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Der Hauptmann von Köpenick (1956)
West German Classic with Heinz RÜHMANN
The year 1956 marked the high point of the West German film industry. More than 800 million visitors were welcomed in West German cinemas. 264 million tickets (source: InsideKino) were purchased for German-language films alone. German cinema has not experienced such a successful year since. The film of the year was THE CAPTAIN OF KÖPENICK with Heinz RÜHMANN (1902 - 1994) in the title role. Helmut KÄUTNER's film was nominated for the GOLDEN LION at the Venice Film Festival. The following year there was even an ACADEMY AWARD nomination. In West Germany, 14,445,000 visitors saw the film in cinemas, which corresponds to a box office of the equivalent of EUR 8,667,000. A gigantic success!
The play by Carl ZUCKMAYER (premiere: March 5, 1931) struck a chord with the audience in its tragic exaggeration of German deference to authority and enthusiasm for the military. GERMAN FILM AWARD winner Heinz RÜHMANN (he received his second film award in 1961 for THE BLACK SHEEP) played one of the roles of his acting life as cobbler Wilhelm Voigt. As a small man who comes into conflict with the law, takes possession of a uniform and quickly occupies the town hall in Köpenick, RÜHMANN played his way back into the hearts of the German-speaking audience after his involvement in the Nazi cinema.
Other roles that shine include GERMAN FILM AWARD winner Martin HELD (awarded in 1955 for CANARIS), Hannelore SCHROTH, GERMAN FILM AWARD prize winner Walter GILLER (awarded in 1960 for ROSEN FÜR DEN STAATSANWALT / ROSEN FOR THE STATUS ATTORNEY and in 1962 for ZWEI UNTER MILLIONEN / TWO UNDER A MILLION), Maria SEBALDT and Siegfried LOWITZ.
The wonderful Berlin actress Edith HANCKE (1928 - 2015) has a particularly tragic appearance in one of her first film roles as Lieschen, a girl suffering from tuberculosis who is comforted by Schuster Voigt.
Of course, filming could not take place in Köpenick, which was part of East Berlin at the time of filming. Instead, motifs were found in and around Hamburg.
An immortal classic of the West German film industry! Definitely worth seeing!
Tatort: Das Mädchen, das allein nach Haus' geht (2022)
Last TATORT Episode with Meret BECKER
The television film festival in the German spa town of Baden-Baden is now called TELEVISIONALE film and series festival. This TATORT episode is one of the ten nominated German-language television films from last year, which will be shown again on the television channel 3SAT. And rightly so! That was the best episode of last year's TATORT season.
At the same time, the film was also Meret BECKER's farewell as crime scene detective from Berlin. But even more memorable were the young actors Bella DAYNE (The Man in the High Castle) and Oleg TIKHMOMIROV (Deutschland 89) as a Russian mafia couple, of whom we will certainly see more in the future.
The First Omen (2024)
Shocking Moments in Rome
In the years from 1968 onwards, the major Hollywood studios were in transition. The usual large-scale productions no longer worked at the box office. Society was on the move, old certainties were dissolving. This is how films with a scary Antichrist theme became mainstream box office successes. ROSEMARIE's BABY (1968) from PARAMOUNT PICTURES, THE EXORCIST (1973) from WARNER BROTHERS and THE OMEN (1976) from TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX were shown successfully in cinemas worldwide and caused many a shocking moment.
TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX is now part of the DISNEY Group, and it makes sense to revive old successful models in a time of new confusion. While the devil Damien in THE OMEN had long since crawled into hiding with his foster parents (Gregory PECK and Lee REMICK), THE FIRST OMEN finally tells us what actually happened shortly before the birth of the jackal's son in the Holy City of Rome. Young Margaret (Nell Tiger FREE) comes to Rome from America to finally take her vows. But very strange things happen with the nuns around Sister Silva (Sonia BRAGA), which prompt Margaret to investigate. Something monstrous comes to light...
This history has it all. Just don't let yourself be fooled by the light-filled images from the city of Rome. Selected scenes pay homage to the three horror classics mentioned above from the heyday of the Antichrist cinema. Glass windows, clouds of fog (and in Rome!!!), black masses and body horror play a huge role. Ralph INESON and ACADEMY AWARD nominee Bill NIGHY (he was nominated for LIVING in 2023) can also be seen in other roles. The performances of Charles DANCE and Andrea ARCANGELI will be particularly remembered by the audience.
