Here is another really nasty and unpleasant film that deals with drugs and teenage prostitution:
CHRISTIANE F
This is actually the film that HANNA D was inspired from. Here is my review for it:
Critically-acclaimed German production CHRISTIANE F is the true story of a lonely, bored teenager in the '70's who gets into the drug scene at 12, hooked on heroin at 13 and becomes a prostitute at 14 to support her habit. I've seen many films portraying drug addiction but none with such terrifying authenitcity as this film. CHRISTIANE F., makes REQUIEM FOR A DREAM and similar movies look like a Disney film in comparison. Perhaps its not the most original script ever writen but the way it was filmed is ultra-realistic and the outcome is crushing. Some would call it pure exploitation (and possibly dismiss it) while others would call it a cruel depiction of reality. In my opinion it is a little bit of both. Countless fans of the film even believe it should be mandatory viewing for every teenager as it could prevent them from drug abuse. So it can definitely be thought-provoking material.
The plot is just perfect. It is somehow predictable but it's pure reality and even the dialogue is as natural as it could possibly get. It will certaibly remind you of conversations that you may have had in the past. The way each actor responds to another and the things they say are just natural. Nothing more, nothing less.
They kids in the film, and specially Nayja Brunckhorst, acted so naturally, that even Edel makes the comment that "it's a wonder they haven't been actors or junkies their whole lives". So CHRISTIANE F. is the primary example of a solid movie that doesn't need pro actors in order to succeed. David Bowie's appearance certainly added to the film's success and cult status. His songs are more than effective in undescoring the scenes of the decadent teenagers.
Director Edel certianly had a vision while shooting this masterpiece: His images of Berlin's dark, filthy, and depressing world of heroin addicts create an atmosphere that is just perfect. Some of the scenes have an almost documentary-style to them. The excellent cinematography by Jurgen Jurges and Justus Pankau contributes to the max in the creation of such a dark and haunting atmosphere. And so do the Berlin settings. Edel makes late 70s Berlin look like pure hell, packed with tennage junkies ready to sell their bodies to all kinds of perverts just their daily fix. You can see heroin scenes in countless movies but here you get the real thing, extremely filthy, decadent, disturbing and shocking at the same time.
CHRISTIANE F. is a masterpiece that shouldn't be missing from any serious film collection. Just make sure you can take the strong shocks and overall depression. It's really hard to categorize the film as biographical, commercial cinema, arthouse or exploitation. It just blends all that in a perfect way. 3 years later, Rino Di Silvestro made his own CHRISTIANE F. rip-off titled HANNA D- THE GIRL FROM VONDEL PARK.
This movie is actually a blend of exploitation and arthouse but it is definitely very strong and sleazy stuff that you won't see in any of the new films... If first attracted me when I came across the Greek VHS which was titled "PROSTITUTE AT 13 FOR DRUGS".............
An interview with the director:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9nqQJNhlBEmovie trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVYDG2oSdlY
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Topic: extreme/OTT stuff in Euro films you would never see in American cinema? (Read 31013 times)