Der Kopf des Mohren (1995)

A seemingly contented man's descent into hallucination, paranoia and, finally, total insanity.

Director:

Paulus Manker

Writer:

Michael Haneke

Stars:

Gert Voss, Angela Winkler, Leni Tanzer

1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Credited cast:
Gert Voss	...	Georg
Angela Winkler	...	Anna
Leni Tanzer	...	Christina
Manuel Löffler	...	Jakob
Oana Solomonescu	...	Eva
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Michael Greiling
Heinrich Herki	...	Manfred
Bert Oberdorfer	...	Peter
Rosalinde Renn
Hilde Sochor

Storyline

Georg, who is happy with his job as a scientist, with his loving wife and with his three children, hears one day that an accident has happened in a chemical plant nearby. All of a sudden, he finds himself face to face with one of the victims. The man, whose face has been eaten away by the sour gas that escaped from the plant, is staring at him in despair. Does Georg really see the man or is this a mere hallucination? Is he becoming insane or is he more alert to the dangers of the world than the common man?

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Plot Keywords:

construction site | husband wife relationship | gas attack | listening to radio | mental breakdown | 

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Genres:

Drama | Horror

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Details

Country:

Austria

Language:

German

Release Date:

5 December 1996 (Germany)

Also Known As:

The Moor's Head

Filming Locations:

Wien, Austria

Company Credits

Production Co:

Wega Film

Technical Specs

Runtime:

120 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

User Reviews

Stick with it. Impressive albeit rarely seen film!

A scientist (Gert Voss) increasingly alarmed at the violence, death and suicide in the world, begins to lose his mind, turning his apartment into self sufficient quarters with rabbits, chickens and vegetables grown under artificial light. Written by Michael Haneke this ultimately worthwhile film tests the patience in the first two thirds and comes across as an art-house version of Falling Down (1993). The direction is assured and cleverly conceals matters through deliberate framing. This causes the viewer to wonder whether the events we are seeing are chronological and indeed to question what is actually happening. The final third where Voss' wife (Angela Winkler) and children return to find Voss' obsessive behaviour overwhelming everything illuminate on prior events and make for a tragic and sad end.