revered revolutionary as his life is falling apart due to financial ruin and a disintegrating marriage while his relationship with his mistresses and prostitutes haven’t fulfilled him until a source of inspiration has him channel the works of the German poet Stefan George. It is a film that explores a man trying to re-start his career and life as a writer/poet as his life is in a whirlwind as he also wants to create anarchy where a moment of inspiration has him writing a poem yet in the style of Stefan George. Rainer Werner Fassbinder’s screenplay doesn’t have a lot of plot as it’s more of a study of the actions of its protagonist Walter Kranz (Kurt Raab) who lives in an apartment with his wife Luise (Helen Vita) and his mentally-challenged brother Ernst (Volker Spengler) as the latter likes to play with flies and expose his genitals to guests. Kranz has a few mistresses and dalliances with prostitutes in an attempt to find fulfillment yet he is eager to go into the world of crime as an act of defiance due to his writer’s block. His refusal to play into the conventions of society does give him ideas unaware that he’s borrowing heavily from Stefan George whom he would study and be inspired by his own actions.
Fassbinder’s direction does have elements of style in some of the tracking dolly shots he creates for some parts of the film as it is shot largely on location in Munich. The usage of wide and medium shots have Fassbinder capture the world of the bourgeoisie that Kranz wants to be a part of yet is considered too much of a radical to be accepted as he is also a narcissist. Fassbinder also maintains an intimacy of having much of his action take place in rooms with a lot of close-ups and medium shots to play into the drama and humor. Notably when one of Kranz’s devotees in Andree (Margit Carstensen) who is a virginal mistress from the country as she is mistreated by people in Kranz’s circle. Due to the lack of a strong plot and Kranz’s anarchist actions, the film does meander in its pacing at times as it also includes a murder mystery involving Kranz and a prostitute where the gun is missing. Fassbinder also play into some of the fallacies of Kranz’s persona as well as revelations about George as it relates to his exploration of the gay underworld in an attempt to gain more followers in the film’s third act with Andree becoming troubled by Kranz’s fanatical ideas and some revelations about him. Overall, Fassbinder crafts a messy yet wild film about a revolutionary poet trying to restart his career through the works of Stefan George.
Cinematographers Jurgen Jurges and Michael Ballhaus do excellent work with the film’s cinematography as it is largely straightforward to capture the natural look of the interior locations along with the stylish usage of candles for a couple of Kranz’s reading sessions dressed as George. Editor Thea Eymesz does terrific work with the editing as there isn’t a lot of style other than a few rhythmic cuts to play into the humor. Art directors Kurt Raab and Ulrike Bode do amazing work with the look of Kranz’s apartment home and the places he go to with Bode creating some lavish costumes for some of the clothes the women wear as well as a costume that Kranz wears as George. The sound work of Rolf-Peter Notz and Paul Scholer is superb for the way music is presented on location as well as the emphasis on natural sounds for the scenes set in a room or in a certain place. The film’s music by Peer Raben is wonderful for its orchestral score as it has some upbeat themes as well as some somber pieces to play into some of the drama.
The film’s brilliant cast feature some notable small roles from Armin Meier as a gay hustler, Brigitte Mira as an old lady Kranz turns to for money, Ulli Lommel as the private detective Lauf, Katherina Buchhamer as a nymphomaniac lover of Kranz, Y Sa Lo as an Asian lover of Kranz, Marquad Bohm as a friend/husband of one of Kranz’s mistresses who takes a liking towards Andree, Ingrid Caven as a posh lover of Kranz who would also take a liking towards Andree, and Volker Spengler as Kranz’s mentally-challenged brother Ernst who likes to expose himself and play with dead flies. Helen Vita is excellent as Kranz’ wife Luise as a woman who feels unloved and always tending to him as she feels neglected and mistreated to the point that she becomes ill where only Ernst and later Andree takes notice.
Margit Carstensen is amazing as Andree as a woman from the country who is a devotee to Kranz as she does whatever she can to help him despite putting herself in awful situations to the point of abuse as she later have revelations about the man she is devoted to. Finally, there’s Kurt Raab in an incredible performance as Walter Kranz as a revolutionary writer seeking to restart his writing career after some setbacks where Raab brings a lot of energy despite the fact that his character is a fucking asshole who only cares about himself with little regard for those who care about him.