And the music can also be heard. In addition to the original sounds by Jerry GOLDSMITH, the canzones by Raffaella CARRA (DOMANI and RUMORE) provide a typically Italian flair.
The production by Arkasha STEVENSON is quite impressive. Sometimes the screen simply remains black for a moment, so that an appropriate film image is found for the nasty use of knockout drops.
Yes, this prequel to THE OMEN is extremely successful. Gregory PECK, who can be seen briefly in a photo, would certainly have been happy.
Not Just Another Affair (1982)
Television Movie with Victoria PRINCIPAL
Charming screwball comedy in which wonderfully coiffed Dallas star Victoria Principal plays an attractive but celibate marine biologist named Dr. Plays Diana Dawson, who meets a notorious womanizer (Gil Gerard). What will happen there!?!
When this film was shown on American television on October 2, 1982, Victoria Principal was at the peak of her popularity as Pamela Barnes Ewing. That year she was still in a private relationship with the extremely attractive singer Andy Gibb (1958-1988), who left his shirts open to his belly button as a matter of principle, but unlike his equally successful brothers (the BeeGees), he soon fell victim to his drug addiction .
Robert Webber, Markie Post (sometimes also in the crime series THE FALL GUY) and the young Sharon Stone can be seen in other roles in this television film.
Victoria Principal as Doris Day in the eighties! Nice to look at, but definitely not a masterpiece!
Crash Landing (2005)
Action Flick with Antonio SABATO Junior
The only thing that's remotely interesting about this American-Canadian action film, which was just released on DVD, is the cast. The hero is the son of CINECITTA Divo and GOLDEN GLOBE winner Antonio Sabato (1943-2021), born in 1972. Antonio Sabato Jr. Had developed from a sexy underwear model to a busy actor in low-budget films.
Kevin Dobson (1943-2020), who had leading roles in the popular television series KOJAK and KNOTS LANDING, stars as the father of the spoiled little daughter who has to be saved by the hero. John Beck, who plays a general here, is also known from the television series FLAMINGO ROAD and DALLAS.
Baby Sister (1983)
Television Movie with Pamela BELLWOOD, Ted WASS and Phoebe CATES
From 1981 to 1986, Pamela Bellwood, born in 1951, played one of the main roles as Claudia Blaisdel Carrington in the globally successful series DYNASTY. Her Claudia struggled with mental problems from the beginning of the series. At some point, Pamela Bellwood had enough of the series and used her private pregnancy to have herself written out of the PrimeTime soap through a dramatic death by fire. The entire hotel "La Mirage" was reduced to rubble and ashes.
The role she played in this television film broadcast on ABC on March 6, 1983 was completely different. Marsha (Pamela Bellwood) is a successful gallery owner and is married to a very attractive doctor (Ted Wass, born 1952) in Los Angeles. Her little sister Annie (Phoebe Cates, born 1963) dropped out of college after problems with their father (Efrem Zimbalist Jr.) and quickly moved in with Marsha and her husband. At some point he can no longer keep his hands off the "Baby Sister" (the original title), which of course leads to considerable complications.
Not a very convincing story, the details are overly exaggerated, and it's actually only worth seeing because of the attractive stars. Ted Wass also appeared in another installment of the Pink Panther film series that year. Phoebe Cates, who has now been married to Oscar winner Kevin Kline for many years, would have to deal with the nasty "Gremlins" a year later. And before her television career, Pamela Bellwood could be admired in the disaster film "AIRPORT 77 - Lost in the Bermuda Triangle" (1977).
1992 (2015)
Political Thriller Series from Italy
Great political series from Italy
Anyone who was interested in politics in the first half of the 1990s could hardly believe what was happening in Italy back then. A Milan investigative team called "Mani pulite" (Clean Hands) ensured that the Italian political system collapsed with its investigations. Christian Democrats and Socialists, who had previously taken control of the state, had to go down quietly due to their involvement with the mafia - and what followed: Silvio Berlusconi! How this rancid television station boss and obscure real estate shark managed to reach the highest state positions remained an unsolvable mystery for all non-Italians. Until the main actor Stefano Accorsi came up with the brilliant idea of coming up with this great series, which, alongside "Borgen" from Denmark, is one of the best that Europe has to offer.
