The German films from the seventies and eighties have instantly recognizable flavor - Victor Khomenko - Films/DVD Asylum

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The German films from the seventies and eighties have instantly recognizable flavor

Victor Khomenko

In that sense Sheer Madness is not unique. It has the footprints of several great German directors, but it is still different enough to keep you interested.
The film is made by a woman, and is - in addition to speaking the universal human language - about women. Usually I walk away totally unimpressed from such films, as they tend to have not much else to show besides some social statement... usually a weak and trivial one at that. This one goes deeper... although it too eventually slides towards trivialities.
Some folks love Hanna Schygulla, some hate her... I fall squarely in the middle. Without any questions she is one of the most significant actresses of the period, yet somehow failing to grab my heart. In this movie, however, she truly shines - as she does, for instance in The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant - one of my favorite films of hers... she was, after all Fassbinder's favorite muse.
For her performance alone this film would be worth a rent (or a stream), but the director managed to shoehorn in some bergmanesque dark story, which, actually, is the most interesting of the several parallel story lines.
All in all, an uneven piece of movie making, still deserving a look.

Edits: 11/30/10

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Topic - The German films from the seventies and eighties have instantly recognizable flavor - Victor Khomenko 06:29:41 11/30/10 (9)

Yes, 'Mother Küsters Goes to Heaven' and 'Chinese Roulette' are like great complex meals slowly savored. - Tony D. 00:10:24 12/02/10 (0)

Good point about Hanna. I feel the same about the various women of Bergman, none of them - tinear 08:16:29 11/30/10 (7)

But how high would that great director have risen if not for her presence? - Victor Khomenko 08:26:58 11/30/10 (6)

I don't know, Vic. I started down the Fassbinder path and didn't - tinear 14:28:02 11/30/10 (5)

She didn't just play in his films, of course - Victor Khomenko 14:42:10 11/30/10 (4)

Many, many of his films have come available the last several years. I particularly enjoy his very early crime - tinear 17:16:25 11/30/10 (3)

Specifically, the films Fassbinder acted in. nt - tinear 21:19:23 11/30/10 (2)

Fox and His Friends has a brilliant performance by Fassbinder... - semuta 12:11:12 12/02/10 (1)

Yes, Fass was a very good actor-- I don't know why he hasn't gotten more recognition for it. nt - tinear 20:47:34 12/02/10 (0)

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