Satansbraten is a stellar though flawed film from Rainer Werner Fassbinder that does feature amazing performances from Kurt Raab and Margit Carstensen. Along with its ensemble cast and offbeat tone, it’s a film that explores a man trying to mirror the ideals of a great German poet unaware of his personal life. While it is messy due to its lack of a strong plot, it is still a fascinating character study that explore a man and his narcissism as he is eager to become great again despite his many faults. In the end, Satansbraten is a superb film from Rainer Werner Fassbinder.
Rainer Werner Fassbinder Films: Love is Colder Than Death - (Katzelmacher) - (Why Does Herr R. Run Amok?) - (Rio das Mortes) - (The American Soldier) - (Whity) - (Beware of a Holy Whore) - The Merchant of Four Seasons - The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant - Eight Hours Don’t Make a Day - (Jailbait) - World on a Wire - Ali: Fear Eats the Soul - (Martha (1974 film)) - (Effi Briest) - (Fox and His Friends) - (Mother Kuster’s Trip to Heaven) – (I Only Want You to Love Me) - (Chinese Roulette) - (Germany in Autumn) - (Despair) - (In a Year of 13 Moons) - The Marriage of Maria Braun - (Third Generation) - Berlin Alexanderplatz - (Lili Marleen) - Lola (1981 film) - Veronika Voss – Querelle
© thevoid99 2020
Written and directed by Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Angst essen seele auf (Ali: Fear Eats the Soul) is the story of an Arab worker who meets a lonely widow in Germany as they fall in love much to the shock of family and friends. The film is a melodramatic look into two people falling in love despite the ethnic tension that was happening in early 1970s West Germany. Starring Brigitte Mira, El Hedi Ben Salem, Barbara Valentin, and Irm Hermann. Angst essen seele auf is a ravishing yet captivating film from Rainer Werner Fassbinder.
The film’s premise is very simple as it is this simple love story between a middle-aged German widow who meets a young Arab worker at a bar where they chat, dance, and fall in love. The relationship shocks not just friends of the woman including her fellow tenants in the apartment she lives but her three adult children are also in shock by this relationship. Notably as there’s tension towards Arabs over what happened at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich as many disapprove of the relationship which takes a toll on Emmi (Brigitte Mira) yet Ali (El Hedi Ben Salem) assures her that things will be OK. It’s a film that explores a relationship that just happens where many are surprised as well as disgusted by this union between a middle-aged German widow and a Moroccan in his 30s. Yet, it’s something that couldn’t be explained as Rainer Werner Fassbinder creates a story that is about this taboo relationship being told during a time where there is this ethnic tension emerging.
Fassbinder’s screenplay does have a very simple and traditional three-act structure in the way he develops the relationship between Emmi and Ali. The first act is about how they’ve met on one rainy night in Munich where they chat, dance, and he later accompanies her to her apartment where they fall in love. The news about the relationship shocks Emmi’s neighbors and co-workers as well as her daughter Krista (Irm Hermann) who is the first to hear about the news. The second act is about Emmi and Ali’s marriage and the reaction from family and friends where both of them endure prejudice. Ali is either ignored or treated with disdain while Emmi finds herself having to stand up for Ali to her friends and family who would ignore or sneer at her prompting her to act out. The third act would play into elements of the relationship where Emmi tries to get herself in the back of the good graces of her friends yet would alienate Ali in the process as it would start to affect the relationship.
It’s not just the structure of the script that is unique but also the way the characters are portrayed as Emmi is this woman who is old-fashioned but very lonely as she stumbles into this bar. She is intrigued by Ali’s kindness as she treats him in a very maternal manner and is eager to treat him with respect despite the prejudice she faces. Ali is a very sensitive yet quiet individual who speaks broken German yet he manages to deal with adversity in a very nonchalant way as he holds his head high and know it will pass. It would play into the complexity of their relationship until the third act as he’s being ordered to do things in the house and not treated kindly only for Emmi to realize how much she really needs him.
