Reviews (39)

Has made-for-television feel but still makes an impact
Based on Richard Rashke's account of the only successful organised Jewish uprising against Nazis from within death-camp barbed wire, "Escape from Sobibor" is an admirable effort adapted for film. Despite its often melodramatic made-for-TV overtones (something cliche'd and rather inappropriate for such a weighty and sombering event in human history), the film captures the painful struggles, defiance against the ugliest of tyranny, and ultimate triumph of the Jewish prisoners over their oppressors. Unlike "Schindler's List," which unfortunately represented its Jewish characters in a one-dimensional and consistently passive light, this film presents us with strong, well-developed characters, from numerous backgrounds and levels of experience, who are justifiably angry and rebellious against the Nazis. The characters are well-acted, with all the passion, heart, spirit, and SOUL it undoubtedly must take to play such demanding and emotionally draining role! s. I recommend this movie fully; it will touch viewers with the spirit of sorrow amid triumph, and vice versa. END

The film of historic accurancy.
"Escape from Sobibor" is a grim turn inspirational film about the prisoners who, after careful planning, managed to escape from Sobibor. 300 died during the escape whereas the other 300 managed to live during and after the escape. The actors, especially Alan Arkin, Rutger Hauer, and Hartmut Becker, gave memorable & magnificant performances. Becker was telling & excellent in portraying one of the chief SS men in charge of the camp, sargeant Wagner. The actresses, especially Joanna Pacula, also played with upmost effectiveness & familiarity with the history behind Sobibor.

The film is historically as accurate as it can be, with scenes so telling of the torture of the prisoners hated due to dangerous & distorted ideologies. The picture, not as masterful as "Schindler's List", is well done nevertheless with artistry & sophistication. The acting measures up to the acting in "Schindler's List."

My only hope is that this video recording is not abridged, for the complete film is two hours & thirty minutes. If the video has the complete version of the film, my recommendation exists very strongly. If the abridged version exist, hesitations should occupy your mind.

Ask questions.

Excellent made-for-TV WW2 true story
This is the best made-for-tv movie (broadcast network) that depicts true events I have ever seen. Rutger Hauer and Alan Arkin are excellent as a Russian POW and a Jewish concentration camp prisoner who lead an uprising in a German concentration camp. It left me feeling "at least SOMEONE in a concentration camp stuck it to the Nazis." It also made me wish more had been able to. It's surprisingly graphic for a made-for-tv movie (I think it was on CBS); it shows naked women lined up to enter the showers (gas chambers). Just a word of warning to parents.

Surprisingly good movie
I have bought this one a year ago and didn't watch it till now. It was a big surprise as I didn't expect souch a touching movie to come out. HIGHLY RECOMENDED

Amazing Portrayal of History
I have visited Nazi death camps in Poland. I found the information presented there to be dry and dull. But when I first saw Escape from Sobibor at a relatives house, I was intrigued, because I could actually see the information through the amazing acting of Alan Arkin. I was impressed how they were able to create a gripping story that appeals to all senses, yet still be able to follow the truth so closely. The emotions I felt while watching this movie was unbelievable, whereas the death camps I was bored and uninterested because I couldn't visualize the information. This movie is great for anyone, whether you are a history buff, like gory scenes, or anything. I would definitely reccomend this movie to anyone who asked me about it. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The Stationmaster's Wife, a drama of post-WWI Bavaria based onOskar Maria Graf's novel Bolweiser, was originally presented as a three-hour-plus event for German television. In preparing his theatrical cut, director Rainer Werner Fassbinder shaved away the subplots and supporting characters to focus tightly on the story of railway stationmaster Bolweiser (Kurt Raab) and his philandering wife Hanni (Elisabeth Trissenaar). Set in late-1920s Bavaria, Bolweiser is a Nazi party man surrounded by grotesque, toadying underlings at the station but is pathetically servile to his increasingly frustrated, unhappy wife. Disgusted by her weak-willed husband, she finds passion in the arms of the butcher. Bolweiser ignores the town gossip and even perjures himself to defend his wife in a trial--an act which later dooms him. Exquisitely photographed (by Michael Balhaus) and beautifully designed, Fassbinder's lush, romantic style suffuses his caustic portrait of the self-destructive Bolweiser (a painfully perfect performance by Raab), and the petty small-town citizens who seal his fate. Even as Bolweiser sinks to the depths of self-pity, Fassbinder's gorgeous, shimmering canvas makes the small-minded doings look so much more tawdry. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (1)

"Women ... 1 of them can ruin 10 men and still survive."
Fassbinder's masterpiece, "The Stationmaster's Wife" is set in Bavaria in the 1920s. The stationmaster, Bolwieser (Kurt Rabb) is basically a good, but boring, man--he occupies a position of some importance in a small town. He bosses around a number of underlings who clearly have the stationmaster's number. They scurry around when he shouts at them, but behind his back, they ridicule him. Bolwieser's relationship with his wife, Hanni (Elisabeth Trissenaar) doesn't exactly help matters. Hanni brings some family money to their relationship, so there's an imbalance of power within the structure of the marriage. Bolwieser's dog-like worship of Hanni does little more than grate on her nerves, and soon she takes a lover--Merkl, the town butcher.

Naturally, everyone in the town is well aware of Hanni's relationship with Merkl, and the affair soon becomes a matter of gossip. And this is the fascinating aspect of this film--many would depict the cuckolded, spineless Bolwieser as an object of pity, or we might even expect him to exact revenge. In Fassbinder's hands, Bolwieser becomes the object of humiliating, collective ridicule, and once he's the town's laughing stock, Hanni manipulates Bolwieser into suing the gossipmongers for perjury. Bolwieser's weak character ensures that he will take the path of least resistance, and whatever Hanni dictates, Bolwieser does.

Fassbinder's film is based on the novel by Oskar Marie Graf. Originally, Fassbinder created "Bolwieser" as a 2-part television play. After concluding the play, Fassbinder cut down the material he had and created the film version. "The Stationmaster's Wife" has an episodic feel to it--perhaps this is due to the fact that several scenes were cut for the film version.

Fassbinder's depiction of the pathological aspects of the Bolwiesers' marriage is a searing, brutal and brilliant portrayal of the subtle power structures within the marriage. There are moments when Bolwieser has the upper hand--temporarily, and then he lavishes his drooling and unwelcome attentions on Hanni--often humiliating her while he has the chance. The ugliness and pettiness of small time life is emphasized through the perversity and grotesqueness of most of the characters. There's one scene, for example, when several characters read a newspaper story about a mother who tries to drown her child. The characters find this story immensely entertaining and amusing, and they all have a good laugh. In other scenes, the camera emphasizes the grotesque qualities of the characters--the only physically appealing characters are Hanni and her lovers. "The Stationmaster's Wife" is in German with subtitles in English. If you enjoy this film, I also recommend, "The Marriage of Maria Braun" and "Veronica Voss." Fassbinder is one of my favourite directors, and "The Stationmaster's Wife" is one of his greatest films--displacedhuman ... Read more

Reviews (39)

