Rainer Werner Fassbinder

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Michael
Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 12:09 pm

Rainer Werner Fassbinder

#1 Post by Michael » Sat Nov 06, 2004 1:23 pm

Rainer Werner Fassbinder (1945-1982)

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FILMOGRAPHY

Der Stadtstreicher / The City Tramp (1966) - Raro R2

Das Kleine Chaos / The Little Chaos (1966) - Raro R2

Liebe ist kalter als der Tod / Love is Colder Than Death (1969) - Wellspring R1 / Raro R2

Katzelmacher (1969)

Gotter der Pest / Gods of the Plague (1970) - Wellspring R1

Das Kaffeehaus / The Coffeehouse (TV, 1970)

Warm lauft Herr R. Amok? / Why Does Herr R. Run Amok? (1970) - Fantoma R1

Der Amerikanische Soldat / The American Soldier (1970) - Wellspring R1

Die Niklashauser Fart / The Niklashausen Journey (TV, 1970)

Rio das Mortes (TV, 1971) - Wellspring R1

Pioniere in Ingolstadt / Pioneers in Ingolstads (TV, 19701) - Fantoma R1

Whity (1971) - Fantoma R1

Warnung vor einer heiligen Nutte / Beware of a Holy Whore (1971) - Wellspring R1

Handler der vier Jahreszeiten / The Merchant of Four Seasons (1972) - Wellspring R1

Die Bitteren Tranen der Petra von Kant / The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant (1972) - Wellspring R1 / Arrow UK R2

Bremer Freiheit / Bremen Coffee / Bremen Freedom (TV, 1972)

Wildwechsel / Jail Bait / Wild Game (TV 1973)

Acht Stunden sind kein Tag / Eight Hours are Not a Day (TV, 1972-1973)

Welt am Draht / World on Wires (TV, 1973)

Nora Helmer (TV, 1974)

Angst essen Seele auf / Ali: Fear Eats the Soul (1974) - Criterion / Arrow UK R2

Martha (TV, 1974) - Fantoma R1

Effi Briest (1974) - WEllspring R1

Wie ein Vogel auf dem Draht / Like a Bird on a Wire (TV, 1975)

Faustrecht der Freiheit / Fox and His Friends (1975) - Wellspring R1

Mutter Kusters' Fahrt zum Himmel / Mother Kusters Goes to Heaven (1975) - Wellspring R1

Angst vor der Angst / Fear of Fear (TV, 1975) - Wellspring R1

I Only Want You to Love Me (TV, 1976)

Satansbraten / Satan's Brew (1976)

Chinesisches Roulette / Chinese Roulette (1976) - Wellspring R1

Frauen in New York / Women in New York (TV, 1977)

Bolweiser / The Stationmaster's Wife (TV, 1977) - New Yorker R1

Deutschland im Herbst / Germany in Autumn (1978)

Despair (1978)

In einem Jahr mit 13 Monden / In a Year of 13 Moons (1978) - Fantoma R1

Die Ehe der Maria Braun / The Marriage of Maria Braun (1979) - Criterion / Arrow UK R2 / Carlotta R2

Die Dritte Generation / The Third Generation (1979) - Infinity R1

Berlin Alexanderplatz (TV, 1980)

Lili Marleen (1981)

Theater in Trance (1981)

Lola (1981) - Criterion

Die Sehnsucht der Veronika Voss / Veronika Voss (1982) - Criterion / Carlotta R2

Querelle (1982) - Columbia Tri-Star R1

GENERAL DISCUSSION

Rainer Werner Fassbinder

RECOMMENDED WEB RESOURCES

Rainer Werner Fassbinder Foundation

Wikipedia

Senses of Cinema

Bright Lights Film Journal

Screening the Past - Fassinder's use of sound and music

The Films of Rainer Werner Fassbinder - personal overview of Fassbinder's cinematic and theater careers

Village Voice - Sontag's interview with Hanna Schygulla

Museum of Modern Art - Fassbinder exhibition

Fassbinder's Gravesite

FILMS

Ali: Fear Eats the Soul

The BRD Trilogy

Berlin Alexanderplatz

DVD

Fassbinder R2 UK

BOOKS

Fassbinder: Life and Work of a Provocative Genius by Christian Braad Thomsen

Fassbinder's Germany: History, Identity, Subject by Thomas Elsaesser

Rainer Werner Fassbinder and the German Theatre by David Barnett

Understanding Rainer Werner Fassbinder: Film as Private and Public Art by Wallace Steadman Watson

The Anarchy of the Imagination: Interviews, Essays, Notes by Rainer Werner Fassbinder

The Marriage of Maria Braun by Rainer Werner Fassbinder

West German Filmmakers on Film: Visions and Voices by Eric Rentschler (Holes & Meier Publishers)

Chaos as Usual: Conversations about Rainer Werner Fassbinder (Applause Books)

Rainer Werner Fassbinder: Plays (PAJ Publications)
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I'm going through the annual Fassbinder phase again.

