Category Archives: German Cinema

Addendum to Fox and His Friends

Posted on March 8, 2013 by yearof44films

There’s one last thing I wanted to mention re: Fox and His Friends, but I couldn’t quite articulate it or figure out how to work it in until now. (I guess I have a lot to say about this one.) … Continue reading →

Posted in German Cinema, Uncategorized | Comments Off on Addendum to Fox and His Friends

Fox and His Friends (1975)

Posted on March 8, 2013 by yearof44films

Fassbinder acted in several of his own films, but almost never included his name in the credits and rarely cast himself in the lead role. Love Is Colder Than Death: no acting credit. Katzelmacher: no acting credit. The American Soldier, … Continue reading →

Posted in 1970s style, German Cinema, Queer Cinema | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Effi Briest (1974)

Posted on January 16, 2013 by yearof44films

Before we get started I just want to state for the record that my assertion that Martha just might be the movie in which RWF learned that he could dispense with critical distance altogether might very well be the stupidest … Continue reading →

Posted in German Cinema, Melodrama, Rainer Werner Fassbinder | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Effi Briest (1974)

Martha (1974)

Posted on January 2, 2013 by yearof44films

I’ve always assumed that Fear Eats the Soul marks the pinnacle of RWF’s obsession with Douglas Sirk. (I believe I said as much in my last post.) But that’s only because I hadn’t seen Martha. Now that I’ve seen Martha … Continue reading →

Posted in 1970s style, German Cinema, Melodrama | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Ali: Fear Eats the Soul (1974)

Posted on November 26, 2012 by yearof44films

I suppose it was inevitable. I seem to have lost all momentum with this thing and I don’t know how to get it back. Too busy the past few months, I think I may have just forgotten how to do … Continue reading →

Posted in German Cinema, Melodrama, Rainer Werner Fassbinder | Tagged , | 2 Comments

World on a Wire (1973)

Posted on October 1, 2012 by yearof44films

It’s funny: the two RWF movies I’ve dreaded watching the most, The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant and World on a Wire, turn out to be my favorites so far. But if I dreaded the first movie, it’s largely … Continue reading →

Posted in 1970s style, German Cinema, Rainer Werner Fassbinder | 1 Comment

The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant (1972)

Posted on July 23, 2012 by yearof44films

As you might expect, there are a couple of RWF movies I’ve been really dreading, some because they’re really slow and static, others because they’re just emotionally brutal and depressing. The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant has been at … Continue reading →

Posted in 1970s style, German Cinema, Melodrama, Rainer Werner Fassbinder | Tagged , , | Comments Off on The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant (1972)

The Merchant of Four Seasons (1971)

Posted on July 20, 2012 by yearof44films

I’ve been picturing some kind of Venn diagram to categorize Fassbinder movies. The Merchant of Four Seasons, for example, would fall within at least two circles (probably more than that, but two’s a good place to start): stories of Men … Continue reading →

Posted in German Cinema, Melodrama, Rainer Werner Fassbinder | Tagged | 4 Comments

RIP Gunther Kaufmann (1947–2012)

Posted on July 13, 2012 by yearof44films

A few weeks after I watched Whity this spring, Gunther Kaufmann died suddenly of a heart attack in Berlin. He was 64. May he rest in peace. This is not earth-shaking news, of course. Many of Fassbinder’s collaborators are long … Continue reading →

Posted in German Cinema, Uncategorized | Comments Off on RIP Gunther Kaufmann (1947–2012)

The Niklashausen Journey, Rio das Mortes, and Pioneers in Ingolstadt (TV Movies 1970-71)

Posted on July 5, 2012 by yearof44films

As mentioned in a previous post, it turns out that three of RWF’s movies made for German TV in 1970-71 are now available on DVD, thanks to the Fassbinder Foundation. So back to 1970 we go—so much for chronological order … Continue reading →

Posted in German Cinema, Melodrama, Rainer Werner Fassbinder | Comments Off on The Niklashausen Journey, Rio das Mortes, and Pioneers in Ingolstadt (TV Movies 1970-71)