Has made-for-television feel but still makes an impact
Based on Richard Rashke's account of the only successful organised Jewish uprising against Nazis from within death-camp barbed wire, "Escape from Sobibor" is an admirable effort adapted for film. Despite its often melodramatic made-for-TV overtones (something cliche'd and rather inappropriate for such a weighty and sombering event in human history), the film captures the painful struggles, defiance against the ugliest of tyranny, and ultimate triumph of the Jewish prisoners over their oppressors. Unlike "Schindler's List," which unfortunately represented its Jewish characters in a one-dimensional and consistently passive light, this film presents us with strong, well-developed characters, from numerous backgrounds and levels of experience, who are justifiably angry and rebellious against the Nazis. The characters are well-acted, with all the passion, heart, spirit, and SOUL it undoubtedly must take to play such demanding and emotionally draining role! s. I recommend this movie fully; it will touch viewers with the spirit of sorrow amid triumph, and vice versa. END

The film of historic accurancy.
"Escape from Sobibor" is a grim turn inspirational film about the prisoners who, after careful planning, managed to escape from Sobibor. 300 died during the escape whereas the other 300 managed to live during and after the escape. The actors, especially Alan Arkin, Rutger Hauer, and Hartmut Becker, gave memorable & magnificant performances. Becker was telling & excellent in portraying one of the chief SS men in charge of the camp, sargeant Wagner. The actresses, especially Joanna Pacula, also played with upmost effectiveness & familiarity with the history behind Sobibor.

The film is historically as accurate as it can be, with scenes so telling of the torture of the prisoners hated due to dangerous & distorted ideologies. The picture, not as masterful as "Schindler's List", is well done nevertheless with artistry & sophistication. The acting measures up to the acting in "Schindler's List."

My only hope is that this video recording is not abridged, for the complete film is two hours & thirty minutes. If the video has the complete version of the film, my recommendation exists very strongly. If the abridged version exist, hesitations should occupy your mind.

Ask questions.

Excellent made-for-TV WW2 true story
This is the best made-for-tv movie (broadcast network) that depicts true events I have ever seen. Rutger Hauer and Alan Arkin are excellent as a Russian POW and a Jewish concentration camp prisoner who lead an uprising in a German concentration camp. It left me feeling "at least SOMEONE in a concentration camp stuck it to the Nazis." It also made me wish more had been able to. It's surprisingly graphic for a made-for-tv movie (I think it was on CBS); it shows naked women lined up to enter the showers (gas chambers). Just a word of warning to parents.

Surprisingly good movie
I have bought this one a year ago and didn't watch it till now. It was a big surprise as I didn't expect souch a touching movie to come out. HIGHLY RECOMENDED

Amazing Portrayal of History
I have visited Nazi death camps in Poland. I found the information presented there to be dry and dull. But when I first saw Escape from Sobibor at a relatives house, I was intrigued, because I could actually see the information through the amazing acting of Alan Arkin. I was impressed how they were able to create a gripping story that appeals to all senses, yet still be able to follow the truth so closely. The emotions I felt while watching this movie was unbelievable, whereas the death camps I was bored and uninterested because I couldn't visualize the information. This movie is great for anyone, whether you are a history buff, like gory scenes, or anything. I would definitely reccomend this movie to anyone who asked me about it. ... Read more

Reviews (39)

Has made-for-television feel but still makes an impact
Based on Richard Rashke's account of the only successful organised Jewish uprising against Nazis from within death-camp barbed wire, "Escape from Sobibor" is an admirable effort adapted for film. Despite its often melodramatic made-for-TV overtones (something cliche'd and rather inappropriate for such a weighty and sombering event in human history), the film captures the painful struggles, defiance against the ugliest of tyranny, and ultimate triumph of the Jewish prisoners over their oppressors. Unlike "Schindler's List," which unfortunately represented its Jewish characters in a one-dimensional and consistently passive light, this film presents us with strong, well-developed characters, from numerous backgrounds and levels of experience, who are justifiably angry and rebellious against the Nazis. The characters are well-acted, with all the passion, heart, spirit, and SOUL it undoubtedly must take to play such demanding and emotionally draining role! s. I recommend this movie fully; it will touch viewers with the spirit of sorrow amid triumph, and vice versa. END

The film of historic accurancy.
"Escape from Sobibor" is a grim turn inspirational film about the prisoners who, after careful planning, managed to escape from Sobibor. 300 died during the escape whereas the other 300 managed to live during and after the escape. The actors, especially Alan Arkin, Rutger Hauer, and Hartmut Becker, gave memorable & magnificant performances. Becker was telling & excellent in portraying one of the chief SS men in charge of the camp, sargeant Wagner. The actresses, especially Joanna Pacula, also played with upmost effectiveness & familiarity with the history behind Sobibor.

The film is historically as accurate as it can be, with scenes so telling of the torture of the prisoners hated due to dangerous & distorted ideologies. The picture, not as masterful as "Schindler's List", is well done nevertheless with artistry & sophistication. The acting measures up to the acting in "Schindler's List."

My only hope is that this video recording is not abridged, for the complete film is two hours & thirty minutes. If the video has the complete version of the film, my recommendation exists very strongly. If the abridged version exist, hesitations should occupy your mind.

Ask questions.

Excellent made-for-TV WW2 true story
This is the best made-for-tv movie (broadcast network) that depicts true events I have ever seen. Rutger Hauer and Alan Arkin are excellent as a Russian POW and a Jewish concentration camp prisoner who lead an uprising in a German concentration camp. It left me feeling "at least SOMEONE in a concentration camp stuck it to the Nazis." It also made me wish more had been able to. It's surprisingly graphic for a made-for-tv movie (I think it was on CBS); it shows naked women lined up to enter the showers (gas chambers). Just a word of warning to parents.

Surprisingly good movie
I have bought this one a year ago and didn't watch it till now. It was a big surprise as I didn't expect souch a touching movie to come out. HIGHLY RECOMENDED

Amazing Portrayal of History
I have visited Nazi death camps in Poland. I found the information presented there to be dry and dull. But when I first saw Escape from Sobibor at a relatives house, I was intrigued, because I could actually see the information through the amazing acting of Alan Arkin. I was impressed how they were able to create a gripping story that appeals to all senses, yet still be able to follow the truth so closely. The emotions I felt while watching this movie was unbelievable, whereas the death camps I was bored and uninterested because I couldn't visualize the information. This movie is great for anyone, whether you are a history buff, like gory scenes, or anything. I would definitely reccomend this movie to anyone who asked me about it. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Rainer Werner Fassbinder--Remember the Man and his Films
This could be a good introduction to the terse, emotionally-layered films of Fassbinder, who is becoming recognized as having had a great impact during his short 37 years (deceased in 1982). His films focus on human themes that transcend era or epoch. Here we find a fruit-peddler, who, although seemingly doomed in his early forays into the world and cursed by his mother, continues to work to find meaning in his relationships with women, men, and the world of commerce. Yet, this well-meaning man sinks further into despair and depression, as life goes on. A poignant tale that is timeless, and as visionary today as it was the day it was released. Very highly recommended!

