Bandits (1997)

Director:

Katja von Garnier

Writers:

Uwe Wilhelm (writer) and
Katja von Garnier (writer)

Release Date:

3 July 1997 (Germany)

Genre:

Drama | Music

Tagline:

They Always Wanted to be Famous... They Never Knew They'd be Wanted!

Plot:

Four female cons who have formed a band in prison get a chance to play at a police ball outside the walls...

Plot Keywords:

Escape | Police | On The Run | Women's Prison | Cigarette Lighter

Awards:

4 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Katja Riemann	...	Emma
Jasmin Tabatabai	...	Luna
Nicolette Krebitz	...	Angel
Jutta Hoffmann	...	Marie
Hannes Jaenicke	...	Schwarz
Werner Schreyer	...	West
Andrea Sawatzki	...	Ludwig
Oliver Hasenfratz	...	Schneider
August Schmölzer	...	Gunther
Heio von Stetten	...	Nick
Peter Sattmann	...	Gold
Peter Rühring	...	Gefängnisdirektor / Jail House Head
Irmhild Wagner	...	Gefängnispastorin / Prison Chaplain
Barbara M. Ahren	...	Innensenatorin Roth
Helga Storck	...	Aufseherin 1 / Custodian #1

Also Known As:

Bandits (France)

MPAA:

Rated R for language, sexuality and some drug use.

Runtime:

110 min

Country:

Germany | France

Language:

German | English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

Finland:K-12 | France:U | Germany:12 (f) (w) | South Korea:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Bad Neustadt, Bavaria, Germany

Company:

Bavaria Film

Goofs:

Continuity: When Emma is holding West hostage outside of the bar, she pulls back the hammer on her gun. In the next shot, the hammer is at ease.

Movie Connections:

References Sign 'o' the Times (1987)

Soundtrack:

Puppet

It sure is a one of a kind film. Watch it now it's on video

Hey, this definitely is one to watch. A one of a kind "German Females Shawshank Redemption goes Rock'n Roll." It was a big hit in Germany, though of course that is usually a deterrent for some odd reason. Don't let it be. If you follow video and DVD Releases, you will know it has been available for a few months now (finally) in the USA, where, I believe a movie like this would be a huge success. That is of course if it were in American English and starred Julia Roberts, instead of Katja Riemann, a big star in Germany, but of course a nobody in the US, in spite appearing in the only German movies released in the US in the past 5 years including Der Bewegte Mann - MAYBE, MAYBE NOT, and the COMEDIAN HARMONISTS. She is awesome in this role. If you like prison films, and triumph of the underdog, seemingly against all odds, run and rent this film. It is for you. As the Shawshank Redemption remains the second top-rated movie of all time here, it would follow that BANDITS should be a comparable success in the foreign film department. Additionally, it has all that female bonding which men (who usually make up over 52% of the audience) and I believe most emancipated women love to watch. See it now. You never know when these European films suddenly go out of print. In Germany, it will always be available, and is already a classic, as the previous comment indicates, and represents the majority opinion here. But no one can pinpoint why German movies are just being totally ignored since the 80s, when in fact, they have experienced a rebirth, and have become so much more accessible, so much more American, as has been the trend in almost everything in post World War II Germany. (RUN, LOLA, RUN to many is not really a movie, but a series of music videos according to many, and so can not really be called an exception.) But BANDITS is a real movie, not particularly German AT ALL. Most people will really get a kick out of it if they only gave it a shot. Watch it.