I had the Criterion Alexanderplatz box several years ago (which I sold) and have the Second Sight on order (which stretches the program over 4 discs, instead of the Criterion's 3 discs. Fassbinder's creativity and productivity packed into his 37 years is pretty staggering.
The Second Sight set got a more favourable review on DVDBeaver, which is why I went with that one. I've never watched the Criterion version.
It’s the superior edition, without doubt. And, unlike the Criterion, it runs at the correct frame rate.
Very big fan. I’ve almost all of his films, with the notable excerptions of Lilil Marlene and Querelle. I’m not sure why Bergman has such a reputation for being a ‘downer’ filmmaker; Fassbinder, imo, is far, far bleaker. Martha (1974) may be the most horrifying mainstream film ever made. I don’t think I could watch it again - far too disturbing and bleak. Personal favourite is probably The Merchant Of Four Seasons. That one’s also pretty bleak.
Bergman is another director that I have done a marathon viewing for. I had only seen three or four of his films but picked up the Criterion box because it looked impressive (and I wasn't disappointed). I acquired the few other films missing from the box and over the course of a couple of months, watched everything chronologically. Last week I told a friend that the long-awaited Fassbinder Vol. 3 was imminent and I was ready to start my next marathon. His comment was 'Bergman was too upbeat for you?'.
I've seen most of Bergman. I don't think his reputation for being sunk in gloom is entirely deserved. He made plenty of comedies, especially early in his career. Shame was the only one I can recall finding unrelievedly bleak. Fassbinder also had his 'lighter' moments, but they were very few and far between - even a 'comedy' like Satan's Brew is fairly disturbing.
It Rains on Our Love (1946) Music in Darkness (1948) Prison (1949) This Can’t Happen Here (1950) Mr Sleeman is Coming (1957) TV Movie The Venetian (1958) TV Movie Rabies (1958) TV Movie Storm Weather (1960) TV Movie A Dream Play (1963) TV Movie Don Juan (1965) TV Movie The Misanthrope (1974) TV Movie Face to Face (1976) Hustruskolan (1983) TV Movie Dom Juan (1985) TV Movie The Blessed Ones (1986) TV Movie Madame de Sade (1992) TV Movie Backaterna (1993) TV Movie The Last Gasp (1995) TV Movie In the Presence of a Clown (1997) TV Movie The Image Makers (2000) TV Movie
Günter Lamprecht, the actor who played arguably the biggest role in all of Fassbinder filmography, died October 4 at the age of 92, German media report on Friday. He had smaller roles in World on a Wire, Martha and The Marriage of Maria Braun and then in 1980 played the role of Franz Biberkopf in the series Berlin Alexanderplatz. Beyond film roles like one in Das Boot, he was also a distinguished actor in the theatre and the German television, most notably in the Tatort series and even appearing in Babylon Berlin. Lamprecht was born in Berlin, January 21, 1930. With Fassbinder and Hanna Schygulla on the set of Berlin Alexanderplatz:
I actually find there is a strong streak of humor running through quite a few Fassbinder films ( if not most ). When you think of Fassbinder films you don't think " Boy was that guy funny "- but he actually WAS quite funny. Granted, the films are bleak but if you look past the façade you'll see the humor. " Martha " is both terrifying AND hilarious to me- but maybe that's just me. Fassbinder is like David Lynch ( or maybe Lynch is like Fassbinder ) in that the humor is often absurdist and/or very dark humor interlaced between the grotesque and terrifying ( sometimes done in a real deadpan manner ).
You may be right! But I don't think Martha is a film I could watch again .....it seriously disturbed me, partly because its central thesis (that people conspire in their own downfall, sometimes actively working towards it) is so terrifyingly plausible.
RIP Gūnther Lamprecht. An amazing actor. His portrayal of Franz Bieberkopf is one of the absolute highlights in cinema and TV for me. Now I feel like watching Berlin Alexanderplatz again.
I've seen many of Fassbinder's films; Effi Briest is my favorite. So coolly staged, so beautifully photographed, and of course there's the sublime Hanna Schygulla. Those cheekbones! Always wished she would have played the lead in Sophie's Choice. Despair is also up there for me. I remember back in the day a NY cinema --I think it was at the Lincoln Plaza Cinema--was showing Berlin Alexanderplatz onscreen, a couple of episodes a day... I attended the first day's showing. After that it was sold out and I never did get to see it onscreen. But I've since seen episodes on video. He was truly a master filmmaker.
I rewatched Maria Braun yesterday for the first time since I saw it as a teenager and was struck by how good Schygulla was. Such a compelling character, and Fassbinder framed her beautifully too. I'm sure if I knew more about Germany after the war the allegory Braun represents would have more meaning for me, but it really is a nuanced look at someone's downfall, so to speak, just as Veronika Voss was, though Voss is much more bleak. You don't get much of a sense of interiority in Braun, however, which I think must have been a choice. I'm rewatching Voss now, and then onto Lola. I found my library has a good little selection of Fassbinder films so I'm planning to work my way through them in the next few weeks. Eventually I'm going to have to get a Criterion subscription!
Watched a 9 dvd box recently of early Fassbinder films, was most impressed with The Merchant Of Four Seasons, combination of good story/ acting.
Is there a list of music bands / singer songwriters he used in his films. In My Room by The Walker Brothers was most effective, played on what looked to be a Braun record player.
Got sidetracked from watching my library's Fassbinder films but went back to the start with Love Is Colder Than Death, his first film. He's doing Godard here, and it's pretty minimalist and uninvolving, though the supermarket scene is almost dreamlike. For Fassbinder fans only. By the way, there are a bunch of Fassbinder movies on the Internet Archive, including some of his TV work.
My faves of those I have seen would be Why Does Herr R. Run Amok? , Ali : Fear Eats The Soul and I think Angst vor der Angst is underrated as is I Only Want You To Love Me.
Here’s a short doc from ‘76 on Fassbinder’s working methods titled, The Culture Industry Needs Something Like Me by Gert Ellinghaus.