What is it about? Six people from Italian society are thrown into disarray by the shocks caused by manipulation. Leonardo Notte is a greasy advertising executive who doesn't let anything go wrong. It must have been a real joy for CoppaVolpi award winner Stefano Accorsi to be able to write a highly erotic bed scene into the script with every beautiful woman in the series. But he was expressly granted that, because his role and the entire series in general were fantastically successful. By a stupid coincidence, Pietro Bosco (Guido Caprino), ex-Iraq War soldier and ex-rugby player, is elected to parliament as a representative of the newly formed Lega Nord. The beautiful Veronica Castello (Miriam Leone) is an occasional prostitute and dreams of a great career. Since the Roman film industry only collapsed a few years ago, something like this is only possible in Berlusconi's television empire, which offered employment opportunities to many scantily clad women in those years. Luca Pastore (Domenico Diele) works at Manipulite and is determined to find out which entrepreneur is responsible for the contaminated blood that infected him with the AIDS virus. The attractive Beatrice Mainaghi (Tea Falco) is a snotty heiress to a super-rich Milanese entrepreneur, but soon realizes that the southern Italian mafia is already extremely well connected in Milan. And then there is the opaque Rocco Venturi (Alessandro Roja), a likeable colleague of Luca, but who has his own agenda...
Director Guiseppe Gagliardi (also "The Dead of Turin" is said to have been quite successful) lets these six people attack each other and, at the same time, paints a picture of an Italy in the midst of huge upheaval. This is so beautifully done. You should definitely see this! Everything comes up: the mafia attacks on Sicily, radioactive weapons during the Iraq War, the borderline moronic television program of Berlusconi's stations, the downfall of the Italian party system and the brilliant idea of making a sleazy and corrupt solo entrepreneur the new beacon of hope . Donald Trump and his supporters have certainly been inspired. BRRRRRRRRR!
Two other actors should be specifically mentioned here: Elena Radonicich plays an investigative journalist and is also Veronica's big sister, Gianfelice Imparato is a cynical Christian Democrat who takes the stupid political newcomer Pietro under his wing.
Oh yes, in the management of SKY Italia, which produced this exceptional series, Nils Hartmann from Germany was responsible for the production of "1992", its successors "1993" and "1994", "Gomorrah" and "The Young Pope". A track record that is impressive.
This series is definitely worth it! Be sure to check it out! Make no mistake: Bella Italia is everywhere!
Colpo in canna (1975)
Sexy Slapstick Comedy with Ursula ANDRESS and Woody STRODE
Bizarre mix of slapstick comedy and commedia sexy with Ursula Andress and Woody Strode
There's a lot on offer in this film by cult director Fernando Di Leo (1932-2003), also known as "I'll polish your bald head". Hearty fights in the Spencer Hill style alternate with sexy insights all the time. Whether doing mattress sports, in the bathtub or simply changing clothes - Golden Globe winner (1964 for "Dr. No") Ursula Andress (*1936) appears stark naked in what feels like every other scene, but also knows how to get involved in wonderfully funny beating orgies.
What's it about? The stewardess Nora Green (Ursula Andress) lands her plane in Naples and runs an errand for a passenger. She drives to a fairground and gets caught between two rival gangs, led by Silvera (Woody Strode, 1914-1994) and Don Calo (Aldo Giuffre). Silvera doesn't treat the stunning blonde particularly gallantly (this scene is really inappropriate in a film that vacillates between fun and seriousness), but she gets help from the handsome acrobat Manuel (Marc Porel, 1949-1983). So she soon ends up on his trampoline and in his bed. Marc Porel is also allowed to hold his shapely backside into the camera. But above all, the tough guy is good at giving out beatings, and he still gets plenty of opportunity to do so.
Other roles include Lino Banfi as Commissario and Maurizio Arena as Padre, who is not so particular about abstinence. After all sorts of complications, there is ultimately a wild car chase and a fun fight that takes place again at the fairground.
What's really interesting about this film is the strange mixture of beating and sex stuff. Ursula Andress is in her element and becomes the sole heroine of an otherwise male-dominated Italian slapstick comedy, which was very fashionable in those years due to the enormous box office successes of Bud Spencer and Terence Hill. Woody Strode's counterpart scores highly with his strong physique, but also demonstrates slapstick talents. The American actor, who was a decathlete at the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin and later an American football player, was rewarded with a Golden Globe nomination for his supporting role as a gladiator in "Spartacus." Marc Porel (could have celebrated his 73rd birthday on January 3, 2022), the son of Gerard Landry and the recently deceased Jacqueline Porel, cuts a particularly good figure in this film and shows his pretty face as La Andress's ToyBoy.
The director Fernando Di Leo shows his more fun side here. After writing scripts for numerous spaghetti westerns, he shot three absolute EuroCrime classics: "Milano Calibro 9", "La mala ordina" and "Il Boss".