Deeply moving film & superb DVD "Masterworks Edition"
MERCHANT OF FOUR SEASONS is the deeply moving tale of a German fruit-peddler searching for love and meaning in his life. Not only was this Fassbinder's first major commercial success, it is also one of his best films, and marks a crucial turning point in his career. Stylistically it both looks back to his earlier, more abstract "theatrical" films (like KATZELMACHER), and ahead to his unique melodramas (MARRIAGE OF MARIA BRAUN). MERCHANT is an ideal film to begin exploring - or re-exploring - Fassbinder. Wellspring Media has created a superb "Masterworks Edition" DVD of the film, made from a gorgeously-restored print, with your choice of hearing either a new Dolby 5.1 soundtrack (which I recommend) or the original stereo. They also include two full-length documentaries about Fassbinder: Juliane Lorenz's 90-minute "Life, Love & Celluloid," a fascinating look at Fassbinder's legacy (featuring no film clips but staged scenes, in English, from his plays, plus many revealing interviews); and Alessandro Colizzi's "The Many Women of Fassbinder," which offers a good overview of Fassbinder's career - featuring extensive film clips - while deconstructing the myth of Fassbinder's "misogyny." There is also an insightful and entertaining optional full-length commentary track by Fassbinder's friend Wim Wenders (director of WINGS OF DESIRE, and co-founder with Fassbinder, Werner Herzog, and others, of the influential 1970s New German Cinema movement), and much more. This is an exceptional DVD release of a great film.

ASTOUNDING WORK FROM THE GREATEST
filmmaker of the German New Wave,Merchant of Four Seasons is a truly heartbreaking film about thesorrows of a misspent life, conducted in a beautifully joyous manner.Hirschmuller, and especially(as usual) the actresses, Irm Hermann and Hanna Schygulla, are stunning .One of Master Fassbinder's most quietly powerful films, a study in how a great character study is to be done. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Based on the same true story that inspired Fritz Lang's M, Ulli Lommel's Tenderness of the Wolves takes an unsettling look at the life of murderer, black marketeer, and police informant Fritz Haarman, a pedophile who used his position to sweep the train stations and pick up young runaway boys. Living in the depression of post-WWI Germany, Haarman lured the boys to his attic apartment with the promise of a warm meal and bed, only to emerge alone the next morning with secondhand clothes and black market "pork." Lommel melds images from M and F.W. Murnau's Nosferatu withthe elegant camerawork, evocative sets, and tableaux-style direction associated with the films of New German cinema auteur Rainer Werner Fassbinder, who produced the film and appears in a small role. Screenwriter/star Kurt Raab suggests Peter Lorre by way of the vampire Nosferatu with his shaved head, child-like smile and hunched walk, an insidiously beguiling boy-man who strangles his innocent young victims andfeasts on their blood. The film is handsomely photographed and well performed by a cast made up of Fassbinder's regular troupe, but becomes muddled toward the middle, tangling the many threads before finally winding them together in a bold, baroque climax. Though lacking in the rich irony of Fassbinder's works, it's a striking, often startling film dominated by Raab's unsettling performance. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Good stuff.
Tenderness of the Wolves (Ulli Lommel, 1973)

Produced by the legendary Rainer Werner Fassbinder (Gods of the Plague, Chinese Roulette, etc.) and written by lead actor Kurt Raab, Ulli Lommel's Tenderness of the Wolves has emblazoned on its box "inspired by Fritz Lang's M." Yeah, in the same way John Carpenter's The Thing was inspired by Christian Nyby's version. In both cases, the later crew went back to the original source material to create something more faithful than the first film. M is great filmmaking, and it would be hard to categorize Tenderness of the Wolves as a clear improvement over M, but it's certainly closer to the original story.

Raab (The Magic Mountain, Bitter Harvest) is Fritz Haarmann, the Werewolf of Hanover (as he was popularly known). Haarman's MO was to pick up runaway teen boys at the train station, take them back to his room, kill them, and sell them to the unsuspecting population of Dusseldorf as grade-A pork. Amusingly, during the time he committed most of his murders (those, at least, which authorities verified were his handiwork), he was also a police informant, and used his connections to the authorities as part of his pickup line. None of this was present in M; all of it at least makes an appearance in Tenderness.

The movie is carried, for the most part, by Raab's performance. The man is, quite simply, creepy looking. Lommel (The Blank Generation) uses Raab's creepiness to maximum effect, to the extent of deprecating the other major players in the film (Haarmann's accomplice, Hans Grans, gets about a quarter the screen time he probably should, from all accounts). Staying focused on Haarmann and his activities most of the time gives the film a clarity which it might not have otherwise had, and has been lacking in many of Lommel's later horror flicks. Everything comes together quite nicely, and aside from the nits serial killer groupies are going to pick (e.g., the lack of mention of the infamous "head behind the stove"), it works quite well.

One of Lommel's best films, and a must-see for fans of the serial killer genre. *** 1/2

Fritz Haarman: The Werewolf Of Hanover
TENDERNESS OF THE WOLVES is an adaptation of the life & crimes of one of Germany's most horrific serial killers, Fritz Haarman. Haarman was a homosexual pedophile, police informant,& black marketeer. He was also a butcher of young men & boys & after he has had his way with them, he would dismember them & sell their body parts as meat on unsuspecting customers. He was caught & was convicted of killing 27 victims, though he would confess that he has killed over 40 or 50. He sentenced to die by the guillotine. TENDERNESS OF THE WOLVES is not a very easy film to watch. There is very little in terms of sheer horror or violence, but the movie shows very graphic homosexual scenes & overtones. The film doesn't hide the fact that Haarman's world is full of depravity. He is surrounded by the scum of Germany's society. The film doesn't show Haarman butchering his victims, you only hear of chopping sounds through the walls of his neighbors as they wonder what Haarman is preparing for them. TENDERNESS OF THE WOLVES is a very creepy, dark, disturbing film about a man so full of evil & perverted that the viewer is left feeling wretched & dirty after viewing this film. This film is DEFINATELY NOT for everyone.

Creepy and evocative.
Dark retelling of the story of Fritz Haarmann, the "Hanover Vampire," and an interesting blend of true crime drama, serial killer mystery, and homage to such films as Fritz Lang's "M." Kurt Raab is eerie as Haarmann, with his bald head, bulging eyes, and sinister calm manner. A good amount of factual evidence from this case is included in the movie, and much of the atmosphere is left to the imagination - the warning of "graphic violence" on the box reverse side seems unnecessary, since only one murder and one attack are actually filmed. (Perhaps in 1973, this was considered "graphic," but it is tame by today's standards.) All in all, a very creepy movie.

Director Ulli Lommel's rare first film finally comes to vide
TENDERNESS OF THE WOLVES, director Ulli Lommel's rare first film, finally comes to video. Best known as an actor for director Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Lommel and Fassbinder teamed up for this shocking film about a serial killer, with Fassbinder serving as producer. Following this collaboration, Lommel moves to America where he helmed the cult classic COCAINE COWBOYS starring Andy Warhol before filming a series of horror movies including THE BOGEY MAN and BRAIN WAVES.

Astonishing, artsy, provocative, inspiring, intense and yet
Fassbinder and Lommel created a masterpiece that's been unavailable in the US for 25 years. It's the most shocking portayal of a serial killer I've ever seen. The mood and the performances are awsesome! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Rainer Werner Fassbinder turned to color for his fourth film, a bleak portrait of middle-class banality. Kurt Raab, the plump, baby-faced art director usually cast as the director's most pathetic characters, stars as Herr R., a seemingly successful middle-class professional and happily married family man who stumbles through life like a grinning zombie. As one might guess from the title, Herr R. (an appropriately vague, undistinguished character that Fassbinder leaves unnamed to better stand in for a German everyman) is about to go over the edge, and the film shows us whyin relentless, numbing detail. At work he's an insignificant figure of ridicule; at home he escapes into endless hours of TV when not killing time with empty small talk (largely improvised by the cast), and he soon slips into a listless depression compounded by constant headaches. Fassbinder and codirector Michael Fengler don't make the experience easy for us. The film is as purposely banal as the chatty droning of the soundtrack, shot in a hypernaturalistic approach with a palette of muddy, dull colors that give the picture the quality of a faded Polaroid. There's a genius to the gesture, and the film marches inexorably to a harrowing climax, but it's not for all tastes. Even Fassbinder fans admit that this is a tough film to get through. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Exquisite Fassbinder demands repeat viewings
This film requires concentration and repeat viewings. Fassbinder employs exceedingly long takes and a relatively still camera to portray a man slowly being led to the end of his tether.

