Being a huge fan of Joy Division I found out that this was the last film watched by Ian Curtis before he killed himself. I then found out that Werner Herzog was his favourite director and knew I simply had to see it. I didn't quite know what to expect upon popping it into my DVD player as I had never seen a Herzog film before. I begins with Bruno S., apparently playing himself being released from prison with his accordion and bugle. He is warned to stay away from alcohol as beer is the reason he ended up in prison. The first thing he does is go into a pub called "Beer Heaven". There he meets Eva and offers her a place to live, however Eva's pimp and his mate beat Eva and intimidate Bruno. Eva sells herself to men to raise money so herself and Bruno can go and join Bruno's elderly neighbour in America. Like many people in films before they believe America will be the place of their dreams where Bruno can rise to fame with his musical talent and they can earn money. Things seem good at first with Bruno and Eva settling in. However the bank comes looking for repayments to their loan and Eva begins selling herself to men yet again, finally leaving Bruno. In a hilarious scene Bruno and Mr. Scheitz go to rob a bank only to find it is closed, so they rob the tiny shop next door only stealing $32. They then go across the road to spend the money and Mr. Scheitz is arrested. Finally Bruno drives off and kills himself upon a ski-lift. It is a tragic film that really captures the hopelessness of dreams and shows the characters trapped in a world that doesn't measure up to their dreams, much like the dancing and instrument playing animals at the end. Herzog has an eye for simply constructed shots and images that convey raw emotion. One point sees Bruno visiting a premature baby ward. The babies are so helpless and fragile, yet still beautiful. The doctors demonstration of the strength of their reflex grip echoes that of Bruno and his dreams. Herzog is also highly skilled at holding a shot, forcing the viewer to experience the emotion. At the end we see Bruno in a diner, and the camera simply stays on his face, Bruno barely flinches but it is though we can feel what he feels. The film is also interesting in its pace, as it never rushes but feels though each moment just flies by, but also the overall film seems longer than it actually is. The film is very rare as it feels complete. BEing told from Bruno's perspective once a major character leaves him they feature no more. Some films have me thinking "What happened to..." not here though, as I was completely wrapped up in Bruno's journey. The unprofessional cast are more convincing in their subtlety and inexperience than the majority of A list ensemble casts and they really add a human touch to the film. A brilliant film that really makes you feel and connect with it. And since the film is about a musician it only makes sense that the music is well used and very, very good.
Review of Stroszek
