This is Berlin Alexanderplatz from over 40 years ago now and it's the biggest challenge ever to fit this one into 10,000 signs I guess. I will just elabborate on some of the basics and then pretty much go through the series chronologically. I am from Berlin and we recently had a pretty successful modern version, so high time to give this a rewatch, even if there is also the one from briefly after Döblin wrote this book. This one here received a nice deal of awards recognition, also abroad and it makes me especially happy to see lead actor Lamprecht (reminded me of Fröbe) nominated by the National Board of Review. Well-deserved! Fassbinder was just in his mid30s here and still sadly this is from close to the end of his life. I liked the Berlin accent here of course and also the words the protagonist uses. This is set in the 1920s and prostitution is not uncommon. Same applies to homosexuality, but hey this is Fassbinder after all. Nazis were on the rise as well. I guess that if you want to watch this, you should go for the restored version from the Rainer Werner Fassbinder Foundation. The entire thing runs for approximately 15.5 hours, so hey if you have no other plans tomorrow, go for it and keep watching until you go too bed. First episode runs for 80 minutes, all the others for under 60 minutes. The epilogue (episode 14) is the longest at almost two hours. Fassbinder's strong camera work is visible throughout in terms of angles, positions and movements. My favorite from his group of actors Kurt Raab is not a part of this anymore. He and Fassbinder were not on good terms anymore at that point. No Raab either behind the camera for production design or so. He was a man of many talents. Every episode here has new supporting players. Some return in the epilogue. Hark Bohm would be one example. The opening song is "Freunde, das Lebens ist lebenswert", a really old and catchy tune by Richard Tauber. Great music: anthems, Stille Nacht, Leonard Cohen, Es war ein Edelweiß, Donovan, Die Wacht am Rhein, Mutter der Mann mit dem Koks ist da, Was blasen die Trompeten, Ein Prosit... Peer Raben gives us wings, strings and more. Issues are similar to those we have today: money, unemployment (live to work or work to live? Interesting also with Fassbinder's workaholic background and now in the 21st century with burnout really common.) , love, romance, pregnancy, violence, religion... We hear many voiceovers, see many lines written on the screen from the original work.
Complex start like Shawshank Redemption, Biberkopf does not fit in outside of prison. "The Punishment begins" sure is a sarcastic title. The later titles are more poetic. A bit absurd how he is helped by a Jew early on, then joins the Nazis pretty much. He'd not dedicated, an opportunist at best. He doesn't see it though, thinks he is making the right choices. In the past, he was with the socialists. We see flashbacks from what he did that got him to jail. The killing. Later on as well. Franz wants to be decent now though. He finds a girl, apartment and more, but bad news are just around the corner. Mechthild Großmann from Münster Tatort. Sexuality is a big issue with her story. Women in general are. For the entire series. How they enjoy submission and aggressive men (the biting). Still want to be somewhat in charge. Look at the scene with "You're the devil." "If I wasn't, would you be happy?" Even the sister of the one he killed, is attracted to him. Scene with the leftists at the bar and all the aggression there is most memorable. Franz must out into the world as he says. At the same time hs is whiny complaining about how everybody only wants bad things for him. Alexanderplatz is depicted. We see the blue/white sign from the subway station. Focus is a lot on work and unemployment. We find out the exact number of unemployed people in Berlin. Biberkopf is stumbling from one job into the next. Selling ties, newspapers (like me), shoelaces, again newspapers.
Biberkopf keeps struggling with unemployment, lying around, groaning, doing nothing before he find work. Finds a new woman, a widow, but his colleague, Hark Bohm's character, ruins his new blossoming relationship. Or is he responsible himself by telling said character? Bohm plays an anti-Amor here, is a successful filmmaker himself, has worked with Fatih Akin a lot lately. Eva (Schygulla) is always there somehow through coincidence, but not the most important woman in Franz's life anymore. Women keep swirling around Franz. But his relationship with Lina is short-lived too. Violence attracts her to a new man. Franz is bullied by a Lincoln lookalike and when asking for help with his acid reflux for example, nobody's supportive. Silence. A parallel between a bull and Biberkopf being brought down. Physically accurate as well given Lamprecht's stature. Franz returns, but Lina is gone. Good quote there: "That's how it is. People meet, get to know each other and at some point it must be over." Focus stays on women. Reinhold (John) crucial now. He needs new women constantly and Franz recycles the old ones. Less focus on work. Fassbinder regular Kaufmann is in here too, but plays a really minor character. Winter is there. Franz has a girl with the same name. Fränze. Mira's character, the landlady, likes her. Franz doesn't really. Humiliation ensues. The coffee scene. Little bit of religion. So many Fassbinder regulars here: Vita, Spengler, Desny, Düringer, many more. Franz finally realizes that he is different than Reinhold. Looking for love. Wants to be/stay decent.