Herr R (Kurt Raab, a Fassbinder regular) is everyman. Indeed, each scene conveys the sheer drabness of his daily routine. Work, wife, in-laws. None of it registers. Despite the perfect middle class life--emotionally, he's stone. It has been said that he is invisible in this film. Certainly, he is not seen as something particularly dynamic or magnetic. He doesn't attract people, none of his co-workers seem interested in him personally. Likewise, he doesn't seem interested in them.

But he does feel. He's passionate about music, sings a gorgeous, heartbreaking ballad that causes him to sigh slightly and look even more wan and dejected than usual. His wife bores him, her friends irritate him. Work is a release of sorts, but he's not making any progress there. He tries to impress the right people but he ends up making a total ass of himself.

All of these factors lead him on a particular course. Hence, the title of the film. The key to answering it is careful, patient viewing. This is a brilliant example of building up evidence to support myriad theses about the motivations of a fundamental character. Just be focusing on Herr Raab's face provides essential clues as to the forces that drive him towards his destiny. Great film.

mesmerizing
This is a film that should not be too thouroughly explained prior to watching. Mostly it is a series of the every day happenings in the life of Herr R, a reticent underachiever. He is the child of a certain spiritless bourgeois existence. We watch him at his job, not quite making points with the boss, not quite winning the favour of his coworkers. We watch him try to teach his average, but slightly dreamy, son to pronounce properly. We watch his wife hosting the self-absord and catty neighbors to tea. In short, we watch an unextraordinary bit of an unextraordinary life, which is somehow familiar and for some reason completely entrancing. As one watches it can't helped but be asked why wouldn't Herr R run amok?

a fine film
A kind of documentary of madness, with the madness coming late in the film. Or is the madness everywhere? Disturbing, provacotive, if you have the patience and courage to find out, why does Herr R. run amok? ... Read more

Reviews (39)

Has made-for-television feel but still makes an impact
Based on Richard Rashke's account of the only successful organised Jewish uprising against Nazis from within death-camp barbed wire, "Escape from Sobibor" is an admirable effort adapted for film. Despite its often melodramatic made-for-TV overtones (something cliche'd and rather inappropriate for such a weighty and sombering event in human history), the film captures the painful struggles, defiance against the ugliest of tyranny, and ultimate triumph of the Jewish prisoners over their oppressors. Unlike "Schindler's List," which unfortunately represented its Jewish characters in a one-dimensional and consistently passive light, this film presents us with strong, well-developed characters, from numerous backgrounds and levels of experience, who are justifiably angry and rebellious against the Nazis. The characters are well-acted, with all the passion, heart, spirit, and SOUL it undoubtedly must take to play such demanding and emotionally draining role! s. I recommend this movie fully; it will touch viewers with the spirit of sorrow amid triumph, and vice versa. END

The film of historic accurancy.
"Escape from Sobibor" is a grim turn inspirational film about the prisoners who, after careful planning, managed to escape from Sobibor. 300 died during the escape whereas the other 300 managed to live during and after the escape. The actors, especially Alan Arkin, Rutger Hauer, and Hartmut Becker, gave memorable & magnificant performances. Becker was telling & excellent in portraying one of the chief SS men in charge of the camp, sargeant Wagner. The actresses, especially Joanna Pacula, also played with upmost effectiveness & familiarity with the history behind Sobibor.

The film is historically as accurate as it can be, with scenes so telling of the torture of the prisoners hated due to dangerous & distorted ideologies. The picture, not as masterful as "Schindler's List", is well done nevertheless with artistry & sophistication. The acting measures up to the acting in "Schindler's List."

My only hope is that this video recording is not abridged, for the complete film is two hours & thirty minutes. If the video has the complete version of the film, my recommendation exists very strongly. If the abridged version exist, hesitations should occupy your mind.

Ask questions.

Excellent made-for-TV WW2 true story
This is the best made-for-tv movie (broadcast network) that depicts true events I have ever seen. Rutger Hauer and Alan Arkin are excellent as a Russian POW and a Jewish concentration camp prisoner who lead an uprising in a German concentration camp. It left me feeling "at least SOMEONE in a concentration camp stuck it to the Nazis." It also made me wish more had been able to. It's surprisingly graphic for a made-for-tv movie (I think it was on CBS); it shows naked women lined up to enter the showers (gas chambers). Just a word of warning to parents.

Surprisingly good movie
I have bought this one a year ago and didn't watch it till now. It was a big surprise as I didn't expect souch a touching movie to come out. HIGHLY RECOMENDED

Amazing Portrayal of History
I have visited Nazi death camps in Poland. I found the information presented there to be dry and dull. But when I first saw Escape from Sobibor at a relatives house, I was intrigued, because I could actually see the information through the amazing acting of Alan Arkin. I was impressed how they were able to create a gripping story that appeals to all senses, yet still be able to follow the truth so closely. The emotions I felt while watching this movie was unbelievable, whereas the death camps I was bored and uninterested because I couldn't visualize the information. This movie is great for anyone, whether you are a history buff, like gory scenes, or anything. I would definitely reccomend this movie to anyone who asked me about it. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Rainer Werner Fassbinder's tribute to American gangster films is an exercise in pure pulp fantasy. Ricky (Karl Scheydt) is a German hit man who returns home after a stint in America and is hired by renegade police detectives to assassinate Berlin criminals they have been unable to nab. Ricky wistfully revisits his old neighborhood and attempts to reconcile with his estranged mother and brother--but on the job, this antihero is a hard-boiled, stone-cold killer. Complications set in as he falls for a callgirl, unaware she's actually his boss's girl sent to keep tabs on him. Shot in sharp, high-contrast black and white, this self-consciously stylish crime thriller recalls American film noir and gangster films with its heavy shadows and pools of light. Fassbinder's sleazy Berlin underworld is populated by denizens named after his favorite directors (Walsh, Fuller, Murnau), all dressed as if they just stepped out of a Humphrey Bogart detective movie. It's a playful lark from a director who had yet to complete his firstmasterpiece, but Fassbinder's developing style comes across in crisp images, terse dialogue, and a stunning, unexpected climax. Future director Margarethe von Trotta plays a suicidal chambermaid telling the story of an elderly German woman who marries a young Turkish man, a tale Fassbinder later transformed into Ali: Fear Eats the Soul. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (3)

The American Soldier - My favorite film by Fassbinder
MESSAGE FOR A PRE-REVIEWER: ON THE COVER IS JAN GEORGE, NOT MARIUS AICHER! THIS FILM IS FOR ME BY FASSBINDER SECOND BEST AFTER "LOVE IS COLDER THAN DEATH". I LIKE FASSBINDER AS FRANZ WALSH IN HIS EARLY FILMS. AND I VERY LIKE HIS DARK HUMOUR. BUY IT!