A doppia faccia (1969)
West German "Gruselkrimi" with Klaus KINSKI and a Touch of Italian Style
This film was the first German-Italian collaboration as part of the West German Edgar Wallace series, which unfortunately didn't work out particularly well (yet). Long-winded plot, bad tricks and old-fashioned equipment fail to captivate. Even in West German cinemas, only 600,000 viewers (source: InsideKino) wanted to see the film.
The opulent cast is interesting: Klaus KINSKI (in an unusual role), Margaret LEE, Christiane KRÜGER (daughter of GOLDEN GLOBE nominee Hardy KRÜGER), Sydney CHAPLIN, Günther STOLL! The music by Nora ORLANDI, whose singing voice can also be heard, is beautiful.
Only recommended for die-hard Edgar Wallace fans!
Bacurau (2019)
Sonia BRAGA and Udo KIER in a Brazilian Village
Very worth seeing and above all surprising film from Brazil!
The film was shown in competition at the Cannes Film Festival in 2019, but should also appeal to fans of action-packed cinema. Warning: There are some shocking things to see!!!
The fantastic German actor Udo KIER (SUSPIRIA / LILI MARLEEN / DANCER IN THE DARK) once again offers a brilliant performance of human madness. And the Brazilian actress Sonia BRAGA, known from the OSCAR success KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN (1986), plays the small community's doctor. The village of Bacurau is certainly not worth the trip, but it is a major power on the cinematic map.
You should have seen it!!!
Scoop (2024)
How To Interview an English Duke
Gossip interests people all over the world. Especially when it comes to members of the English royal family. The interviews of Princess Diana and her then husband and current King Charles III. In the 1990s with the BBC are legendary.
In 2019, the scandal surrounding Wall Street millionaire Jeffrey Epstein emerged, who essentially made an orgy island for celebrities possible. The Duke of York, also known as Prince Andrew, was considered a long-time friend of Epstein and was also said to have made trips to Orgy Island. The accusations and questions about this became more and more intense. And then the unexpected: In November 2019, the brother of the current King Charles III invited. A filming team from the BBC program NEWSNIGHT (probably comparable to the TAGESTHEMEN on the German broadcaster ARD) came to Buckingham Palace for a conversation. You should let yourself see what happened next...
What can a film like this achieve? Why do we need it as an audience? In any case, it is interesting how much a public institution like the BBC has to fight, with a touch of desperation, for attention and against the threat of loss of importance due to competition from social media. You need a tabloid-savvy journalist (Billie PIPER) who, as a producer, can make such contacts clear ("She's very DAILY MAIL!"). And an ice-blonde TV presenter (Gillian ANDERSON), who no one has ever seen eating, can't hurt either. The Duke, formerly known as "Randy Andy," immediately notices that the interviewer is hiding her beautiful legs in a pants suit. Prince Andrew is played by Rufus SEWELL (THE MAN IN THE HIGH CASTLE), and the well-known actor almost merges in his masquerading as a scion of royalty. This is very impressive in terms of acting, but it just repeats how Prince Andrew unmasked himself in 2019. It's certainly not entirely wrong to remind people of the dangerous desires of those in power in this way, but it doesn't make for an outstanding film. FROST / NIXON was a lot more enlightening a few years ago.
The film reminds us that even world-famous celebrities can't afford to do anything without fearing public exposure. However, the resistance is already underway. If everything can be branded as fake news, then the actual criminals can feel a little safer again with a sufficient cushion of money. In this respect, a film like SCOOP definitely has a purpose; from a cinematic point of view, the audience doesn't need something like that. It's better to watch the original interview on YOUTUBE again.
Oderbruch (2024)
German Crime Series with a Touch of Mystery
Very appealing crime series from German production! For the first time, the German television station ARD is collaborating with the American television station CBS on a series production. Dark atmosphere, morbid images of the Oder between Poland and Germany, German and Polish are spoken! Director and producer Christian ALVART does a lot of things right.
The entry is awesome and can easily keep up with the current fourth season of the HBO series TRUE DETECTIVE. The main actors (Karoline SCHUCH, Felix KRAMER, Lukas GREGOROWICZ) are fine, and there is a nice surprise in episode 4!
This German series is recommended and is based on masterpieces such as THE PASS, BABYLON BERLIN, LIEBES KIND and DARK.
The Terror (2018)
Jared HARRIS and THE TERROR of the North Pole
Outstanding anthology series from AMC!
