Dieter Pfaff Movies
- 1999
Two top German television personalities star in this comedy in which they parody the entertainment industry, as well as their own on-air personalities. In Cologne, Germany, the Tele-C network is in deep trouble -- they're stuck in the ratings cellar, the star of their most popular show has just quit, and the moneymen are not at all happy. Program director Conrad Scheffer (Harald Schmidt) thinks he sees a light at the end of the tunnel when he meets the partner of his assistant, Carla Sperling (Jasmin Tabatabai). Hannes Engel (Thomas Gottschalk) is a handsome and personable disc jockey working at a small radio station in the country, and Conrad is convinced he'd be perfect for television. All Conrad has to do is (a) convince Hannes to take the job, (b) get Carla over her belief that Hannes would be making a horrible mistake by going into television, and (c) get the network's current talk show host out of the way. Schmidt and Gottschalk have been called the Jay Leno and David Letterman of German TV, and their presence together made this comedy something of an event in its home country. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Thomas Gottschalk, Harald Schmidt, (more)
- 1992
For Susi, the Saturday before Christmas is the longest day of the year, whatever date it bears. This year, it seems even longer. Not only are the customers who come to her combination gas station and snack bar on the way to or from shopping at the mall unusually difficult to please today, but she is getting hammered at by her mother and her ex-husband as well. The icing on the cake comes when she learns that her lease to operate the store is not being renewed, and she must be out by January 1. Every effort she makes to speak to the mall's (honest) director fails, because his unscrupulous assistant wants it that way. Before long, Susi has accepted the help of a young punk who, hearing of her troubles, is willing to do almost anything to help her out. Since his "almost anything" includes yelling "fire" in the middle of the mall on the busiest shopping day of the year, things get even more hectic. Somewhere along the way, the fortyish divorcee and her disreputable-looking ally discover that they care for one another romantically. This fast-paced German-language comedy reportedly had its viewers rolling in the aisles. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gisela Schneeberger, Dieter Pfaff, (more)
- 1986
Gotz George portrays the unscrupulous police commissioner Schimanski in this grim crime drama. With his partner Thanner (Eberhard Feik), the two shake down patrons of a techno dance club in the drug-drenched Ruhr district, and there Schimanski recognizes a drugged-out dancer as Conny (Claudia Messner), the daughter of an old flame. He sets out to help Conny, now calling herself Zabou, escape from a situation that she has no desire to leave behind. Wolfram Berger portrays the oily club-owner Hocks. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Götz George, Claudia Messner, (more)