Intriguing early Fassbinder film
The American Soldier (1970), Fassbinder's revisionist homage to gangster movies and film noir, is alternately playful and deeply disturbing. The DVD, from Wellspring, is of very good quality; although bizarrely the cover shows Marius Aicher, who co-stars as the leader of the corrupt detectives, NOT Karl Scheydt who plays Ricky, the titular "American Soldier."

The film tells the story of Ricky, a professional killer, who returns to his German hometown from America, where he fought for the US in Viet Nam. Three detectives covertly hire Ricky to kill the people behind a crime wave which, humiliatingly, the police have been unable to stop. Although it seemed glacially paced on a first viewing, in subsequent days I found myself thinking about its haunting images many times. At times, it feels almost like a ghost story, with phantoms drifting through a literally shadowy world. Fassbinder and his frequent cinematographer Dietrich Lohmann bring an effectively creepy look to the film, shot on a limited budget in stark, high-contrast black and white.

The American Soldier follows Fassbinder's two earlier thrillers, Love is Colder Than Death (1969; his first picture) and Gods of the Plague (1970), but it is foremost an homage to the American gangster movies which always fascinated him. There are traces of his early passion for Jean-Luc Godard (Breathless, Pierrot le Fou), whose ironic style he adopts in staging the murders, with victims crumpling as if they were children playacting at death. But visually and dramatically, it focuses on the classics of film noir. Ricky brings to mind the amoral, unstoppable antiheroes of Samuel Fuller's Pickup on South Street (1953) and especially Robert Aldrich's stunning Kiss Me Deadly (1955). Perhaps the most intriguing element is Ricky's and his unnamed brother's (Kurt Raab, who specialized in playing Fassbinder's most offbeat characters) relationship with their enigmatic mother (Eva Ingeborg Scholz). Her half-smiles suggest volumes of dark family mysteries, and recall the twisted oedipal streak in Raoul Walsh's White Heat (1949).

But too often The American Soldier seems to beg for "footnoting" - putting it in the context of the many extraordinary films which it quotes or revamps - rather than presenting an immediate experience. Of course, Fassbinder often wants to distance the viewer from his films, forcing us - as do Brecht and Godard - to confront the picture's, and hence our own, social and psychological assumptions. But in this film, Fassbinder's sources and his strikingly original vision do not come together as effectively as in his best work.

The film's climax is an unforgettable exception, but I do not want to spoil its considerable shock value. All I will say is that connecting it with the earlier, sometimes even playful, tone gave the film enormous, and deeply disturbing, emotional resonance. This is one of Fassbinder's most intriguing early works, and it points the way to his even greater films in the years ahead.

A Great Introduction to Fassbinder
This is a very funny film. From the dark but humorous beginning to the endless ["So Much Tenderness"] ending (you have to see the movie). For late-night viewings only, I would think. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Rainer Werner Fassbinder had 12 features under his belt when he finally found success at home and earned international acclaim for The Merchant of Four Seasons. Hans Hirschmüller stars as Hans, who returns from a stint in the French Foreign Legion with high hopes and grand plans for the "economic miracle" of 1950s Germany. Fired from the police force for dallying with a hooker, he sets himself up as a street peddler selling fruits and vegetables from a pushcart, much to the horror of his bourgeois family and his socially conscious lover, who leaves him in disgust. Settling for a loveless marriage with a manipulative wife (Irm Hermann), Hans sinks into depression and ill health and finally falls silent as his new partner quietly usurps his place. It's a chilly but compelling portrait of a mercenary, often unfeeling family desperate to grab a piece of the economic boom, and Fassbinder invests it with a mix of street realism, melodrama, black comedy, and theatrical flourish. At the center is Hans, a prisoner of an unhappy life except for the moments he takes his cart to the streets and calls out his wares like a character in some working-class opera---until even that is denied him and he embarks on a special, utterly Fassbinderian escape. It's an unforgettable climax to one of Fassbinder's best films. Hanna Schygulla, Kurt Raab, and Ingrid Caven are among Fassbinder's familiar stock company of costars, and Fassbinder briefly appears in a small role. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Rainer Werner Fassbinder--Remember the Man and his Films
This could be a good introduction to the terse, emotionally-layered films of Fassbinder, who is becoming recognized as having had a great impact during his short 37 years (deceased in 1982). His films focus on human themes that transcend era or epoch. Here we find a fruit-peddler, who, although seemingly doomed in his early forays into the world and cursed by his mother, continues to work to find meaning in his relationships with women, men, and the world of commerce. Yet, this well-meaning man sinks further into despair and depression, as life goes on. A poignant tale that is timeless, and as visionary today as it was the day it was released. Very highly recommended!

Deeply moving film & superb DVD "Masterworks Edition"
MERCHANT OF FOUR SEASONS is the deeply moving tale of a German fruit-peddler searching for love and meaning in his life. Not only was this Fassbinder's first major commercial success, it is also one of his best films, and marks a crucial turning point in his career. Stylistically it both looks back to his earlier, more abstract "theatrical" films (like KATZELMACHER), and ahead to his unique melodramas (MARRIAGE OF MARIA BRAUN). MERCHANT is an ideal film to begin exploring - or re-exploring - Fassbinder. Wellspring Media has created a superb "Masterworks Edition" DVD of the film, made from a gorgeously-restored print, with your choice of hearing either a new Dolby 5.1 soundtrack (which I recommend) or the original stereo. They also include two full-length documentaries about Fassbinder: Juliane Lorenz's 90-minute "Life, Love & Celluloid," a fascinating look at Fassbinder's legacy (featuring no film clips but staged scenes, in English, from his plays, plus many revealing interviews); and Alessandro Colizzi's "The Many Women of Fassbinder," which offers a good overview of Fassbinder's career - featuring extensive film clips - while deconstructing the myth of Fassbinder's "misogyny." There is also an insightful and entertaining optional full-length commentary track by Fassbinder's friend Wim Wenders (director of WINGS OF DESIRE, and co-founder with Fassbinder, Werner Herzog, and others, of the influential 1970s New German Cinema movement), and much more. This is an exceptional DVD release of a great film.

ASTOUNDING WORK FROM THE GREATEST
filmmaker of the German New Wave,Merchant of Four Seasons is a truly heartbreaking film about thesorrows of a misspent life, conducted in a beautifully joyous manner.Hirschmuller, and especially(as usual) the actresses, Irm Hermann and Hanna Schygulla, are stunning .One of Master Fassbinder's most quietly powerful films, a study in how a great character study is to be done. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Ambitious but uneven early Fassbinder film
In The Nicklashausen Journey, Fassbinder co-writes and co-directs with Michael Fengler an avant-garde film about Hans Boehm, an historical shepherd who in 1476 claimed that the Virgin Mary called him to foment a holy war against the "decadent" church and upper classes. To compare the political and sexual turmoil of feudal Germany with that of the modern world, Fassbinder stridently mixes medieval elements (including some costumes, settings, and music) with those from other time periods, including the Russian Revolution (Boehm sings a hymn about Lenin to his followers) and postwar Germany. Although some people find this film a witty and acerbic critique of the Sixties' revolt against the status quo, I found it only sporadically effective, despite a handful of intriguing scenes. The DVD, made from the best surviving archival materials, is of fair quality; the considerable grain is inherent in the 16mm format in which it was shot.