While searching for the Northwest Passage, the icebreakers EREBUS and TERROR get stuck in the eternal ice of the North Pole. One winter turns into three. The men of the two crews are confronted with the worst stresses imaginable. And then there is the encounter with the legendary TUUNBAQ...
What a board! North Pole, monsters, paranoia and the untold secrets of Christian seafaring... This little series is at its finest! Jared HARRIS (MAD MEN) in probably his best role as captain of the TERROR! In a supporting role there is a reunion with the 90s beauty Greta SCACCHI. And then Adam NAGAITIS in the role of Cornelius Hickey...great cinema!
This series is a must for all fans of adventure series! She also goes where the makers of IN THE HEART OF THE SEA based on Nathaniel PHILBRICK's book didn't dare to go. So: Not for the faint of heart!!!
Ripley (2024)
Andrew SCOTT is Tom Ripley
With her Tom Ripley, the American writer Patricia HIGHSMITH created a "man without qualities" for the post-war period. There are already two great film adaptations of her great 1955 novel: PLEIN SOLEIL (1959) with Alain DELON (and Romy SCHNEIDER in a cameo) and THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY (1999) with Matt DAMON. Do we need another series? And then also in black and white pictures?
Despite all the skepticism in advance, Steven ZAILLIAN (ACADEMY AWARD 1994 for the screenplay for SCHINDLER'S LIST) has created something masterful with Andrew SCOTT as Tom Ripley, which will hopefully be continued in the film adaptation of the four following Tom Ripley novels by the great master Patricia HIGHSMITH . Even those who already know the story from the novel itself or the two film adaptations mentioned will quickly be drawn under the spell of these calm and clear images. Episodes 3 and 5 are particularly impressive because of the calmly filmed action explosions.
Instead of the mid-1950s, the action has been moved to the early 1960s, which can be heard in the first hits of the fantastic Italian singer MINA. The love for art in general and for Caravaggio in particular can also be better illustrated.
While the film adaptation with Alain DELON was at least somewhat marred by an overly moral ending, forty years later Matt DAMON was able to emphasize the homoerotic component of the plot more strongly. This is also present in the NETFLIX series, but Ripley, played by Andrew SCOTT, is also simply a clever con artist who is primarily interested in the lure of riches and the beautiful life that comes with it. This certainly meets Patricia HIGHSMITH's intentions. Tom Ripley is what other people want to see him as. He doesn't really care whether he has to be heterosexual or homosexual. The main thing is that he can carry out his plans smoothly.
Louis HOFMANN and John MALKOVICH can be seen in supporting roles. The latter plays a character that will become even more important in the Tom Ripley cosmos. A sequel is definitely planned by the makers. The producers also include DIOGENES ENTERTAINMENT, a subsidiary of DIOGENES Verlag from Zurich, which publishes the German-language translations of Patricia HIGHSMITH's works. Now all that's left to do is get the viewing numbers for NETFLIX right!
Most Dangerous Game (2020)
Thriller Series with Liam HEMSWORTH and Christoph WALTZ
Short-form series from the streamer QUIBI, which AMAZON made into a feature-length film for Prime Video.
Liam HEMSWORTH plays a terminally ill real estate developer who makes himself available to a game organizer (ACADEMY AWARD winner Christoph WALTZ) for a lot of money. For 24 hours he is chased through Detroit by unscrupulous hunters, all of whom have the goal of killing the well-trained tumor patient in hand-to-hand combat. This is of course a modern twist on the classic THE MOST DANGEROUS GAME (1932). And that works quite well, although the series character with constant cliffhangers eventually becomes a bit annoying.
I really liked the supporting actors Aaron POOLE (as a cleaner who gets a lot to do) and Chris WEBSTER (as a cute hunter). WALTZ immediately received an EMMY nomination for its first US series (but filmed in Canada).
Jack Ryan (2018)
John KRASINSKI as Jack Ryan
The six episodes of the fourth season offer a worthy conclusion to the series, even if the level of the first and third seasons is not reached. But I was particularly pleased that the Swiss cameraman and director Lukas ETTLIN (born in Basel in 1975) directed three episodes of the fourth season. I had already noticed him positively through a few episodes of the pirate series BLACK SAILS (ETTLIN was active as a director from season 2).
What was remarkable about JACK RYAN was the well-thought-out plots, which were always reminiscent of real scenarios (especially season 3). The guest stars Noomi RAPACE and Tom WLASCHIHA as BND agents in season 2 and of course the fantastic Nina HOSS as the Czech Prime Minister in season 3 were also great.
