I made the mistake to read the novel two days before i went to the cinema to see Schlafes Bruder. I loved the book and would have left the cinema after half of the film if i hadn't been invited (so i could not run away).
The story is completely different from the novel and i cannot understand how the author could let this happen - and helped working out the terrible script! It's really a pity. Vilsmair once again pushed his wife into the film, althogh there wouldn't be any part in the book matching for her. (I once saw Stalingrad from Vilsmair and was sure that i wouldn't see Mrs Vavrova, because i expected only men in this film. Poor me! Of cours Vilsmair found once again a role for his wife!) So the tiny, tender and silent Elsbeth, a 17-year old girl, is played by a thirty-year-old woman like a man eating vamp from the countryside. Ridiculous!
In the novel everybody admires Elias Alder for playing the organ in church like an angel. He plays the old church songs like no one did before and made the hearts of the people weak and happy. In the film he plays experimental music, he beats the organ like a madman - i think that the inhabitants of a small austrian village would have beaten him out of the church if he did play that way! I liked Eisermann and Becker, they are always good to watch. But it's a waste of time watching this embarassing movie if you like the book - and the book is really great!
The story is completely different from the novel and i cannot understand how the author could let this happen - and helped working out the terrible script! It's really a pity. Vilsmair once again pushed his wife into the film, althogh there wouldn't be any part in the book matching for her. (I once saw Stalingrad from Vilsmair and was sure that i wouldn't see Mrs Vavrova, because i expected only men in this film. Poor me! Of cours Vilsmair found once again a role for his wife!) So the tiny, tender and silent Elsbeth, a 17-year old girl, is played by a thirty-year-old woman like a man eating vamp from the countryside. Ridiculous!
In the novel everybody admires Elias Alder for playing the organ in church like an angel. He plays the old church songs like no one did before and made the hearts of the people weak and happy. In the film he plays experimental music, he beats the organ like a madman - i think that the inhabitants of a small austrian village would have beaten him out of the church if he did play that way! I liked Eisermann and Becker, they are always good to watch. But it's a waste of time watching this embarassing movie if you like the book - and the book is really great!