Fassbinder wanted to use anachronism, like his early idol Brecht, to create an aesthetic/political distance in which the audience could analyze current society. But instead of regularly achieving that lofty aim, too often a scene will make its political - and ironic - point, then continue on, and on, in the same vein. This also occurs visually. Fassbinder and his frequent cinematographer Dietrich Lohmann create some striking images, including a running motif of having characters blend into ominous shadows, even as they spout slogans from Socialism 101 - expressing ideology while simultaneously undercutting it. But again, he uses the same strategy repeatedly. The first few times it is compelling; subsequently I felt more "alienation" than "effect."

Fortunately, there are some scenes in which Fassbinder successfully embodies his theme, namely that there are deep flaws in human nature, both past and present, which engender revolution but which ultimately lead to disenchantment and defeat. Especially effective are those moments which explore a character in isolation. Look at how Fassbinder presents the Black Monk, his own character (although he is not listed in the film's credits). Sometimes the monk - decked out in jeans and a hip leather jacket - eggs on Boehm and his followers with incendiary screeds about The Revolution. But when we see him alone, or talking with just one or two other characters, he is deflated, like a puppet whose strings can only be jerked into life by rhetoric and an audience. And who can forget the Countess Magarethe (Margit Carstensen, soon to play the lead in Fassbinder's extraordinary Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant), writhing and falling all over her bedroom, screaming with desire for Boehm.

Despite my reservations, this ambitious but uneven film is worth seeing for people interested in Fassbinder and political cinema. And it should spark many lively debates about the too many topics it tries to encompass, from religion to revolution, socialism to cinema, and gender roles to the limits of art and society.

Not his best, but still interesting to fans.
I love Fassbinder, but if you are looking for an introduction to his body of work this is definitely not the place to start. The story is based on that of a 15th century shepherd who was burned at the stake for claiming he saw the virgin Mary. Fassbinder updates it by adding large doses of Marxist theory (and I do mean large as 90 percent of the film is just people preaching Marxish ideas) and by blurring the lines between past and present (It features both 15th century aristocrats and hippies).

The film ultimately does offer a somewhat interesting look at the nature of revolution and "messiah syndrome," equating marxism with religion and suggesting the characters' marxists beliefs, while in opposition to the oppressive ideology of the upper classes, will itself ultimately become ideology and be just as oppressive as what they were originally fighting. I couldn't help but think of German Marxist critic Bertolt Brecht's idea that theater/film should be deliberately artificial, episodic, and, in a sense, uninteresting as to jar the viewer into revolutionary mindset. If this is what Fassbinder was trying to do he succeeded, as the film ultimately becomes way too preachy (the short running time seems much longer) and while it does have many innovative and interesting segments (the cinematography is interesting as always, but it seems less polished than other collaborations with Lohmann) alot of the scenes end up coming off as amateurish and pretentious (I found my self laughing at several points, but I couldn't tell if the audience was meant to laugh or not. At times it seems like a parody of a bad art film).

The DVD is by far the worst of the otherwise incredibly good "Fassbinder collection" DVDs from Wellspring. While the transfer isn't that bad, the film itself is very grainy and somewhat damaged (yet as this was shot in 1970 for TV you really can't fault it too much).

It is an interesting example of early Fassbinder (before his transition to more melodramatic themes), but in all I do not think this will have much to interest non-fans of Fassbinder. Yet RWF at his worst is still better than 90 percent modern mainstream movies. However, if you are looking for an introduction to RWF, I would reccomend you start with any other of his films currently on dvd before this one. (2.5 out of 5) ... Read more

Reviews (39)

Has made-for-television feel but still makes an impact
Based on Richard Rashke's account of the only successful organised Jewish uprising against Nazis from within death-camp barbed wire, "Escape from Sobibor" is an admirable effort adapted for film. Despite its often melodramatic made-for-TV overtones (something cliche'd and rather inappropriate for such a weighty and sombering event in human history), the film captures the painful struggles, defiance against the ugliest of tyranny, and ultimate triumph of the Jewish prisoners over their oppressors. Unlike "Schindler's List," which unfortunately represented its Jewish characters in a one-dimensional and consistently passive light, this film presents us with strong, well-developed characters, from numerous backgrounds and levels of experience, who are justifiably angry and rebellious against the Nazis. The characters are well-acted, with all the passion, heart, spirit, and SOUL it undoubtedly must take to play such demanding and emotionally draining role! s. I recommend this movie fully; it will touch viewers with the spirit of sorrow amid triumph, and vice versa. END

The film of historic accurancy.
"Escape from Sobibor" is a grim turn inspirational film about the prisoners who, after careful planning, managed to escape from Sobibor. 300 died during the escape whereas the other 300 managed to live during and after the escape. The actors, especially Alan Arkin, Rutger Hauer, and Hartmut Becker, gave memorable & magnificant performances. Becker was telling & excellent in portraying one of the chief SS men in charge of the camp, sargeant Wagner. The actresses, especially Joanna Pacula, also played with upmost effectiveness & familiarity with the history behind Sobibor.

The film is historically as accurate as it can be, with scenes so telling of the torture of the prisoners hated due to dangerous & distorted ideologies. The picture, not as masterful as "Schindler's List", is well done nevertheless with artistry & sophistication. The acting measures up to the acting in "Schindler's List."

My only hope is that this video recording is not abridged, for the complete film is two hours & thirty minutes. If the video has the complete version of the film, my recommendation exists very strongly. If the abridged version exist, hesitations should occupy your mind.

Ask questions.

Excellent made-for-TV WW2 true story
This is the best made-for-tv movie (broadcast network) that depicts true events I have ever seen. Rutger Hauer and Alan Arkin are excellent as a Russian POW and a Jewish concentration camp prisoner who lead an uprising in a German concentration camp. It left me feeling "at least SOMEONE in a concentration camp stuck it to the Nazis." It also made me wish more had been able to. It's surprisingly graphic for a made-for-tv movie (I think it was on CBS); it shows naked women lined up to enter the showers (gas chambers). Just a word of warning to parents.

Surprisingly good movie
I have bought this one a year ago and didn't watch it till now. It was a big surprise as I didn't expect souch a touching movie to come out. HIGHLY RECOMENDED

Amazing Portrayal of History
I have visited Nazi death camps in Poland. I found the information presented there to be dry and dull. But when I first saw Escape from Sobibor at a relatives house, I was intrigued, because I could actually see the information through the amazing acting of Alan Arkin. I was impressed how they were able to create a gripping story that appeals to all senses, yet still be able to follow the truth so closely. The emotions I felt while watching this movie was unbelievable, whereas the death camps I was bored and uninterested because I couldn't visualize the information. This movie is great for anyone, whether you are a history buff, like gory scenes, or anything. I would definitely reccomend this movie to anyone who asked me about it. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Fassbinder's prodigious debut film
This is Fassbinder's prodigious debut film, a revisionist film noir of stark visual style, seething but repressed emotions, and sardonic humor. Even as it draws on his extensive work in theatre, Love is Colder Than Death (1969) points to the 40 incredibly diverse films to come, in several of its themes, stylistic techniques, and psychological insights. But this is no mere warm-up for later triumphs (and tribulations); it seems more resonant with each subsequent viewing.

