Planet der Kannibalen (2001)

Director:

Hans-Christoph Blumenberg

Writer:

Hans-Christoph Blumenberg (writer)

Genre:

Crime | Sci-Fi | Comedy | Mystery

Plot:

A futuristic television station sets out to hire newly arrived alien cannibals for a game show.

Plot Keywords:

Alien | Cannibal | Germany | Television Show

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Minh-Khai Phan-Thi	...	Emma Trost
Florian Lukas	...	Adam Singer
Vadim Glowna	...	Kannibale Oskar Wagenknecht
Barbara Auer	...	Heike Hasselhoff
Heikko Deutschmann	...	Hanno Jungbluth
Nina Petri	...	Vera Frostenthal
Matthias Fuchs	...	Dienstag
Peter Fitz	...	Professor Dr. Dr. Best
Udo Schenk	...	Roberto
Lutz Herkenrath	...	Prof. Ostheim
Hannes Hellmann
Patricia Thielemann
Horst Tomayer	...	Bruno
Fatih Akin	...	Mr. Dark
Gustav-Peter Wöhler	...	Mirko Nebel

Also Known As:

Planet of the Cannibals (Australia) (literal English title)

Runtime:

Australia:91 min

Country:

Germany

Language:

German

Color:

Black and White

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

Australia:PG

Company:

Arte

It's worth a look if only for its homages to the genre.

In the year 2020 there is a ratings war brewing between two rival TV stations Eurolux and Alphaplus. Though the government makes it clear there can only be one station, so the two battle it out with their top rating shows. One of these shows is called "Cannibal talk", in which a serial killer gives scathing advice to callers who ring up. To knock off Eurolux's popular show Emma Trost a young woman on the Alphaplus team is given a job by Professor Dr. Dr. Best to look into a story about three aliens living amongst them in human form, so they can use this story to win the ratings war. But while being told this startling information he is killed and she is framed for the murder. So, now she is out to clear her name, but who can she trust?

Not bad… not bad at all. This basically little unknown German Sci-fi thriller was a decent low-budget flick and definitely odd to say the least. With so little to work with, it surprised me with its shades of imagination amongst its story, solid script, dreamy score and profound performances. Maybe too arty for some people's sake and it's definitely one of those films you have to be in the right type of mood to watch. Well, it took me two viewings to watch it fully. Being shot in black and white, helps add a film noir style to it, but also really built on the almost documentary type of camera work. Like a fellow commenter has added, it's basically a homage too many different works of 1950's and 60's Sci-fi or thriller films. Although, what the film reminded me of was that of my favourite flick Brazil (1985). With both of them sharing the biting satire and wit against a government that run a strict system of unfair laws. But it just didn't stop their in this film, it's main criticism was the TV media and it associates. The way they portrayed the interactive quiz shows and the sly people behind them, underneath this gloss its fake and fairly manipulative, by just taking advantage of the viewer. Especially since the film is set in a futuristic time where the economy crashed and unemployment is at a high. But the mystery element involving the aliens is what keeps you watching this well-crafted thriller, because it's unpredictable hokum and it sure doesn't play out like you think it will. But just don't read too much into that side of the story, as it might seem convoluted if so. Plus its rather talky in patches, but at least the dialogue is hardly mundane. Also a decent amount of black humour can be found, well it's hard not to pass and sometimes it worked. But it's Vadim Glowna who steals the show as Oskar the cannibal, but also Minh-Khai Phan-Thi as Emma Trost and Barbara Auer as Heike Hasselhoff are memorably good. Technically its rather sound with great set pieces and bizarre props underlying its moody atmosphere. What we got here, is entertainingly good and at times fairly humorous, in a dark sort of way.

Decent entertainment for undemanding fans who enjoy their paranoia Sci-fi thrillers.