In A Year of 13 Moons is one of the Fassbinder titles I've not experienced yet. None of the video stores in my area carries this film but Borders has the DVD for sale. I'm soo tempted to buy it but I don't want to repeat the same mistake I made with Querelle (which wasted my 25 bucks).

Fassbinder is an unusual artist and not every film of his is a knockout. My favorites = Veronika Voss and Ali: Fear Eats The Soul. What catches my attention about 13 Moons is the "transvestite" (using the 70s term) and I'm very curious to see how Fassbinder handles this type of character especially he's soo good with women. Is this film in the same vein as my Fassbinder favorites?
Last edited by Michael on Sat Feb 16, 2008 8:06 am, edited 1 time in total.

Narshty
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#2 Post by Narshty » Sat Nov 06, 2004 1:28 pm

Sorry for leading this thread down paths it should not venture right off the bat, but this intrigued me:
Michael wrote:What catches my attention about 13 Moons is the "transvestite" (using the 70s term)
Am I three decades behind in my political correctness? Is "transvestite" a no-no word now, or is it just considered outdated, like "bodacious"?

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Lino
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#3 Post by Lino » Sat Nov 06, 2004 2:00 pm

Michael, having yet not seen 13 Moons, I cannot recommend it to you.

All I can tell you is that that's one Fassbinder title that I've been wanting to see for the longest time and still haven't managed to do so.

As a minor appetizer, I have to tell you this: Fassbinder used the music featured on Visconti's Death in Venice on his film, too. As for the final result, I want to find out like crazy if it worked or not! So, rent it and give me/us some feedback, ok?

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GringoTex
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#4 Post by GringoTex » Sat Nov 06, 2004 3:46 pm

Michael wrote:I'm going through the annual Fassbinder phase again.

In A Year of 13 Moons is one of the Fassbinder titles I've not experienced yet. None of the video stores in my area carries this film but Borders has the DVD for sale. I'm soo tempted to buy it but I don't want to repeat the same mistake I made with Querelle (which wasted my 25 bucks).

Fassbinder is an unusual artist and not every film of his is a knockout. My favorites = Veronika Voss and Ali: Fear Eats The Soul. What catches my attention about 13 Moons is the "transvestite" (using the 70s term) and I'm very curious to see how Fassbinder handles this type of character especially he's soo good with women. Is this film in the same vein as my Fassbinder favorites?
13 Moons is my favorite Fassbinder film and the Fantoma disc is superb with a commentary, two interviews and an intro by Richard Linklater. I recommend it highly, especially if you liked Veronika Voss.

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Michael
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#5 Post by Michael » Sat Nov 06, 2004 4:17 pm

Am I three decades behind in my political correctness? Is "transvestite" a no-no word now, or is it just considered outdated, like "bodacious"?
Depends on the individual. Today younger folks don't seem to be comfortable with the word "transvestite" (I think it's because it sounds too old fashioned or maybe it's not longer PC). It's been sooo long time (years I would say) since I heard "transvestite" uttered from anyone's mouth and that's saying alot for anyone who's been working at a bustling gay night club for a decade (my position = security guard). The club where I'm working at offers various drag shows nightly. Plus I have a couple of close friends - one lives as a woman 24/7.. she likes to call herself "woman" even though she's pre-op and another friend only dresses up as a woman to perform for the shows, etc.. he calls himself "female impersonator" to straight folks and "drag queen" to gays. The other night, I ran into a woman who called herself a "transgender".. she corrected me after I used the word "transexual".. . GEEZ! Again, it depends on the individual.

I just felt like using "transvestite" when bringing up 13 Moons.. it just felt right using that word which I remember was more used back in the 70s.

But personally I dont give a fuck about PC or terms, etc. The last thing I want to do is to offend anyone on this forum or anywhere.. I intend to do whatever to stay respectable to everyone.