It opens at a crime syndicate, where - in between brutal interviews with the bosses - small-time Munich pimp Franz Walsch (played by Fassbinder) strikes up a friendship with Bruno (Ulli Lommel), another recruit. Relishing his independence, Franz refuses to join the mob. He returns to his prostitute girlfriend Joanna (Hanna Schygulla, one of Fassbinder's greatest actresses). Bruno tracks Franz down for enigmatic reasons: Is it because he already feels drawn to Franz (their unexpressed homoerotic bond is key to the film), or has he been sent by the syndicate - or both? The three go on a small wave of shoplifting and murder. But when Bruno begins planning a bank robbery, Joanna's distrust and jealousy of him cause her to make some arrangements of her own.

Shot in harsh black and white by cinematographer Dietrich Lohmann, Fassbinder designed this film (with Lommel) and edited it, using his frequent pseudonym of none other than Franz Walsch. From the first scene, he establishes the tense visual style (characters trapped by large expanses of blank wall), deliberate pacing, and almost hypnotic performances. These elements work perfectly to express this almost uncanny vision of a world of repressed longing, frustration and, inevitably, violence.

About this picture Fassbinder once said, in a comment which also looks ahead to his later works, "My film isn't supposed to let feelings people already have be neutralized or soaked up; instead, the film should create new feelings.... I'm concerned with having the audience ... examine its own innermost feelings." And he does. For instance, he infuses even simple elements with many thematic and emotional layers, making them complex, even contradictory, yet almost always involving. Take the plot, which I summarized above. On the one hand, it could hardly be more simple. Yet although it is classically constructed (exposition, rising action, climax), it holds many genuine, and purposeful, mysteries of character, not only for the three leads, but minor roles too.

And in terms of cinema history, Fassbinder turns the crime film on its ear. Although he created a visually stunning "traditional" film noir in Gods of the Plague (the sequel to this film), here he eschews all familiar stylistic cues. Instead of ominous shadows, everything is hit with icy-cold light; there is nowhere to hide. Instead of the baroque, sometimes dizzying, design of such 1950s masterpieces as Aldrich's Kiss Me Deadly and Welles's Touch of Evil, Fassbinder puts us in a world of intense flatness, with rarely more than two or three planes of action. Ironically, the only places with depth of space are the centers of consumerism - the department store and supermarket - which hilariously provide no impediments to the trio pilfering everything they want.

But most of the film's space is of crushing blankness, from the sequence of Bruno's night drive along Munich's creepy, almost-deserted streets (accompanied only by Peer Raben's haunting score) to, especially, Franz's oppresively bare apartment, where much of the film is set. Fassbinder here brilliantly (and economically, since he had only a US $27,500 budget) uses this visual blankness to convey not only his characters' social status, but their emotional states too. In a strange yet brilliantly insightful way, all of those bare walls - echoing the characters' emptiness and pain - made me care about them even more. I deeply responded to their vulnerability, which was unique for each character yet also a common quality. Though they never talk about their frustrated desires and dreams - and of course that silence adds to the film's power - we see that these are terribly wounded people, with no idea of how to heal themselves. So they act out through robbing and killing - using generic criminal identities provided by Hollywood - even as these victims of society victimize each other, and of course themselves. Fassbinder does not excuse these characters, but he does bring them to life.

I think this film succeeds not only sociologically but artistically, capturing - through narrative, performance, and design - the blank poetry of oppression, and repression. Of course, with his debut Fassbinder also wanted to astonish the world; so he must have been delighted with the near-riot this film caused at the 1969 Berlin Film Festival. Today it still feels fresh, strange, and resonant in its chillingly casual violence and unspoken, sometimes heartbreaking, passion. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The original German title, Faustrecht der Freiheit, which roughly translates as "Might Makes Right," describes rather bluntly the crux of this compelling drama, one of Rainer Werner Fassbinder's most acclaimed films. Fassbinder takes a rare starring role as Franz--"Fox" to his friends--a gay carny thrown out of work when the cops close a fairground sideshow. Introduced to a group of cultivated homosexuals by an antique and art dealer (Karlheinz Böhm of Peeping Tom fame), he becomes involved with high-class dandy Eugen (Peter Chatel), who finds the naive, uneducated innocent easy prey when he unexpectedly wins 500 thousand marks in the lottery. Eugen alternately flatters and humiliates Fox, ridiculing his working-class manners and tastes while sponging off his fast-disappearing fortune. The story is partially autobiographical, inspired by Fassbinder's own relationship with an illiterate butcher, but the director casts himself as the victim in the cinematic incarnation and turns his tormentor into a veritable vampire. Biographical considerations aside, it remains one of Fassbinder's most affecting, accomplished, and personal films, and he delivers a sweet, wounded performance as the proletariat Fox in a den of cultured, upper-class hounds. His evocation of the affluent gay community is catty and brittle, but ultimately this powerful drama is less about sexual orientation than class, power, and sexual control. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Powerful film & excellent DVD transfer
FOX AND HIS FRIENDS is one of Fassbinder's most poignant and accessible works. The story and performances are direct, and the look of the film is polished. Yet it also deals powerfully with some of his central themes, such of the search for love, and exploitation in its many forms (both homosexual and heterosexual). Wellspring Media has released a pristine DVD of the film, from a carefully restored print. If offers both a vivid new Dolby 5.1 soundtrack, as well as the original stereo, plus filmographies and Web links.

Fassbinder is very effective at shattering, or at least twisting, stereotypes in his films, whether they concern people from a "different" class (MERCHANT OF FOUR SEASONS), race (ALI: FEAR EATS THE SOUL), age (MOTHER KUSTERS GOES TO HEAVEN), or physical ability (CHINESE ROULETTE). In FOX AND HIS FRIENDS he focuses on homosexual men, in one of the first films ever to depict their lives - warts and all - as complex lived experience. (Of course, in the years since FOX's 1975 release, film has come a long way in exploring the diversity of homosexual experience.) Fassbinder made only a handful of other films dealing with homosexual, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) people: 1972's THE BITTER TEARS OF PETRA VON KANT, 1978's IN A YEAR OF 13 MOONS, and 1982's QUERELLE. All are worth seeing, and each remains among his most controversial works.

Since some people consider FOX to be homophobic, it's worth noting that there are perhaps as many unscrupulous straight characters (including Fox's new lover's mother and father - who swindle him for the "noble" purpose of keeping open their business, which employs 70 people) as homosexual ones. Also, Fox's bar buddies include several caring and likable homosexual and transgender characters, who represent a diversity of ages, body types, and demeanors (some are "straight-acting," others love to camp it up). And Fassbinder, in his most demanding role as an actor, gives his most nuanced performance. There are many complex layers to Franz "Fox" Biberkopf, and Fassbinder explores them all, from street-smarts to sweetness to pain to defiance to despair, and more.

When I first saw FOX, I was horrified by the final scene (although it is vintage Fassbinder). Now, after watching it again, I have to wonder if the film actually ends inside Fox's mind (for his sake, I hope so). That metro/subway stop is unnaturally - eerily - clean and quiet. Everything is blue and white, even the clothes worn by all the characters who pass through. Yet this comes at the end of one of Fassbinder's most naturalistic films; nothing earlier is as stylized. So, is this just a nightmare vision? (But as a friend noted, if you are going to include one dream state in a film - and make it the final scene - be sure the audience understands the ambiguity.) Has Fox learned, from his devastating experiences, that the glitzy "lifestyle" he has just lost was what was destroying him? So maybe - just maybe - Fox is ready to begin putting himself back together... if the final scene is just a nightmare.