Fassbinder’s direction is definitely mesmerizing in the way he frames his actors into a shot and how he presents the melodrama. A lot of the melodrama is definitely inspired by Douglas Sirk as Fassbinder isn’t afraid to let the emotions play out that includes this very great scene where Emmi and Ali are all alone in a restaurant while waiters and other staff members are looking at them from a far. Emmi realizes how alone she feels as she starts insulting them as she’s still sitting at her table while Ali holds her hands where Fassbinder does a lot with so little to present these dramatic moments. Even as he would maintain some intimacy in these melodramatic moments that includes the scene where Emmi introduces Ali to her adult children where it’s about the framing and how the camera pans to capture the reaction of each of Ali’s children including her son-in-law Eugen (Rainer Werner Fassbinder).
The direction also has Fassbinder taking on some unique framing devices like the way he puts characters in the middle of a door frame or how they’re presented in a staircase. A lot of it is from afar where Fassbinder reveals a lot of what is happening though there isn’t much dialogue. Even as it would be prevalent in the third act as Ali seeks to find some companionship with the bartender Barbara (Barbara Valentin) who would make couscous for him when Emmi doesn’t want to. The framing devices of Fassbinder are quite entrancing as it would help amp up the melodrama where he doesn’t need to do any camera movements and such. Overall, Fassbinder creates a very sensitive yet visceral melodrama about a love affair between two people that is considered taboo by those watching from afar.
Cinematographer Jurgen Jurges does incredible work with the film‘s very colorful cinematography from the look of the exteriors in the city of Munich in the daytime to some of the interior scenes including the bar where Emmi meets Ali. Editor Thea Eymesz does amazing work with the editing as it is quite straightforward while emphasizing on slow yet methodical cuts to play out some of the drama that occurs. The sound work of Fritz Muller-Scherz is excellent for its sound as some of it is intimate in the way the drama plays out while it also captures some of the great moments in the film involving the music as it features some Arabian style as well as classical and old-school German pop music.
The film’s cast is brilliant for the ensemble that is created as it includes appearances from Gusti Kreissl and Elisabeth Bertram as co-workers of Emmi, Walter Sedlmayr and Doris Mattes as a couple of grocers Emmi always shopped at, Katharina Herberg as a woman at the bar who likes to flirt with Ali, Marquard Bohm as the landlord’s kind son, Karl Scheydt as Emmi’s eldest son Albert, and Rainer Werner Fassbinder as Emmi’s very prejudice and lazy son-in-law. Irm Hermann is terrific as Emmi’s daughter Krista who is aghast by the news of her mother’s new lover while Barbara Valentin is wonderful as the bartender Barbara who acts as a secret companion for Ali as she also serves drinks to Emmi.
El Hedi Ben Salem is fantastic as Ali as a man who is intrigued by Emmi as he becomes her confidant as he helps her out as well while dealing with some of the prejudice he faces. Finally, there’s Brigitte Mira in a radiant performance as Emmi as a middle-aged widow who finds comfort in Ali as she falls for him where she treats him maternally while being his supporting when people criticize the relationship. The two together have great chemistry in the way they act as a couple as well as the sense of distance they create in the film’s third act as they’re the heart and soul of the film.
Angst essen seele auf is a magnificent film from Rainer Werner Fassbinder that features sensational performances from El Hedi Ben Salem and Brigitte Mira. The film is definitely one of the most compelling love stories in film where two different people face prejudices in their relationship as well deal with other forces. The film also showcases Fassbinder’s very sensitive portrayal into the world of melodrama told during a crucial time for Germany. In the end, Angst essen seele auf is a remarkable film from Rainer Werner Fassbinder.
Rainer Werner Fassbinder Films: Love is Colder Than Death - (Katzelmacher) - (Why Does Herr R. Run Amok?) - (Rio das Mortes) - (The American Soldier) - (Whity) - (Beware of a Holy Whore) - The Merchant of Four Seasons - The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant - Eight Hours Don’t Make a Day - (Jailbait) - World on a Wire - (Martha (1974 film)) - (Effi Briest) - (Fox and His Friends) - (Mother Kuster’s Trip to Heaven) - Satan's Brew - (Chinese Roulette) - (Germany in Autumn) - (Despair) - (In a Year of 13 Moons) - The Marriage of Maria Braun - (Third Generation) - Berlin Alexanderplatz - (Lili Marleen) - Lola (1981 film) - Veronika Voss - Querelle
© thevoid99 2013
