Bernd Eichinger Movies
- 1977
- Add Hitler - ein Film aus Deutschland to QueueAdd Hitler - ein Film aus Deutschland to top of Queue
This seven-hour long epic completes the "German Trilogy" of Hans-Jurgen Syberberg, which began with his meditation on the life of Ludwig II of Bavaria and continued with a biography of popular writer Karl May. In this film, he explores the factors in the German psyche which sought for and then deified a man like Hitler. Using absolutely no archival footage from the Nazi era, this highly symbolic and poetic film explores German culture and history. At times, Hitler is depicted as a toga-clad spirit, quoting Richard Wagner, and at times he appears in other guises -- all of them critical to understanding his role in the German mind, and hence to understanding the phenomena which caused the German people to support him. The film uses transcripts from radio broadcasts made during the Nazi era to underscore the importance of radio in unifying the nation at that time. Hitler: ein Film aus Deutschland was made to run in four segments on German, British and French television. The segments were titled "The Grail," "A German Dream," "The End of the Winter's Tale," and "We Children of Hell." Understanding that evil is clearly the purpose of this epochal and difficult film, the director said that, "It is easy to understand the revolt of slaves but difficult to comprehend the evil of tyrants." ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
Based on a true story, this film tells of an unlikely love affair. While in prison, Martin (Jürgen Prochnow) falls in love with the son of one of his guards. After he leaves prison, he becomes a professional actor. When the young man runs away from home to join him, he is captured and placed in a juvenile correction home. Society's attempts to straighten the boy out nearly kill him and leave unnecessary physical and mental scars which he will bear for life. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jürgen Prochnow, Werner Schwuchow, (more)
- 1976
- PG
This tragic drama is adapted from a popular Ibsen play about the relationship between a mother, her egomaniacal husband, and their daughter. The father never approves of anything the daughter does. Desperate to win his love, she gives up her own life so a wild duck may fly free. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jean Seberg, Peter Kern, (more)
- 1976
In this film based on the novel by Jonannes Mario Simmel, Bruno (Heinz Donez) may have served time for petty thievery, and may be an accomplished denizen of the Berlin underworld, but he has heart, and he has plans. When the Berlin wall went up, a whole industry of escape specialists grew up who were rigorously pursued by the East German government. Bruno is recruited to try to capture one of these specialists for trial and imprisonment. However, Bruno wants out and arranges with the Americans and West Germans to entrap the specialists' East German pursuers instead. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Catherine Allegret, Gunter Pfitzmann, (more)
- 1974
The Wrong Move and The Wrong Movement were the English-language titles for German director Wim Wenders' Falsche Bewegung. Made for television, the film is an update of Goethe's Wilhelm Meister. Ruediger Vogeler plays aspiring writer Wilhelm Meister, who goes on a long odyssey in the woods in search of truth. His companions on this journey are pragmatic Therese (Hanna Schygulla), bisexual Mignon (Nastassja Kinski, billed under her real name, Nakszynski), Mignon's hippielike boyfriend Laertes (Hans-Christian Blech), and artistically bankrupt poet Landau (Peter Kean). The foursome accept the hospitality of an industrialist (Ivan Desny), who unbeknownst to all but himself is a deeply troubled ex-Nazi. Novelist Peter Handke wrote the screenplay for Wrong Move. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rüdiger Vogler, Hanna Schygulla, (more)