Small weak point: The fact that Abbie CORNISH was brought out of obscurity as Jack's love interest in season 4 after she had not been mentioned for two seasons seemed all too forced.
After BERLIN STATION and CONDOR, JACK RYAN was simply a very entertaining spy series that has now found its well-deserved end.
When Heroes Fly (2018)
Series from Israel with Tomer CAPON and Michael ALONI
Very exciting series from Israel! Four young Israelis who were together in the 2006 Lebanon War lose touch with each other for various reasons. When it becomes clear in 2017 that a mutual friend (the Israeli singer-songwriter Ninet TAYEB) who was believed to be dead may still be alive, the four pull themselves together and set out to search in Colombia.
Not easy material, as it only becomes clear through flashbacks what dramas have unfolded in the characters' past. It also creates a very good portrait of Israeli society. Militarism, toxic masculinity, conflicts between European and Oriental Jews, believers versus seculars and the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder! There's a lot in it, but it's well packaged in story and action. Highly recommended!
Strong performances from the entire ensemble, Tomer CAPON (THE BOYS) and Michael ALONI (POLICEMAN) make full use of their star power. The series was able to prevail as the best series against IL CACCIATORE in the first CANNESERIES in 2018. That's saying something, because the Italian series is also really strong!
The original is a novel by Amir GUTFREUND (1963-2015), which has not yet been translated into German. The title should be roughly translated as FOR HER FLY (sit down) HEROES (on the plane).
The Days (2023)
NETFLIX Series about Fukushima
Very bitter mini-series about the Fukushima nuclear disaster, but definitely worth it! This NETFLIX production does not need to shy away from comparison with the HBO masterpiece CHERNOBYL.
Koji YAKUSHO, born in 1956, shines in the main role as the on-site boss, who was awarded the Silver Palm in CANNES in 2023 as Best Actor in the Wim WENDERS hit PERFECT DAYS. One actor from the excellent ensemble should also be mentioned, who forms the actual emotional center of this impressive mini-series: Oji SUZUKA, born in 2000, plays Kiko Kirihara and can only be seen for one episode, but his fate cannot be forgotten. .
An important document of historical proportions!
The Terminal List (2022)
Thriller Series with Chris PRATT
Pleasantly tough revenge campaign of a Navy SEAL (Chris PRATT) plagued by a tumor, which unfortunately was occasionally exposed a little too darkly. But when it comes to thriller series (Tom CLANCYs Jack Ryan / REACHER), AMAZON PRIME VIDEO certainly has a knack.
Well cast right down to the supporting roles with Jai COURTENAI (SPARTACUS) and Taylor KITSCH (was also great in the second season of TRUE DETECTIVE)! But I particularly liked seeing the fantastic Jeanne TRIPPLEHORNE again, who already made a positive impression in BASIC INSTINCT, THE FIRM and WATERWORLD.
A second season has probably already been ordered...
Illusion in Moll (1952)
West German Melodrama with Hildegarde NEFF and Hardy KRÜGER
Everything starts off quite idyllic: It's summer and therefore high season at Lake Wörthersee in Austria. Maria Alsbacher (Sybille SCHMITZ) runs a fully booked luxury hotel and lovingly looks after her almost grown-up children (Hardy KRÜGER, Gaby FEHLING) and her terminally ill husband (Albrecht SCHOENHALS). Lydia Bauer (Hildegard KNEF) from Munich, who vacationed in the hotel with her parents as a child, has been part of the extended family circle for years. Despite the serious illness of the older father, the mood is cheerful and exuberant.
One summer later things look different. Her father and husband have since died, and Maria Alsbacher is like many women after the war. She is middle-aged, the children are grown, and she is alone. Should she be a widow for the rest of her life? No, she is with the windy singer Monsieur Gidou (Maurice TEYNAC), of whom Lydia and Maria's children know exactly what kind of filou the philanderer is. Paul and Lydia do everything they can to prevent the impending wedding of Maria and the windy Gidou. But there is more than just one difficulty...
