Berlin Babylon (2001) User Reviews

Not ONLY for architects, but for those who want to feel 'the history' of Berlin. "The fear of emptiness" and the creation of a Berlin we know today. Emotional!

[thedarkhorizon · 8/10 · 5 June 2020]

Intense, thriller-like view upon the fast changing face of Berlin. "The fear of emptiness" visualized in a thrilling documentary.

Most reviews say this is just for those who are interested in architecture, but I think this is not true. (I am not the biggest fan of architecture myself, but I am interested in the face, look and feel of Berlin... as it was in the past and as it is today.) The emotional, atmospheric, visual appealing and quite intense documentary shines a spotlight onto the fast change of building structures within the city tells a more universal story: the emptiness of post-war (post DDR) Berlin... that needed to be erased as FAST as they could. Ruthless, megalomaniac, powerful.

The captured images are mostly up close or thrilling wide angle shots of the fast-paced concrete jungle in Berlin. Otherworldy music, building site noise-scapes, seemingly un-emotional construction talk of known (and unknown) architects... it takes you into a world where few people (CEOs of construction companies and architects) rule over the look and feel of a whole city and how it will look in the 21st century. This gives a deep insight into how cities are constructed and how the trauma of a war-struck 20th century had to be overcome.

They also talk about how the city looked before war and many (very emotional, even sad!) montages of bombed, historic ruins that were blown up intentionally to create space for something new... it shows how fast and inevitably change occurs... not only in Berlin - but if you think a bit more universal - everywhere in life.

For me, this was quite a deep and moving documentary, that should not just be valued by those interested in architecture.

The Berlin of today

[hmiel · 8/10 · 27 February 2003]

I must admit it is a great movie. Although a documentary one it shows the scenes from the present-day Berlin, almost with Koyanisqaatsi-like atmosphere, with a great music from Einstuerzende Neubauten. I definitely recommend it.

For anyone with an interest in architecture...

[Camera-Obscura · 13 June 2006]

After the fall of the Berlin wall in 1989, huge sections of the city were left an urban wasteland. For over four years director Hubertus Siegert followed the mammoth building projects in the city after the fall of the Berlin wall. He roughly covered the period 1995-2000, but from the film itself it's not quite clear what period is covered exactly.

Geographically, the main focus is on Potsdamer Platz, the surroundings of the now finished Lehrter Stadtbahnhof, the government quarter and the surroundings of the Alexanderplatz (former East Berlin), where during the shooting of this film - besides endless political debate - nothing significant happened but where the main focus of the building activities has shifted during the last couple of years.

No other city in he world has seen an urban renewal project on such a scale as Berlin in the '90s and it's still far from finished (if it ever will be). The film contains some stunning aerial footage, perhaps the only way to fully grasp the scale of the mammoth rebuilding in the city, greatly enhanced by the soundtrack from the Berlin group "Einstürzende Neubauten". Off course, it's not just the scale of these projects that are important, but also the political debates concerning the various projects touching not only Berlin but German history and identity as well.

As a whole, the film is a little uneven, as it wavers between architectural documentary, spiritual journey and an overview of Berlin (and German) history. Nevertheless essential viewing for anyone with an interest in architecture, urban planning and history in general.

Camera Obscura --- 7/10

Very specific topic, for very few only

[Horst_In_Translation · 4/10 · 17 August 2016]

"Berlin Babylon" is a 90-minute documentary from 2001, so it had its 15 anniversary last year, which means that more time has passed since the making of this film and today than between this film and the Fall of the Berlin Wall, the event that the film is partially about too. The writer and director is Hubertus Siegert and it is still among his most known works today, maybe even number 1 in the list. It is about Berlin, but I as a Berlin citizen do not think that it is enough if you have an interest in this wonderful place, but you also need to have interest in the history, city planning and maybe even architecture to enjoy this one. If you do, then you may have a truly great time seeing this one. But I don't think there are too many people who have an interest in all this.

However, this should not mean that it was a bad (or even horrible) watch. The topic makes it just pretty difficult to make a connection with this 1.5-hour film, even if the people seem likable in here and listening to them does not only provide a great deal of information, but also may put a smile on your lips sometimes because they are just unintentionally funny with their quirks and comments. And it becomes obvious that they know a whole lot about the subject of this film. But I myself wonder if I really want to know a lot or learn a lot. Perhaps not, but that's just my bias with the topic that cannot entertain me really. By general standards, this film is a success I guess, just for a very limited target audience.

Only go if you are an architect

[caitlinjacobsen · 1/10 · 18 September 2019]

Was falsely advertised to me. If you are an architect I'm sure it will be very interesting.