The Niklashausen Journey (1970)

Can a small group of people start a proletarian revolution, asks the "Black Monk" in a leather jacket. The medieval shepherd, Hans Boehm, claims to have been called by the Virgin Mary to ... See full summary »

Directors:

Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Michael Fengler

Writers:

Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Michael Fengler

Stars:

Michael König, Hanna Schygulla, Margit Carstensen

Cast

Credited cast:
Michael König	...	Hans Boehm
Hanna Schygulla	...	Johanna
Margit Carstensen	...	Magarethe
Michael Gordon	...	Antonio
Günther Kaufmann	...	Leader of the farmers (as Günter Kaufmann)
Kurt Raab	...	Bishop
Franz Maron	...	Magarethe's husband
Walter Sedlmayr	...	Priest
Karl Scheydt	...	Niklashausen citizen (as Karl Scheidt)
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Chris Karrer	...	Himself (as Amon Düül II)
Hanna Köhler	...	Sängerin
Peter Leopold	...	Himself (as Amon Düül II)
Falk Rogner	...	Himself (as Amon Düül II)
John Weinzierl	...	Himself (as Amon Düül II)

Storyline

Can a small group of people start a proletarian revolution, asks the "Black Monk" in a leather jacket. The medieval shepherd, Hans Boehm, claims to have been called by the Virgin Mary to create a revolt against the church and the landowners. The "Black Monk" suggests that he would have more success if he dressed up Johanna and had her appear as the Virgin Mary.

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Plot Keywords:

new german cinema | religion | oppression | revolutionary | sex scene | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Country:

West Germany

Language:

German

Release Date:

26 October 1970 (West Germany)

Also Known As:

A Viagem a Niklashauer

Filming Locations:

Feldkirchen, Carinthia, Austria

Box Office

Budget:

DEM 550,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Janus Film und Fernsehen, Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Soundtracks

Untitled Jam
Written by Amon Düül II
Performed by Amon Düül II

User Reviews

Represents the worst of the 60's counterculture, masked by a few 15th Century costumes.

My kid makes better videos than this! I feel ripped off of the $4.00 spent renting this thing! There is no date on the video case, apparently designed by Wellspring; and, what's even worse, there's no production date for the original film listed anywhere in the movie! The only date given is 2002, leading an unsuspecting renter to believe he's getting a recent film.

This movie was so bad from a standpoint of being outdated and irrelevant for any time period but precisely when it was made, that I'm amazed that anyone would take the time and expense to market it as a video. It might be of interest to students studying the counter-culture of the 1960's, the anti-war, anti-establishment, tune-in, turn-on and drop out culture; but when you read the back of the video case, there's no hint that that is what you're getting. If you do make the mistake of renting it though, it is probably best viewed while on drugs, so that your mind will more closely match the wavelength of the minds of the directors, Fassbinder and Fengler. Regardless of your state of mind while watching it, I can tell you that it doesn't get any better after the first scene; so, knowing that, I'm sure you'll be fast asleep long before the end.