ILLUSION IN MOLL by Rudolf JUGERT, which was produced by GOLDEN GLOBE winner Erich POMMER (in 1956 he won for CHILDREN, MOTHERS AND A GENERAL), is a very interesting example of the huge output of the West German film industry of those years. An entertainment film and a melodrama at the same time! With this unexpected melodramatic seriousness, the film follows on from the UFA melodramas of Detlef SIERCK with Zarah LEANDER and thus serves an almost original genre of German-language film. But there are also differences. Now known in Hollywood as Douglas SIRK, the German-born melodrama specialist definitely allows for a happy ending between an older woman and a younger man, as can be seen in the films made at the same time with ACADEMY AWARD winner Jane WYMAN and ACADEMY AWARD nominee Rock HUDSON.
The West German audience of the 1950s could probably not be expected to do something like that. Here an older woman and mother of a family had to fall for a younger Hallodri. This is a pity! Especially since UFA star Sybille SCHMITZ (1909 - 1955) plays it brilliantly. Shortly after this film, the actress (TITANIC, 1943) must have fallen into the fatal addiction in real life that Rainer Werner FASSBINDER so aptly dissected in his film THE DESIRE OF VERONIKA VOSS (Golden Bear at the 1982 Berlin Film Festival). Of course, there were also dark sides in the West German film industry, which we now know well enough from Hollywood.
Hildegard KNEF, who has now established herself as a global star (DECISION BEFORE DAWN / THE SNOWS OF KILIMANDSCHARO / DIPLOMATIC COURIER) and the future global star Hardy KRÜGER (GOLDEN GLOBE nominee 1966 for THE FLIGHT OF THE PHOENIX) harmonize magnificently with each other and leave complexities behind the radiant, young surface. Hildegard KNEF sings two beautiful songs, ILLUSIONEN and DU BIST WUNDERBAR (in a duet with Maurice TEYNAC). Two years later, KNEF was successful as Hildegarde NEFF in the NINOTSCHKA musical SILK STOCKINGS on New York's Broadway and further solidified her status as a global star.
The film was shot on Lake Wörthersee and in the BAVARIA film studios in Munich. Other roles include GERMAN FILM AWARD winner Nadja TILLER (she won the award for LABYRINTH in 1960), Lina CARSTENS and Robert GRAF (the father of director Dominik GRAF).
By the way, the French version of the two songs sung by KNEF was sung by the Swiss singer Lys ASSIA. In 1956, Lys ASSIA was supposed to win the very first EUROVISION Song Contest in Lugano.
Harlow (1965)
Carroll BAKER as Jean HARLOW
IN THE 1930s, a young actress took the HOLLYWOOD film industry by storm. With her platinum blonde hair, Jean HARLOW (1911-1937) became a pioneer of later Hollywood blondes such as Lana TURNER and Marilyn MONROE. However, her limited lifespan makes it clear that this life could not have been as glamorous as Jean HARLOW's films suggest.
And that's exactly what this biopic from the 1960s shows, in which ACADEMY AWARD nominee (she was nominated for BABY DOLL in 1957) and later queen of the Italian giallo shocker Carroll BAKER slips into the role of her famous predecessor Jean HARLOW. Everything starts out very difficult. Young Jean gets work in the studios relatively quickly, but only to be pelted with cream pies in popular slapstick comedies. It was only through her manager, played by ACADEMY AWARD winner Red BUTTONS (he won the award in 1958 for SAYONARA), that HARLOW got better roles in crime film classics such as THE PUBLIC ENEMY (1931) and SCARFACE (1932). And then everything happens very quickly and the platinum blonde is signed by MGM (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer). More Stars Than There are in Heaven was the motto of the leading Hollywood studio at the time! And the titles of the films that were written for HARLOW were real announcements: PLATINUM BLONDE (1931) / RED-HEADED WOMAN (1932) / HOLD YOUR MAN (1933) / BOMBSHELL (1933) / THE GIRL FROM MISSOURI ( 1934).
But not all that glitters is platinum! There are of course the powerful and demanding men of the industry, played by ACADEMY AWARD winner Martin BALSAM (awarded in 1966 for A THOUSAND CLOWNS) and Leslie NIELSEN. Strange husbands (Peter LAWFORD and Mike CONNORS) cross the path of the diva longing for love. And of course mom (three-time ACADEMY AWARD nominee Angela LANSBURY) and virile stepfather (CINECITTA Divo Raf VALLONE) want to cook their own soup with the blonde star's gold. It happens as it has to happen: a now almost forgotten superstar from the early days of Hollywood dies far too soon...
The fact that the film is interesting despite its predictability is due to the director Gordon DOUGLAS (1907-1993). Gordon who? Even though I hadn't heard of this busy studio director before, his involvement here really makes sense. From a very young age, Mr. Douglas was an assistant director in the nascent film industry. The man knows what he's talking about. And you notice that very clearly in the film, especially in the opening scenes. The PARAMOUNT PICTURES have earned an insider's insight into the depths of the studio system.
Maybe the film is also a welcome opportunity to watch all the Pre-Code classics with Jean HARLOW again or for the first time. Hollywood films have never been this wicked and daring since then. And Jean HARLOW was right in the middle of it all!
Le mystère de la chambre jaune (2003)
Crime Mystery from France
Bizarre mystery crime novel from France
From 1907 onwards, the successful writer Gaston Leroux (1868-1927), who is now best known for "The Phantom of the Opera" (1910), published several crime novels with the reporter Joseph Rouletabille (Denis Poladyles) as a cheeky investigator. "The Yellow Room" is the first case in which Rouletabille's assistant Sainclair (Jean-Noel Broute) is introduced.
The present film by Bruno Poladyles (brother of the main actor) was released in 2003 and was seen in French cinemas by at least 845,693 visitors. Not bad!
The plot itself is very bizarre, tres francais and sometimes lengthy. You have to like that. The spirit of the time in which the events take place is captured well. Great actors from French cinema such as Sabine Azema, Pierre Arditi, Claude Rich, Olivier Gourmet and Michael Lonsdale take part.
Highly recommended for fans of Agatha Christie and Arthur Conan Doyle!
Il cacciatore (2018)
Quality Crime Series from Italy
This excellent television series from Italy deals with the work of the anti-mafia authority in Sicily. It's the year 1993: The Maxi Trials are history, the two legendary "mafia hunters" Giovanni FALCONE (1939-1992) and Paolo BORSELLINO (1940-1992) have been brutally blown up. In Palermo in 1993, a young public prosecutor (great: Francesco MONTANARI) starts his service with the anti-mafia authority. His ambitious and dogged nature doesn't go down well, especially not with a long-established colleague (also great: Francesco FOTI).
How the two pull themselves together is the highlight of the first season. Because there is a lot to do. The focus of the first season is also on the almost incomprehensible crime that was committed in those years against the young Giuseppe Di MATTEO (1981-1996), the son of a "key witness" against the mafia. This monstrous crime has finally turned large parts of Italian society against the mafia. The series focuses less on the mafiosi than on the investigators, who are confronted with numerous problems in their everyday lives because of their work. However, it is well described how limited (mentally and spatially) the life of mafiosi actually is. Living underground doesn't just offer advantages.
The series was produced by RAI (and the Munich-based BETA-Film). It gives an excellent insight into the events of the 1990s. As a supplement, the Italian series "1992" with its sequels "1993" and "1994" is recommended, which takes a look at the changes in Italian society as a whole.
The Antisocial Network (2024)
Excessive Rush of Images
Informative and enlightening documentation!
For people like me, who have only been able to delve deeper into the world of the Internet after a long period of family responsibilities, documentaries of this kind are helpful in understanding what has actually happened over the past two decades. The effects of the developments described in the film are visible to everyone in everyday and professional life. I didn't really like the excessive rush of images, but I admit that it fits the protagonists and their actions quite well.
The global streaming service NETFLIX certainly does educational work with such films. We should also remember the documentary about the CYBERBUNKER in the small German town of Traben-Trabach.
The question remains what to do now with the knowledge gained. The troll armies around the world remain active and have long been taking care of the next generation.
Eine fremde Tochter (2019)
German Television Movie with Mark WASCHKE
Alongside Wanja Mues, Mark Waschke (known from DARK) plays a gay husband who, after a tragic accident, is faced with raising his 15-year-old daughter (great: Hannah Schilling). Problems such as unresolved grief, homophobic tendencies and delusional religiosity are, on the one hand, flat and, on the other hand, woven together in a poetic way.
What I often find annoying about German television films is the obtrusive, over-the-top furnishings: the rhododendron in the front garden blooms provocatively lushly in this television film, and the interior furnishings seem to have been licked and "styled" from the lost QUELLE catalog (probably those who still know it!).
But the acting performances are reconciling, and the pictures from Hamburg (probably shot in 2019) are really very nice. As a malicious tip: Mark Waschke's film character is a former decathlete who, in the course of the plot, actually receives a request from the DSCHUNGELCAMP (I Am A Celebrity - Get Me Out Of Here) on the German private broadcaster RTL, and then comments on it with a sharp tongue. Little moments like that are very refreshing.
Certainly not a masterpiece, but otherwise less successful things are shown on the German television station ARD.