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[Stuart Chivers]

Fassbinder fans take note, the Bristol Arnolfini is showing a number of his films in August.

http://www.arnolfini.org.uk/event_seasons/index/12/

[Jonny]

Sounds good, will you be going Stuart?

[Stuart Chivers]

I might well do, although I'm more familiar with Fassbinder's name than his actual work. I'll definately be taking the opportunity to see Le Mepris (part of the same season) on the big screen though.

I don't know if this season is going to be replicated elsewhere in the country?

[Jonny]

I've not actually seen any of his films, least I don't think so. Like you I know his name but not much else, was suprised to read in the write up in your link that he liked his drugs and ended up dying because of it at the tender age of 37!

[Ben Cobb]

Jonny, I recommend you start off with his last – and IMO best – film Querelle, featuring Franco Nero and Jeanne Moreau.

[Jonny]

Cheers for the heads up Ben. I've found the UK Second Sight release for about £6 is that a decent DVD?

[Ben Cobb]

I have the Second Sight disc. Bare bones but nice-looking 2.35:1 print. I love the film: it's a visual and homoerotic masterpiece. Enjoy!

[Richard C]

I've seen The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant and The Merchant of Four Seasons and have Ali: Fear Eats the Soul and The Marriage of Maria Braun too watch. They can be a bit of a struggle to watch as they are far from cheery but I would say Fassbinder is essential viewing if you are an Art-house fan.

[Michael Blanton]

Just about any film by Fassbinder will be a rewarding experience if you have patience. 

The previous mentioned QUERELLE, based on Jean Genet's novel, is quite a surreal (and gorgeous) film.  My favorites would be  WHITY, an over-the-top pseudo Spaghetti Western filmed in Almería (Available in a stunning 2.35:1 NTSC transfer enhanced for 16x9 from Fantoma). BEWARE OF A HOLY WHORE (Quintessential Fassbinder with Lou Castel and Eddie Constantine as director and actor on location in Spain shooting a Western.  This is his 8 1/2, LE MEPRIS or DAY FOR NIGHT and directly influenced by his making of WHITY) ALI:FEAR EATS THE SOUL (Criterion Collection) which is a remake of Douglas Sirk's ALL THAT HEAVEN ALLOWS. THE BRD trilogy - also available from Criterion - which includes the THE MARRIAGE OF MARIA BRAUN, VERONIKA VOSS (sumptious B&W cinematography) and LOLA and deals with three different women in the aftermath of post-WWII Germany. The Revisionist Film Noirs: LOVE IS COLDER THAN DEATH, GODS OF THE PLAGUE and THE AMERICAN SOLDIER are essential.  THE THIRD GENERATION is a film about a Baader Meinhof Red Army Faction like left wing violent revolutionaires.  WHY DOES HERR R RUN AMOK? (a disturbed man in the aftermath of his killing spree) is another great film.  So are THE BITTER TEARS OF PETRA VAN KANT and CHINESE ROULETTE.

Unfortunately, in the US, WELLSPRING (aka Fox Lorber) released HERR R and a bunch of of his films with sub par releases (screwing up the PAL to NTSC transfers), including FOX AND HIS FRIENDS, BEWARE OF A HOLY WHORE, THE MERCHANT OF FOUR SEASONS, SATAN'S BREW, IN A YEAR WITH 13 MOONS, THE STATION MASTER'S WIFE. 

His 15 hour TV mini (maxi?) series, BERLIN ALEXANDERPLATZ, put out by Criterion, is also essential viewing.

If you want to see a really bizarre film, with Fassbinder acting, check him out as homicide detective, decked out in a leopard skin suit, investigating a string of murders in a futuristic totaliterian state which controls all facets of media in Wolf Gremm's futuristic crime thriller/sci-fi parody KAMIKAZE 1989 (1982).


An unbelievably prolific talent, between 1969 and 1982 Fassbinder made 41 films.  WOW! 

Love is Colder Than Death (1969)
Katzelmacher (1969)
Gods of the Plague (1970)
The Coffeehouse (1970) (TV)
Why Does Herr R. Run Amok? (1970)
The American Soldier (1970)
The Niklashausen Journey (1970) (TV)
Rio das Mortes (1971) (TV)
Pioneers in Ingolstadt (1971) (TV)
Whity (1971)
Beware of a Holy Whore (1971)
The Merchant of Four Seasons (1971)
The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant (1972)
Eight Hours Are Not a Day (1972) (TV mini-series)
Bremen Freedom (1972) (TV)
Wild Game (Wildwechsel – aka Jail Bait) (1972) (TV)
Nora Helmer (1973) (TV)
Martha (1973) (TV)
Ali: Fear Eats the Soul (1974)
Effi Briest (1974)
World on a Wire (1974) (TV)
Like a Bird on a Wire (1975) (TV)
Fox and His Friends (1975)
Mother Küsters Goes to Heaven (1975)
Fear of Fear (1975) (TV)
I Only Want You to Love Me (1976) (TV)
Chinese Roulette (1976)
Satan's Brew (1976)
Women in New York (1977) (TV)
The Stationmaster's Wife (aka Bolwieser) (1977) (TV)
Despair (1978)
In a Year With 13 Moons (1978)
Germany in Autumn (1978)
The Marriage of Maria Braun (1979)
The Third Generation (1979)
Berlin Alexanderplatz (1980) (TV mini-series)
Lili Marleen (1981)
Theater in Trance (1981)
Lola (1981)
Veronika Voss (1982)
Querelle (1982)

[Stephen Grimes]

I remember C4 showing 'The Marriage of Maria Braun' back in the mid 80's and being quite shocked to see a scene of a naked black bloke walking around,was aged about 11 or 12 at the time and came across the film by accident (as you do)

[Richard C]

Picked Lili Marleen today at a bootsale

[Michael Blanton]

Picked Lili Marleen today at a bootsale

I went gaga yesterday and during the additional 20% off sale at DVD Planet sale ordered WHITY, WHY DOES HERR R RUN AMOK?, THE THIRD GENERATION, THE AMERICAN SOLDIER, GODS OF THE PLAGUE, FEAR OF FEAR, MOTHER KUSTER GOES TO HEAVEN, IN A YEAR OF THIRTEEN MOONS, MARTHA and PIONEERS OF INGOLSTADT.    Also picked up MACHINE GIRL! 

[prospero]

The German label Arthaus has just released the almost-forgotten TV-miniseries "Welt Am Draht" (World On A Wire), made by Fassbinder in 1973.
It's a 2-DVD-digipack, but unfortunately there are no English subs.
It's kind of a sci-fi dealing with artificial realities imitating "actual" reality, and the ensuing confusion regarding what's real and what's imitation.
Haven't watched the series in full so far, but the camerawork (Ballhaus, of course) looks absolutely stunning - this could almost be Italian.... lol

more here:
http://www.arthaus.de/welt_am_draht-arthaus_premium

btw, they have also released Bunuel's "Belle de Jour" as a special edition with an audio commentary by Peter Evans who's British, so I assume the commentary is in English. Among the extras there's also an interview with a sex-therapist.....
The film itself comes with both optional English dub and English subs.

[Paul]

WORLD ON WIRE  has come out / is just about to come out (can't remember which) here in the UK courtesy of Second Sight.

[prospero]

WORLD ON WIRE  has come out / is just about to come out (can't remember which) here in the UK courtesy of Second Sight.

World On A Wire: 2 Disc Restored Edition - Amazon.co.uk

HAS come out already. It's in stock at amazon.co.uk and dead cheap, too at £11.99!