Langlois, thanks. I will look for the DVD today.
Last edited by Michael on Sat Nov 06, 2004 4:55 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Michael
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#6 Post by Michael » Sat Nov 06, 2004 4:57 pm

I haven't seen Why Does Herr yet. Can you please make more comments on that?

Just wait til you see the Fassbinder Criterions - Ali: Fear Eats the Soul and The BRD Trilogy. You will never be the same after living them.

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jorencain
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#7 Post by jorencain » Sat Nov 06, 2004 5:11 pm

Annie Mall wrote:As a minor appetizer, I have to tell you this: Fassbinder used the music featured on Visconti's Death in Venice on his film, too. As for the final result, I want to find out like crazy if it worked or not! So, rent it and give me/us some feedback, ok?
He also uses music from "Amarcord" in it. I have seen about 6 or 7 Fassbinder films; I loved the BRD Trilogy, and I really enjoyed "13 Moons." One word of warning: there is an extensive and VERY graphic scene involving cows in a slaughterhouse. If you get at all queasy from that stuff (and who doesn't?) just be forwarned. If you can get through that (just focusing on the subtitles and what the characters are discussing, as Linklater suggests in his introduction), you should be alright. The film, extras, and transfer on the Fantoma DVD are all great, though, so I would really recommend it.

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Michael
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#8 Post by Michael » Mon Nov 08, 2004 12:37 am

Finished watching 13 Moons five minutes ago. Need lots of time and a few more viewings to fully digest it. But I gotta say that it's up there as Fassbinder's best along with Veronika Voss. Great great great film ...so beautifully choreographed that everything seems to be floating like a never-ending drug-induced haze. Erwin/Elvira - what an unbearably heartbreaking performance. I don't think I will ever forget her. The nun walking throughout the bedroom in the eerily comforting finale is at first absurd then becomes so perfect.

For those of you who love films with great poetry, 13 Moons is your film.

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Michael
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#9 Post by Michael » Mon Nov 08, 2004 10:45 am

The morning after...13 Moons definitely doesn't let you go even long after watching it. Surprisingly I slept like a baby an hour after watching it. The film is very harrowing but its finale is so full of beautiful serenity that calms and balances everything. I feel a great sense of peace after the nun dispappears once she blesses everything that's important to Erwin/Elvira.

The word "haunting" is unquestitonably invented for this film!...the slaughterhouse sequence - oh my god, I nearly lost my dinner. It is so brutal and scary but at the same time, very beautiful and poetic. Definitely a metaphor for many things - the concentration camps and Erwin's sacrifice. One of the best use of metaphor I've ever seen in films - so gorgeously choreographed that you could easily get lost in that slaughterhouse. And what about the visit to the nun? How the camera sweeps around as the nun reflecting on Erwin's childhood... its like the spirit leading us throughout the memories of Erwin's damaged childhood. I love the Cabiria-like prostitute in a fluffy fur coat.. after reciting a bedtime story to the corpse-like, sleeping Elvira , she watches the TV, flipping the channels for a good amount of time. What is the signifiance of that scene? Not sure of that.

Anyway, an amazing film that rocks my world at the moment. Fassbinder's best film easily (with Veronika Voss).

How do Fassbinder's other films Martha (made for TV ) and Fox And His Friends stand up to 13 Moons? Those two are the ones I've not seen yet.. looking forward to locating them.

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mingus
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#10 Post by mingus » Mon Nov 08, 2004 6:55 pm

Michael wrote:How do Fassbinder's other films Martha (made for TV ) and Fox And His Friends stand up to 13 Moons?
Martha is my favorite (besides Die bitteren Tr�nen der Petra von Kant) and it is pure psychological drama. I am a big fan of Margit Carstensen, nobody transports more energy, more fear through facial expression; i don't know if you can acknowledge it, but her articulation of Fassbinder's words in Martha is fantastic, she really delivers.
It is however a totally different universe compared to In a year with 13 moons, it is more like a stage play and more claustrophobic but great acting from both Karl Heinz B�hm (Peeping Tom) and Margit Carstensen.
Give it a chance.

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ben d banana
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#11 Post by ben d banana » Mon Nov 08, 2004 7:09 pm

damn, better get to watching my martha dvd then. carstensen is amazing and the bitter tears of petra von kant is amongst my favorite fassbinder's so far (along with fox and his friends and the merchant of four seasons off the top of my head). i'm one of those who finds the concept of germans and humor paradoxical (no offense, i love me some germans), and all of his eh, comical, work just seems shrill, again, so far.

i did think it was fitting having linklater do the into for 13 moons, besides being a favorite of his as he says, as it seems to me the movie he is most trying to recapture in his own work, like altman and rules of the game.

