Bernd Eichinger Movies

This German farce has fun parodying the local filmmaking industry and some its more popular stars as it tells the riotous tale of a neglected, lonely Munich housewife who writes a tawdry best-selling account of her sexual past. The situation begins when Franziska, the wife tires of hanging around the house raising two mischievous children while her husband the television director gallivants to far-flung locales sleeping with every actress in sight. She has a conversation with an understanding lawyer and through miscommunication ends up launching divorce proceedings. It is the lawyer who advises her to write down her erotic history. Later, an old high school flame turned publisher sees her manuscript and suggests she publish it as an erotic novel using a pseudonym. Things go swimmingly until her husband buys the film rights and decides to turn it into a trashy movie. This film was extremely popular in Germany. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Hosted by Kevin Costner and narrated by Gregory Harrison, the historical documentary 500 Nations, Vol. 1: The Ancestors - Early Cultures of North America portrays America's original inhabitants. The film begins with a segment on the massacre at Wounded Knee, then flashes back in time for a look at the Anasazis, as well as the early cultures of Mesa Verde and Cahokia. ~ Kathleen Wildasin, All Movie Guide

Hosted by Kevin Costner and narrated by Gregory Harrison, the historical documentary 500 Nations, Vol. 3: Clash of Cultures - The People Who Met Columbus is part of an eight-part series that portrays America's original inhabitants. The film provides an in-depth look at Columbus' arrival in the New World, the conquering of Caribbean nations by the Spaniards, and Hernando de Soto's conquests in Florida and the Mississippi Valley. ~ Kathleen Wildasin, All Movie Guide

This documentary is part of an eight part series that explores the story of the First Americans. The series is produced and hosted by Kevin Costner. In this episode, the origins and development of the French and Indian War are examined. The English and French fought for economic control of the New World. Native Americans had established trade with the French, and took their part in the war against England. When the French were defeated, the tribal forces were left without allies. Set on location, with computer re-creations,that story is told. Of great interest is the look at the oldest democracy on the North American continent: that of the Haudenosaunee -or Iroquois- Nation. Their leader was Pontiac, a man that Benjamin Franklin came to admire. ~ Rose of Sharon Winter, All Movie Guide

This documentary is part seven in an eight part series, produced by Kevin Costner, on the First Americans. This episode examines the fate of the Plains Indians, with the arrival of white invaders during the gold rushes in California and Colorado. The Sioux, or Lakota, Nation is particularly noted for its resistance to incursions by white settlers and to mining claims on native land. Sitting Bull, of the Hunkpapa Lokota, and Crazy Horse, of the Oglala Sioux, were two leaders revered then and today for their bravery in seeking an end to European American aggression. They and their peoples fought and defeated General George Custer at the Little Bighorn. The film chronicles the struggle of their resistance and hardship, and subsequent capture, betrayal, death, and displacement of their people onto reservations. Poignant excerpts from the writings of Indian leaders are read by actors Patrick Stewart, Edward James Olmos, and Wes Studi. ~ Rose of Sharon Winter, All Movie Guide

Originally shown as a CBS miniseries, the eight-part 500 Nations program was directed by Jack Leustig and executive produced by Academy award-winner Kevin Costner. The documentary program traced the history of the Native American tribes of North and Central America, from the centuries of prosperity before the arrival of Western settlers, up through the late 19th century. Produced in 1995 and hosted by Costner, the programs were narrated by Gregory Harrison and featured the voice talents of actors such as Wes Studi, Patrick Stewart, and Edward James Olmos. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide

Bille August directed this film version of the Isabel Allende novel, featuring a cast that includes Jeremy Irons, Meryl Streep, and Glenn Close. The story is a sweeping and brooding melodrama, spanning generations and filled with violence, revenge, and telekinesis. The tale begins in South America in 1926, when a young man, Esteban (Jeremy Irons), falls in love with the daughter of a rich man, Rosa Del Valle (Teri Polo). He vows to become rich enough to make her his wife and spends months of toil in the gold fields to earn enough money to do just that. Before the two marry, however, Rosa is killed by poison meant for her father. After the tragedy, Esteban moves to Trés Marias, an abandoned ranch, and spends 20 years of his life turning the ranch into a thriving estate, exploiting the labor of the poor who live off the land. When he returns to the city, he comes across Rosa's younger sister Clara (Meryl Streep), now a woman with telekinetic abilities. Clara took a vow of silence years before, but upon the arrival of Esteban, she speaks for the first time in years -- "You have come to propose marriage to me," she says. Esteban and Clara marry, and Esteban takes her back to the ranch, where they have a daughter, Blanca (Winona Ryder). Their daughter falls in love with the son of one of Esteban's foremen, a hot-headed revolutionary named Pedro (Antonio Banderas). Now, the country is in the throes of revolution. Esteban banishes his sister Ferula (Glenn Close) from the ranch, beats his wife, and rapes a peasant woman. The product of Esteban's rape (Joaquin Martinez) grows into an angry young man who convinces Esteban to send him away to military school. When there is a military coup, the illegitimate son returns to Trés Marias with revenge and torture on his mind. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide

Greta Scacchi plays a famous feminist activist, while Vincent D'Onofrio portrays a humble Scots fisherman in this film from director Andrew Birkin. Despite the obvious ideological chasm between them, the two fall in love. The couple spend the rest of the film running away from commitment, only to be reunited at every turn. Salt on Our Skin is also known under the title Desire. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Werner is a cult-hero among young Germans; he is the opposite of the dutiful, work-oriented model usually promulgated to them. Intead, he roars swiftly through the city on his highly customized motorcycle, cleverly outwitting the traffic policemen whose paths he crosses, while he picks up yet another in an endless series of cases of beer. He has no visible means of support, is as articulate as a stone, and seems to spend his days in a perpetual party.This Animal House-like comedy combines live action and animation. The story takes place on the north coast of Germany, and much of the dialog is in an obscure local dialect. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide

Loosely based on the novel by Alberto Moravia, Me and Him concerns an architect (Griffin Dunne) whose penis begins giving him advice on business and love. It urges him to leave his wife and seduce a series of co-workers and acquaintances. ~ John Bush, All Movie Guide

In a failed attempt at comedy, the German pop group called The Trio do double duty in this film about double-takes -- each member of the Trio looks exactly like a dictator in Latin America. Once the dictators catch on to this coincidence, they develop a scheme to safely get their hands on the illegal fortune they have siphoned out of their countries and into Swiss bank accounts. The plan is to assassinate the Trio and fool their enemies back home into thinking they themselves have been killed -- leaving the door open to safely raid their loot in Switzerland. Most of the story then revolves around cases of mistaken identity. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

Wolfgang Petersen adapted Michael Ende's children's story for this charming fantasy film that spawned several sequels. Bastian (Barret Oliver) is dealing with his mother's recent death. His father (Gerald McRaney) is an imperious sort who continually lambastes Bastian for daydreaming and falling behind in school. On top of his father's badgering, he has to contend with a bunch of school bullies waiting for him in the schoolyard. One day he decides to play hooky and walks into a strange bookstore, where in the attic, he discovers a book called "The Neverending Story". As Bastian reads the book, he's enveloped in the unfolding tale. A sickly child-like empress (Tami Stronach) from a land called Fantasia is concerned about who will take over the land if she dies. She decides it is best for Fantasia if she remains alive, so she dispatches a young warrior named Atreju (Noah Hathaway) to find a cure for the empress's malady. It turns out the land is consumed with a plague called The Nothing, generated by blighted dreams and hopeless fantasies. As Atreju continues onward to search for a cure for The Nothing, he encounters an assortment of strange creatures. Bastian is so consumed with the tale that he finds himself catapulted into the land of Fantasia himself. Atreju realizes that the only way to save the land from its blight is with the help of this strange earth boy, Bastian. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide

When a school crashes down around the children inside for no apparent reason, architect Phillip Braun (Helmut Griem) is quickly apprehended and tried for having condoned inferior design and construction of the building. He is sentenced to prison. After he has already served his sentence, his lawyer (who in the meantime has become the lover of Phillip's wife) discovers that the real blame for the incident may lie elsewhere. However, overwhelmed by his passions, Phillip is easy prey for the villain. This psychological crime thriller was based on The Glass Cell by Patricia Highsmith. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide