The Ice Storm 1973 and the Erlkoenig today
Recently I saw a fantastic theater play “The Erlkoenig”, which was a German adaptation of the movie “The Ice Storm” by the Taiwanese-born director Ang Lee. In the movie 1973, suburban Connecticut, middle class families experimenting with casual sex, drink and drugs find their lives out of control. Both scripts show frequent symbolism and formal...
Oscars 2013 – LA is not Cannes.
The winners for the 85th Academy Awards have been announced, and as ever, there are few true surprises. Spielberg’s “Lincoln” is a well deserved looser. Quentin Tarantino’s (the violent enfant terrible) got with Django Unchained just indirectly credit for the Supporting Role. Amour is good movie, probably the only art movie. Otherwise only save Hollywood choices. “Zero Dark...
Wong Kar Wai Berlinale
The Berlin film festival kicked with The Grandmaster, a martial arts epic from Hong Kong director Wong Kar-wai who is also presiding over this year’s jury. Asian stars including Tony Leung Chiu-wai and Zhang Ziyi were present. The annual Berlinale, now in its 63rd year, is one of Europe’s most important film festivals, and alongside it runs a large-scale...
Leni Riefenstahl – Three strikes and you're out.
Whatever you can say about Leni Riefenstahl (1902-2003) and plenty of people have said (and written) a lot about her, she led a fascinating life. She was beautiful and talented. She was a woman in a man’s field. She made her career during Hitler’s Third Reich. Three strikes and you’re out. Riefenstahl’s life Despite (I...
Des hommes et des dieux – von Göttern und Menschen
Des hommes et des dieux – von Göttern und Menschen (0) Ging in letzter Minute ins Zürich Arthouse Movie: Der Regisseur Xavier Beauvois zeigte im “Des hommes et des dieux” das Blutbad, welches islamische Terroristen am 18. März des Jahres 1996 anrichteten, als sie sieben französische Mönche entführten und am 30. Mai enthaupteten.Wir befinden uns in den neunziger...
Buddenbrooks – Revisited – Revisited 2010
Mit großem Staraufgebot realisierte Verfilmung des epischen Romans von Thomas Mann. Erzählt wird die bewegte Geschichte der traditionsreichen Lübecker Unternehmerfamilie Buddenbrock. Der Vater drängt seine Tochter dazu, sich wider Willen mit einem einflussreichen Geschäftsmann zu vermählen. Sohn Christian, ein Lebemann, der im Ausland Disziplin und Geschäftssinn lernen sollte, arbeitet zwar in der elterlichen Firma –...