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Michael
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#12 Post by Michael » Mon Nov 08, 2004 10:17 pm

i did think it was fitting having linklater do the into for 13 moons,
Yeah.. at first I was surprised about that but after listening to his intro, now I can see it.. his enthusiasm and love for 13 Moons is wonderful to hear. But for any filmmaker, like Linklater trying to recapture 13 Moons in his works, all I have to say is "Viel Erfolg"!

I found the DVD of Fox & His Friends today and finished watching it just now. Another amazing film. The resonance is not as strong as 13 Moons.. it is a very compelling look at Berlin's 70s gay scene (the upper crust). Fassbinder in that role as Fox is cute esp in that leather jacket .. I mean the infectiously sad, wounded look that refuses to leave his eyes.. like a lost cat you come across on the road, wanting to rescue him and bring him home. In all, I think Fox is a fantastic film; a rare creature that is so filled with bold truth. With all my heart, it's a must see.
Last edited by Michael on Tue Nov 09, 2004 4:29 am, edited 1 time in total.

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zedz
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#13 Post by zedz » Mon Nov 08, 2004 10:49 pm

It's been a long time since I've seen 13 Moons, but I recall it as one of Fassbinder's most painful and moving films. I also recall the slaughterhouse scene as being brilliantly sadistic, particularly for non-German speaking audiences. From memory, the long, graphic sequence is accompanied by a vast amount of important expository dialogue, so the subtitle-dependent can't afford to look away, however upsetting they find the carnage.

Does this recollection match those of people who have actually seen the movie lately, or have I misremembered the dismemberment?

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Michael
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#14 Post by Michael » Tue Nov 09, 2004 11:56 am

Fassbinder used the music featured on Visconti's Death in Venice on his film, too. As for the final result, I want to find out like crazy if it worked or not! So, rent it and give me/us some feedback, ok?
Annie Mall, apologies for not getting into that sooner. 13 Moons opens with a bunch of guys cruising and having public sex in the chilly early morning light. The Mahler music is played during this scene. It sounds very strange but it ultimately works. Strange because I had just seen Death In Venice for the first time a few weeks ago and the opening scene did sailed my mind to the Visconti film.

13 Moons also uses the music from Amarcord (and possibly Nights of Cabiria) - a strange choice I must say but it still works! My partner refused to sit through 13 Moons after I described a bit of its premise to him ... he doesn't like "depressing, disturbing, demanding" films that make up most of my DVD collection :D He's more of the Amarcord type of guy and in fact, that's his favorite foreign film of all time. He was in the other room while I was watching 13 Moons. At one point, he came in the room thinking I was watching Amarcord because of the music..after realizing his error, he went back out to the next room and sat down to savor the rest of the music, reflecting on the beach town and its folks of Amarcord - even if it's interwined with Edwin/Elvira's very painful, stirring , poetic rapid-fire voice-over.

EDIT: With all this talk about the famous slaughterhouse sequence and 13 Moons being a painful film, please please please don't let this scare you away or you're missing what I think is one of the finest, rarest of the modern cinema.

Is the slaughterhouse sequence sadistic? I don't think so. It is there for the most excellent reason and that is to serve as a very poweful metaphor for many things.. yes it is brutal and bloody but it's happening every minute everywhere... the line of beautiful cows parading to be slaughtered, sacrificed stands for the darkest history of Germany (concentration camps) and also for the darkest time of Edwin/Elvira's life - the sacrifice for the stronger folks whether it's for love or power. The weak folks like Edwin/Elvira and the cows get crushed like insects and that's how the world functions in the brilliant mind of Fassbinder.

One final thing. Another brilliant touch by Fassbinder. 13 Moons opens and ends with the dates (in the color of pink). They are not to be dismissed. .. Pay close attention to the conversation (with the mystical gay bodybuilder) midway through the film about the dates on the children's cemetery stones.
Last edited by Michael on Wed Nov 10, 2004 12:42 pm, edited 2 times in total.

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mingus
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#15 Post by mingus » Wed Nov 10, 2004 9:51 am

ben d banana wrote:i'm one of those who finds the concept of germans and humor paradoxical
I am Austrian, so no offense taken at all. :D
It's a funny thing, although we speak german too, we think of them as not especially funny people too.
ben d banana wrote:i did think it was fitting having linklater do the into for 13 moons
Me too, everyone seems to have been a little suspicious about Linklaters involvement, but since i also hadn't seen the movie before, his enthusiasm got me even more interested. So in the end no harm done.