Crime becomes more crucial. Franz becomes an accomplice in a burglary. Reinhold's influence. Those supposed to help him in staying honest do the exact opposite. Reinhold turns into a true villain, only Franz doesn't realize. Physical injury happens. His accomplices are worried Franz may talk to the police and give him a lot of money. Franz is even presumed dead, but truth is "only" his arm is gone. Somehow a moral consequence of what he did. Not a legal one though. Parallel to the start though. Crime is crucial in Franz's life again and he is in danger of going to jail. Good soundtrack here. Irm Hermann's only inclusion. Many scenes take place inside a bar, during many episodes, especially early on. Lamprecht keeps proving he is a great choice for the lead with his physicality. Franz's arm may be gone, but he keeps finding friends (or "friends") and women who want him. Suffering a lot mentally due to the loss of his arm. Stays that way as the series continues. Old friendships stay a factor too and how they may have declined. A pretty memorable scene linked to alcohol(ism) when Franz talks to spirituous beverages. Franz used the money to buy a suit. Women are all he cares about, skips a meeting with a friend to spend time with a new girl. Mieze, played by Sukowa. Not a good actress. With her overacting and screen time, the quality declined. Bad to this day. No range compared to Schygulla for example. Her character seduces him too, maybe it's his physical loss now that makes him vulnerable and desirable. You never know if Eva (Schygulla) is a friend or wants to destroy Franz's new happiness again.
Love letter to Mieze plays a crucial role, so we see how much of a simpleton she is with how she reacts. Fitting for Sukowa. With this obstacle in the relationship (another men), we see flashbacks from the killing again. Foreshadowing? Sort of. Only that the killer is somebody else who feels humiliated. Frequent voiceovers and direct quotes from the book. I liked the parallel how you cry when something happens in a movie, but don't when the same thing happens to you in reality. Fassbinder understood film like nobody else. Franz keeps wearing nice suits, now a bit of a legal criminal in the sense of the ones founding banks are bigger criminals than those that rob them. His missing arm makes it easy for him to avoid work. Back and forth between Mieze and Eva being with Franz. The former gets flowers in a romantic scene (supported by the music). The latter gets a visit too. Franz is loud. Obnoxious at times. Boastful. Many political references now. We see the abyss of a struggling society. Also sexual references. Reinhold is back too, but not that much of an antagonist at that point. Real life reference to a crashed-down zeppelin. We see text on the screen again. Old German characters. The arm stays an issue. Innocent kids music as a contrast to the drastic story at that point. Quality not as good as earlier anymore, mostly because of Su(c)kowa. Fassbinder should have cast somebody else. Lamprecht keeps delivering though. The girls make a deal. One cannot get pregnant, so the other should and Franz brings up the baby with infertile Mieze. Franz is not asked. Women in charge. The baby does not live as we find out at the very end. Jealousy also is a bit of an issue. It seems like Mieze truly loves him.
Politics stays a factor. Jürgen Prochnow's brother. Anti-Jew messages more common now. Getting drunk together. Alexanderplatz as a location not really relevant anymore. Franz is in pain every night. Results in conflict with Mieze too. Thinks Mieze wants a baby and then leave Franz. Almost comedic if you don't like Sukowa how she punches the air. Overacting. Franz's screen time is reduced. Crime and love still relevant. Franz beats up Mieze. Jealousy. Reinhold almost seems like a good guy, protects Mieze, and Franz like the villain. Murder flashbacks again. Peer Raben's music is great, the episodes are inferior to the early ones. Mieze at the center. Tragedy ensues in the forest. Others are Franz's downfall again. Foggy and atmospheric. Mieze personified innocence. Will Franz take revenge? Ambiguous comments when he finds out. Bird killing. Narrator deserves more credit. Epilogue very stylistic, absurd, surreal. Fassbinder visible. Mira as Maria, John as Joseph. Butcher scenes. Homoeroticism. Courtroom good inclusion in the end. Again, Franz helps Reinhold. Go watch!
Complex start like Shawshank Redemption, Biberkopf does not fit in outside of prison. "The Punishment begins" sure is a sarcastic title. The later titles are more poetic. A bit absurd how he is helped by a Jew early on, then joins the Nazis pretty much. He'd not dedicated, an opportunist at best. He doesn't see it though, thinks he is making the right choices. In the past, he was with the socialists. We see flashbacks from what he did that got him to jail. The killing. Later on as well. Franz wants to be decent now though. He finds a girl, apartment and more, but bad news are just around the corner. Mechthild Großmann from Münster Tatort. Sexuality is a big issue with her story. Women in general are. For the entire series. How they enjoy submission and aggressive men (the biting). Still want to be somewhat in charge. Look at the scene with "You're the devil." "If I wasn't, would you be happy?" Even the sister of the one he killed, is attracted to him. Scene with the leftists at the bar and all the aggression there is most memorable. Franz must out into the world as he says. At the same time hs is whiny complaining about how everybody only wants bad things for him. Alexanderplatz is depicted. We see the blue/white sign from the subway station. Focus is a lot on work and unemployment. We find out the exact number of unemployed people in Berlin. Biberkopf is stumbling from one job into the next. Selling ties, newspapers (like me), shoelaces, again newspapers.