An overlooked Fassbinder gem!
This is one of Fassbinder's funniest and most heartbreaking films. Playing the title role himself, Fassbinder delivers an unforgettable performance as Fox--a directionless carnival worker who finds himself lured into a relationship with an upper-class German man after winning the lottery. A very visually striking and emotionally engaging film. Certainly one of Fassbinder's bests.

As for the DVD transfer, it's as good as if not better than the version I saw on VHS. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Compassionate study of a woman, and a scathing social satire
Like all of Fassbinder's best films, Mother Kusters Goes to Heaven (1975) is many things at once. It is simultaneously a deeply compassionate portrait of a working-class woman and a scathing satire of her exploitation by the media and political factions, as she tries to clear the name of her dead husband, branded "the factory murderer." It is emotionally rich but intellectually dense, filled with arguments and counter-arguments galore; psychologically astute yet highly stylized and visually lush. It is a comedy, a drama, and much more. It is also an excellent example of how Fassbinder uses image and sound, often in subtle ways, to develop - and play with - his themes. A unique feature is that he wrote and shot two strikingly different endings (both are included on the excellent DVD), one for Europe, and a more hopeful one for the U.S. They provide two very different ways in which the title character "goes to heaven."

The character of Mother Kusters is remarkable for several reasons. Although Fassbinder often has a tendency to allegorize his characters (albeit in fascinating ways), even as he does here, Emma Kusters (Brigitte Mira) is both a potent symbol of The Mother and, simultaneously, a flesh and blood woman. When so many of his characters, not to mention people in the real world, are destroyed by their rigidity, her willingness to explore new ideas - to incorporate an increasingly complex view of the social world, her family, and even herself - seems a genuine form of optimism.

The film's literary roots also connect with Fassbinder's aesthetic and political aims. Although he attributed its inspiration to an obscure story, the key cultural "mother" is Gorky's in his 1906 novel, Mother (an indomitable Russian peasant woman, after having her political consciousness raised through a family tragedy, joins the Russian revolution). It was also dramatized by Brecht, whose theories of how to engage the audience's mind as well as emotions were a crucial early influence on Fassbinder. But sure to raise the hackles of his Leftist predecessors, Fassbinder takes some hilarious jabs at Communists and anarchists, not to mention right-wing journalists. With so much humor, many people consider this an outright comedy.

But Fassbinder also raises many serious, and still-relevant, social issues - about the nature of mass media and politics - even as he returns to one of his perennial themes, exploitation. And although he satirizes most of the characters, except Mother Kusters, he never dehumanizes them. Take the photographer/reporter Niemeyer (Gottfried John). He is tall, lanky, almost vulture-like, yet he comes across as sincere and likeable, even as he wheedles the most intimate details out of Emma Kusters - and even beds her crudely self-promoting daughter Corinna (Ingrid Caven). It would be easy to reduce Niemeyer, for cheap laughs, to a one-dimensional stereotype. But Fassbinder gives him considerable emotional, even moral, depth. And he is defended by Mother Kusters herself: "It's his job to create sensations. Everybody has to make a living." Fassbinder is merciless, and witty, at condemning the institution; but he ekes out some sympathy for the employees.

Fassbinder uses visual design to make his themes still more complex and involving. He begins not with an expected establishing shot, to show us where we are, but by holding on a closeup of Mother Kusters' hands, as she screws a round brown part into a small white plastic box, one after another after another. Eventually he reveals that she is working not in a factory but at her kitchen table, as she laments, "I'm getting slower." The routine is efficient, even graceful, yet dehumanizing. Not only does this establish her socioeconomic status and long-suffering character, it indicates the same type of repetitive work which drove (the never-seen) Mr. Kusters to murder and suicide. Throughout the film, Fassbinder also uses color in fascinating ways, contrasting the unfulfilled lives of the Kusters with bright primaries - blues, yellows, and especially reds. This is simultaneously satirical, poignant, and even beautiful. He also makes achieves visual coherence and thematic resonance through the use of shape. In contrast to the often comic tone, the dominant visual motif is oppressive, of narrow openings (in doorways, halls, corridors) between stark walls, often shot from twisted angles and in shadow.

Although I don't want to give away either of the surprising endings, I believe both are effective. Each gives characters and themes closure, albeit in dramatically - or comically - different ways, even as they bring to mind Mother Kuster's bittersweet key line: "As my [husband] used to say, you have to see the good in all people." Fassbinder understands that simple, but difficult, maxim too, as he explores the emotional complexity of characters and their lives, in a film without any villains, but with one extraordinary woman at its heart.

Naiive Widow Out To Clear Murder/Suicide Husband's Name
Fassbinder's most political film, mixes all imaginable elements dominating the news in 1970s Germany. The story begins with a radio news bullitin about a factory worker going berzerk, killing a supervisor, then himself. The man's lower class family (busy with small assembly "homework") engages in evening small talk, casually mentioning the news flash in their conversation. Minutes later the bad news arrives at the door.

Immediately the vulnerable "Mother Kusters" is hounded by reporters from the boulevard press. Twisting her words, as well as those of children and a pregnant daughter in-law, along with taking countless bad-angle photographs, the press has their story. The name of easy-going, kind and obediant Father Kusters is ruined.

Several characters bring definite color to this unusual story. Mother Kusters' 30-something daughter, an aspiring lounge singer (a la Marlene Dietrich) shamelessly exploits her newly gained celebrity status by initiating press interviews about her father's tragedy, then moving in with the questionable reporter, who also arranged singing work through "connections".

Mother Kusters soon is "lulled in" by some upscale and persuasive communists, who appear sympathetic, but eventually seem to be exploiting the poor old woman for their own political gains. Finally Mother Kusters ends in a bizarre trap she unwittingly fell for: A group of anarchists, under the pretence of assuring that her husband's name will be cleared, use the woman in a hostage stand-off aimed at the release of political prisoners. - The final scene suddenly stops in a freeze frame, with a brief written description of the immediate action to follow. WOW!

Although not among Fassbinder's great classics, this is an impressive film. The statements made here were originally (in the mid-70s) met with criticism. The treatment of communism and anarchy (in a not necessarily negative way) were seen as contrary to common acceptance of the day. Years after the Cold War's end, the story of "the factory murderer" seems dated. Still, a well-worth-seeing film!****

Excuse me, can I exploit your personal tragedy?
A bitingly clever film from Fassbinder. It apparently offended a lot of Germans when it was initially released, but is quite interesting to watch now as a document of Germany in the '70s. No one is the "good guy" here - the newspapers, the Communists, and the anarchists all want to use Mrs. Kuster's tragic story to their own benefit. Even the laughably ignorant Mother Kusters fails to become a sympathetic character. The woman just doesn't have a clue.

As in all Fassbinder films, the regular actresses steal the show. Ingrid Caven is lovely as the aloof nightclub singer. Irm Hermann isn't quite as strong as she is in 'Bitter Tears of P.V.K.' or 'Merchant of Four Seasons,' but she makes an impression all the same. Margit Cartensen and Karl Heinz Bohm are very picturesque as the "armchair Communist" couple - all ideals but probably not willing to make any real sacrifices.

Probably Fassbinder's most political film, and a very important piece of his oeuvre. ... Read more