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Cinema is not immune to the cyclical revolutions which are
common in most art forms; some are more noticeable as in the
rise of Punk music in the seventies, or impressionism which
influenced not only in painting but also in film. It would
be fair to say that, for the most part, these are driven by
reactions against the social and human conditions at the time
and so it was with the rise of the New German Cinema movement
which reacted against the homely movies being made in the
new post war Germany. Germany was not the only country to
have this reaction, a desire to strip away the fluff and artifice
that was so prevalent in American film and similar movements
sprang up in many European countries, America would have to
wait until the nineteen sixties before its own re-imagining
of cinema would happen.
In
Germany directors like Wim Wenders, Werner Herzog and Rainer
Werner Fassbinder reacted against both the conservatism of
their political leaders and what they saw as the false optimism
about the future. Here were directors who wanted to show their
own vision of the world and, depending on your point of view,
could either been seen as either brutally honest or nihilistic
- either way they created an important body of work.
Rainer
Werner Fassbinder (1945 - 1982) worked as both director and
actor in the New German Cinema and it is often felt that the
movement died when Fassbinder died of a drugs overdose, aged
thirty-seven. Working in almost every visual medium he created
an impressive body of work in a relatively short time. He
completed two very popular television series, over twenty
plays and more than thirty films. For the first time Arrow
films have gathered together seventeen of his best works to
commemorate the twenty-fifth year after his death.
Box
set one contains nine films which cover the period 1969 to
1972. All are presented with a stereo German audio track,
with optional English subtitles
Love
is Colder that Death (B&W, 16:9, 1969) was Fassbinder's
directorial debut and he appeared in the leading role. Fassbinder
plays petty thug Franz who refuses to join an organised gang,
preferring to go it on his own as a petty thief. Like Bonnie
and Clyde, Franz, his girlfriend (Hanna Schygulla, who would
appear in nearly all his films) and compatriot Bruno (Ulli
Lommel, another Fassbinder regular) take to the road heading
towards their inevitable bank robbery.
Even
though it was his first feature, what should have been dark
and tense actually ends up as long winded and surprisingly
short of action. There are some stylish shots reminiscent
of Chabrol and Hitchcock, but the whole thing does not hang
together. It is little wonder that during its first showing
it was not well received, even to the point of being booed
at the German Film Festival.
That
said it shows, in form, many of the things which would inform
many of his later films - especially the lack of choice of
those living at the fringes of society.
Extras:
Nothing. Picture quality is surprisingly good with little
in the way of print damage evident.
Katzelmacher (B&W, 4:3, 1969), which literally
means 'Cock Artist', is another bleak look at fringe groups.
This time a bunch of thirty-something low lives, with nothing
but time on their hands, hang out and have sex. This particular
bleak apple cart is disturbed when a young geek man, once
more played by Fassbinder, joins the group and takes up with
one of the girls. The group react in a predictable way by
beating the bejesus out of him. The film went on to win seven
awards for Fassbinder
A
new aesthetic is always difficult to achieve and Fassbinder's
attempt to show the utter meaninglessness of his characters
lives, by having nothing happen in large part of the film,
might be good art but it hardly makes for an engaging way
of spending your time. Fassbinder's story of xenophobia in
the dissolute youth has much that remains relevant to today,
it's just a shame that he went for art over substance.
Once
more the film has a good print as well as the original theatrical
trailer as an extra.
Gods of the Plague (B&W, 4:3, 1970) and the film
works as a sequel to Love is Colder Than Death as we
follow Franz (played this time by Harry Baer), released from
prison, presumably for the crimes of the first film. He seeks
out his old girlfriend, Joanna (again played by Hanna Schygulla),
and plans a robbery. His dalliance with a new woman Margarethe
(Margarethe von Trotta) leads to the inevitable conflict with
Joanna and his subsequent betrayal by both women.
There's
a lot that can be said for Fassbinder's film noir style and
in some of the shots he pulls it off beautifully, however
the bleakness at the centre of his characters, which reflect
Fassbinder's own gloomy view of life, never makes for easy
viewing. That said, by the third film he was refining his
directorial; technique making for a more satisfying experience
for the average viewer.
Extras:
Original theatrical trailer.
The American Soldier (B&W, 4:3, 1970) is another
expose of meaningless lives. This time Fassbinder follows
Ricky (Karl Scheydt) who having returned from the Vietnam
War works as a hit man. Odd thing is, he is neither American
nor a soldier. Unless Fassbinder was trying to work in a critique
of the Americans and their perceived sense of alienation from
the rest of the world, then its presentation is too oblique
to be noticeable. Little in the way of meaning happens to
Ricky, he goes about his business with a lack of passion,
in what is perhaps Fassbinder's strongest nod towards film
noir.
The
film does contain a few oddities, such as the song and the
over extended death scene at the end of the film that goes
on for way too long - giving the impression of some old ham
actor milking his role for all its worth. There is a lack
of character development. But then, as Fassbinder appears
to be trying to show the meaninglessness of existence, it
would ruin the premise if everyone suddenly realised the error
of their ways and became friends. Reality has little character
development so why should films?
