What a revelation! Despite loving the early films of Fassbinder but becoming less keen with some of the later works, here was one I had never encountered before yet is an absolute gem. Thanks to the close working relationship with cinematographer Michael Ballhaus (who would later work with Scorcese and many others) this is as visually spellbinding as it is intellectually involving. The minimal storyline revolves around four pairs of individuals thrown together, or more likely brought together by an emotionally starved young daughter for an undoing of their convenient marital set ups and possibly also their privileged position as part of the wealthy establishment within a 'new' post-war Germany. And yet because the dialogue is so believable and so biting and the surface politeness barely concealing the various levels of hatred between the staff, their masters, the lovers and the bitter daughter and her nurse, this is like eavesdropping on some awful event whilst the music of Kraftwerk plays and the camera spins.
Review of Chinese Roulette