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#16 Post by Lino » Wed Nov 10, 2004 12:28 pm

A bit OT, but since the title of this thread is about Fassbinder and not about 13 Moons, I guess it wouldn't hurt to share some of my thoughts about what I regard to be his central films' theme.

And that must surely be Love as both a destructive force and as a weapon of power. In most all of his films we can clearly see two types of characters: the abbusers and the abbused. The ones that are in command of whatever emotional relationship they're in (and who treat love for granted) and the ones that are badly in need for any kind of human contact but end up betrayed and villified (these characters normally have an idealized notion of love).

If you know something about Fassbinder's life, you could right away see that he walked in both these character's shoes throughout his life - and amazingly he was often the abbuser. And I say amazingly because in his films you could clearly see that he had a crush for the broken-hearted - maybe out of regret, I guess.

So, what do you think?

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Michael
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#17 Post by Michael » Wed Nov 10, 2004 12:51 pm

Quote from Fassbinder:

Love is the best, most insidious, most effective instrument of social repression.

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Lino
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#18 Post by Lino » Wed Nov 10, 2004 12:58 pm

An absolute truth for him maybe, but it doesn't have to be that way. I hope so, anyway.

I guess it all depends how you view Love and treat it. As you can see, I treat it with a capital "L", but I agree that this is not the general rule. Not among most boys, I'm sure!

Oh, crap! - this thread is beginning to get all soft...! Oh, well...la-dee-da...

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Michael
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#19 Post by Michael » Wed Nov 10, 2004 4:32 pm

Matt, just read your feature on Fassbinder. Very nicely done and informative especially with all the links! For the sake of my curiousity, what is your favorite Fassbinder?

And also take a look at this. I wonder if Jim is a member of this forum.

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Matt
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#20 Post by Matt » Wed Nov 10, 2004 4:42 pm

Thanks for the kind words. I'd probably have to go with Veronika Voss as my favorite Fassbinder. In fact, it's one of my favorite films, period. But I'll readily admit that it's not orthodox Fassbinder. For my favorite among those featuring his regulars, I'd probably have to choose Petra von Kant or Chinese Roulette. Despite how much attention is often given to Hanna Schygulla as RWF's muse, I think Margit Carstensen is his ultimate secret weapon.

I still have yet to watch all of the R1 Fassbinder DVDs I bought last year, though, so these opinions may well change.

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Michael
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#21 Post by Michael » Wed Nov 10, 2004 4:50 pm

So you haven't seen In A Year With 13 Moons yet?

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Matt
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#22 Post by Matt » Wed Nov 10, 2004 8:38 pm

Michael wrote:So you haven't seen In A Year With 13 Moons yet?
I have, but it's not one of my favorites. Of the two recent Fantoma releases, I liked Martha much better.

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Michael
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#23 Post by Michael » Thu Nov 11, 2004 6:26 pm

Chinese Roulette...

I looooooovvved it! Like a gothic ballet - magnicifently choreographed inside an anicent mansion. Very spectacular cinematography (one of Fassbinder's best) that acts like a stalker throughout the mansion.. the women are so captivating to look at. I love how Fassbinder frames them.. some are close-up and you could see the ice in their eyes. It seems like Fassbinder has a fetish for women on high heels, wearing fishnets. Very gorgeous film.

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Subbuteo
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#24 Post by Subbuteo » Fri Nov 12, 2004 2:42 am

Michael wrote: It seems like Fassbinder has a fetish for women on high heels, wearing fishnets. Very gorgeous film.
Well he's not the only one :wink:

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jorencain
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#25 Post by jorencain » Sat Dec 04, 2004 1:19 am

I just watched Martha and loved it. It always takes me a few minutes when I start a Fassbinder film to really sink in his world, but once I did with this one, I was hooked. And it really is completely different from 13 Moons, another Fantoma release.

There are mirrors used throughout this film, and we are constantly seeing Martha and Helmut through them. Any thoughts as to why that may be? It looked more like a Sirk film than any other RWF film (that I have seen), and I don't know if the use of mirrors is purely aesthetic or if it's something more. Either way, it was obviously a very conscious choice by Fassbinder. Any ideas?

Also, how's Effi Briest? I've been curious about that one.

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