Biberkopf keeps struggling with unemployment, lying around, groaning, doing nothing before he find work. Finds a new woman, a widow, but his colleague, Hark Bohm's character, ruins his new blossoming relationship. Or is he responsible himself by telling said character? Bohm plays an anti-Amor here, is a successful filmmaker himself, has worked with Fatih Akin a lot lately. Eva (Schygulla) is always there somehow through coincidence, but not the most important woman in Franz's life anymore. Women keep swirling around Franz. But his relationship with Lina is short-lived too. Violence attracts her to a new man. Franz is bullied by a Lincoln lookalike and when asking for help with his acid reflux for example, nobody's supportive. Silence. A parallel between a bull and Biberkopf being brought down. Physically accurate as well given Lamprecht's stature. Franz returns, but Lina is gone. Good quote there: "That's how it is. People meet, get to know each other and at some point it must be over." Focus stays on women. Reinhold (John) crucial now. He needs new women constantly and Franz recycles the old ones. Less focus on work. Fassbinder regular Kaufmann is in here too, but plays a really minor character. Winter is there. Franz has a girl with the same name. Fränze. Mira's character, the landlady, likes her. Franz doesn't really. Humiliation ensues. The coffee scene. Little bit of religion. So many Fassbinder regulars here: Vita, Spengler, Desny, Düringer, many more. Franz finally realizes that he is different than Reinhold. Looking for love. Wants to be/stay decent.
Crime becomes more crucial. Franz becomes an accomplice in a burglary. Reinhold's influence. Those supposed to help him in staying honest do the exact opposite. Reinhold turns into a true villain, only Franz doesn't realize. Physical injury happens. His accomplices are worried Franz may talk to the police and give him a lot of money. Franz is even presumed dead, but truth is "only" his arm is gone. Somehow a moral consequence of what he did. Not a legal one though. Parallel to the start though. Crime is crucial in Franz's life again and he is in danger of going to jail. Good soundtrack here. Irm Hermann's only inclusion. Many scenes take place inside a bar, during many episodes, especially early on. Lamprecht keeps proving he is a great choice for the lead with his physicality. Franz's arm may be gone, but he keeps finding friends (or "friends") and women who want him. Suffering a lot mentally due to the loss of his arm. Stays that way as the series continues. Old friendships stay a factor too and how they may have declined. A pretty memorable scene linked to alcohol(ism) when Franz talks to spirituous beverages. Franz used the money to buy a suit. Women are all he cares about, skips a meeting with a friend to spend time with a new girl. Mieze, played by Sukowa. Not a good actress. With her overacting and screen time, the quality declined. Bad to this day. No range compared to Schygulla for example. Her character seduces him too, maybe it's his physical loss now that makes him vulnerable and desirable. You never know if Eva (Schygulla) is a friend or wants to destroy Franz's new happiness again.
Love letter to Mieze plays a crucial role, so we see how much of a simpleton she is with how she reacts. Fitting for Sukowa. With this obstacle in the relationship (another men), we see flashbacks from the killing again. Foreshadowing? Sort of. Only that the killer is somebody else who feels humiliated. Frequent voiceovers and direct quotes from the book. I liked the parallel how you cry when something happens in a movie, but don't when the same thing happens to you in reality. Fassbinder understood film like nobody else. Franz keeps wearing nice suits, now a bit of a legal criminal in the sense of the ones founding banks are bigger criminals than those that rob them. His missing arm makes it easy for him to avoid work. Back and forth between Mieze and Eva being with Franz. The former gets flowers in a romantic scene (supported by the music). The latter gets a visit too. Franz is loud. Obnoxious at times. Boastful. Many political references now. We see the abyss of a struggling society. Also sexual references. Reinhold is back too, but not that much of an antagonist at that point. Real life reference to a crashed-down zeppelin. We see text on the screen again. Old German characters. The arm stays an issue. Innocent kids music as a contrast to the drastic story at that point. Quality not as good as earlier anymore, mostly because of Su(c)kowa. Fassbinder should have cast somebody else. Lamprecht keeps delivering though. The girls make a deal. One cannot get pregnant, so the other should and Franz brings up the baby with infertile Mieze. Franz is not asked. Women in charge. The baby does not live as we find out at the very end. Jealousy also is a bit of an issue. It seems like Mieze truly loves him.
Politics stays a factor. Jürgen Prochnow's brother. Anti-Jew messages more common now. Getting drunk together. Alexanderplatz as a location not really relevant anymore. Franz is in pain every night. Results in conflict with Mieze too. Thinks Mieze wants a baby and then leave Franz. Almost comedic if you don't like Sukowa how she punches the air. Overacting. Franz's screen time is reduced. Crime and love still relevant. Franz beats up Mieze. Jealousy. Reinhold almost seems like a good guy, protects Mieze, and Franz like the villain. Murder flashbacks again. Peer Raben's music is great, the episodes are inferior to the early ones. Mieze at the center. Tragedy ensues in the forest. Others are Franz's downfall again. Foggy and atmospheric. Mieze personified innocence. Will Franz take revenge? Ambiguous comments when he finds out. Bird killing. Narrator deserves more credit. Epilogue very stylistic, absurd, surreal. Fassbinder visible. Mira as Maria, John as Joseph. Butcher scenes. Homoeroticism. Courtroom good inclusion in the end. Again, Franz helps Reinhold. Go watch!