Schultze Gets the Blues (2003)

Schultze is an accordion player and newly without work. When the local music club celebrates its 50th anniversary, his taste of music changes unexpectedly.

Director:

Michael Schorr

Writer:

Michael Schorr

Stars:

Horst Krause, Harald Warmbrunn, Karl-Fred Müller

11 wins & 5 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Horst Krause	...	Schultze
Harald Warmbrunn	...	Jürgen
Karl-Fred Müller	...	Manfred
Ursula Schucht	...	Jürgen's Wife
Hannelore Schubert	...	Manfred's Wife
Erwin Meinicke	...	Skatspieler
Hans Hohmann	...	Skatspieler
Siegfried Zimmermann	...	Skatspieler
Maik Gustävel	...	Automaten-Monteur
Annegret Fritz	...	Wirtin
Wolfgang Boos	...	Gatekeeper
Werner Boche	...	Rasenpfleger
Dora Solter	...	Dame
Anna Spengler	...	Dame
Erika Kirchhof	...	Dame

Storyline

Schultze is a retired lignite miner living in an East German village and a passionate Polka musician on his accordion. One night he listens to a Zydeco tune in the radio, which changes his taste of music radically. Notwithstanding his complete ignorance of the English language he starts a trip into the heart of the Zydeco; to Louisana.

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Plot Keywords:

accordion | zydeco | east german | miner | accordion player | 

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Taglines:

It's never too late to re-tune your soul

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Music

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for mild language

Details

Official Sites:

official website [de] (german and english) Paramount Classics

Country:

Germany

Language:

German English French

Release Date:

22 April 2004 (Germany)

Also Known As:

Härra Schultze pensionipõlv

Filming Locations:

Germany

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$17,722 (USA) (18 February 2005)

Gross:

$594,115 (USA) (15 July 2005)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Filmkombinat, Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen (ZDF)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

114 min 114 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

In one of the dancing scenes, a crewmember runs across the screen as the camera follows the elderly dancing couples.

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Quotes

Captain Kirk: [while hooking up Schultze's boat] I'm captain Kirk.

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Connections

References Star Trek (1966)

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Soundtracks

"Long Temps Passe"
Written by Bruce Barnes
Performed by Sunpie and the Louisiana Sunspots
from the album "The Language of New Orleans, Vol. 5: Zydeco"

User Reviews

Wunderbar!

Sehr gut! This wonderful slice of life and comment on Thoreau's observation of people "living lives of quiet desperation," is so well done, it leaves me reflecting on it long after having seen it. Schultzie, a retired miner, who plays the accordion and hangs out with his at-loose-ends friends, hears some zydeco one night on the radio and starts to play it. He doesn't even know the name of the tune and certainly has no cultural connections with the music but he plays after hearing it once and extends his experience playing polkas to incorporate this new rhythm and beat into his playing. He does it with such a nonchalance and earnest commitment that he even takes him by surprise. The scene where he plays his new found music with his fellow burghers is amazing. His friends rally to his support while the more traditionalists object to this "nigger music." The whole film is a series of embroidered vignettes of still shots which are pasted on the wall with the characters moving slowly across them. The pace is slow and there are lots of gaps but that only adds to the charm of this delightful little film. It is full of sentiment without becoming sentimental, poignant but never maudlin and lingers long in the memory.