Extras:
None
The Niklashausen Journey (Colour, 4:3, 1970) and Fassbinder
moves away from the pointlessness of human existence and shifts
his attack to the hopelessness of revolution. Well, I think
that that's what the film was about. The actual plot - about
a leather clad monk (played by Fassbinder) who extols the
local hippy peasants to revolution after one of them (played
by Michael Konig) apparently seeing the virgin Mary - amounts
to little except an excuse for soap box politics and nudity.
Undoubtedly,
he was rallying against the same dissolute bourgeoisie that
had so vexed Godard, however the method of attack and its
presentation mean that Godard was, by far, more effective
in getting his message across. Its attempts to be both hip
and relevant, by mixing elements from contemporary culture
with that of the fifteenth century, ultimately has the film
falling on its face. Experimental, yes, successful no. Oddly
enough the film was originally made for German television,
which I can only presume means they had a more liberal view
of censorship.
Extras:
None.
Rio Des Mortes (Colour, 4:3, 1971), and Fassbinder
tries his hand at a comedy for another made for television
film. The story concerns two hapless friends Michael and Gunther,
played by Michael Konig and Gunther Kaufmann, who cook up
a hair brained scheme to go off to Peru to find buried treasure.
The problem is they are very poor, so they do everything that
they can, including selling the car to raise money. Hanna
(Hanna Schygulla) discovers the scheme and vows to put an
end to it.
Ah,
well we could bang on about the need to escape into fantasy
to protect the characters from the utter boredom of their
lives, but in the end the film goes nowhere really. Maybe
Germans have a certain type of humour as I for one did not
find either the performances or story particularly funny.
I can't help but feel that if you can't even be bothered to
change the characters names from that of your actors you're
not really trying.
For
once the print is pretty lousy, soft with noticeable damage
at the beginning.
Extras:
None.
Beware of the Holy Whore (Colour, 4:3, 1971) is a film
about film making. When a group of actors discover that the
film they are supposedly trying to make is falling apart around
their ears, they implode. Ok so Fassbinder is less interested
here in the film making process than he is in the fragility
of the mental health and ego's of the actors, but lets face
it we all harbour a secret doubt about anyone who wants to
spend the better part of their lives pretending to be someone
else.
Like
most Fassbinder films little actually happens in the film
and, whilst that was a problem in his previous films, here
it works well. Here we have no wish for the film to be made
as the sport is in watching the actors fall apart. It would
be impossible not to see comparisons between this and Godard's
Contempt, but whereas that was pretentious, in the
way it was knowingly artful, Fassbinder's take on the problem
is far more amusing.
Extras:
Original theatrical trailer
The Merchant of Four Seasons (Colour, 4:3, 1972) opens
with Hans (Hans Hirschmuller) trying to sell his fruit. Prior
to this he had been a cop, but had left the force following
a sexual scandal. Now he drinks too much and beats his wife.
His position in life gains him nothing except contempt from
both associates and family. When Hans suffers a heart attack,
his family work out a way of remaining solvent and succeeds
far better than Hans ever did. With a man taking his place
in the family, and unable to work, Hans slips even deeper
into despair.
Although
we are back into the Fassbinder country where everything appears
to be meaningless and the only certainty is despair, Fassbinder,
as a director, is finally seen to be leaving behind his chequered
experimental roots and utilising more mainstream film language
to get his message across. This makes Merchant far
more watchable and successful as a movie. Even the ending
is more poignant than his previous films, many of which ended
either pointlessly or oddly. Here, with nothing left to live
for, Hans does the only constructive thing a man with nothing
to live for can do and dies - unburdening his family from
his existence.
Extras:
The Women of Rainer Werner Fassbinder (58 mins 40 secs).
If you're new to Fassbinder this would probably be the thing
to watch before you plunge into the films. The documentary
not only looks at the women who appear in his films, but also
has Fassbinder himself discussing his films and the likes
of Bernado Bertolucci - reaffirming his importance in the
German New Wave. Love Life and Celluloid (60 mins 30
secs) was made by Fassbinder's long standing editor Juliane
Lorenz. This featurette, which was made at the same time as
New York's retrospective of his work, is as much about contemporary
film and the exhibition as it is about Fassbinder himself.
The Bitter Tears of Petra Von Kant (Colour, 4:3, 1972)
and Fassbinder is really starting to get into his directorial
stride with a story of a fashion designer who falls in love
with Karin only for things to go wrong. Well, this is Fassbinder,
what did you expect a happy ending?
The
film was an adaptation of Fassbinder's own stage play and
although the whole thing happens in one apartment, it never
has that stagey feeling.
Extras:
An interview with Harry Baer (40 min 17 secs) who was
one of the regulars in Fassbinder's stable of actors, discussing
his relationship and work with the director. End of the commune
which gives another look at Fassbinder's work.
Overall, given the amount of material, this is going to find
a home in the collection of any Fassbinder fan. Never afraid
to go his own way Fassbinder remains as uncompromising today
as he did whilst alive.
Charles
Packer
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