The Third Generation (1979)

Peter Lenz, a mogul merrily funds terrorists to boost his computer sales, by panicking West German government and industry c. 1980, as the third generation of Western European left-wing ... See full summary »

Director:

Rainer Werner Fassbinder

Writer:

Rainer Werner Fassbinder

Stars:

Eddie Constantine, Hanna Schygulla, Volker Spengler

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview:
Harry Baer	...	Rudolf
Hark Bohm	...	Gerhard Gast
Margit Carstensen	...	Petra
Eddie Constantine	...	P. J. Lurz
Jürgen Draeger	...	Hans
Raúl Gimenez	...	Paul
Claus Holm	...	Opa Gast
Günther Kaufmann	...	Franz Walsch
Udo Kier	...	Edgar Gast
Bulle Ogier	...	Hilde Krieger
Lilo Pempeit	...	Mutter Gast
Hanna Schygulla	...	Susanne Gast
Volker Spengler	...	August
Y Sa Lo	...	Ilse Hoffmann
Vitus Zeplichal	...	Bernhard von Stein

Storyline

Peter Lenz, a mogul merrily funds terrorists to boost his computer sales, by panicking West German government and industry c. 1980, as the third generation of Western European left-wing activists forms, after crippling of the violent Red Army Faction. International capitalist PJ Lurz's secretary is a gang member, while her Polizeikommissar father-in-law/lover hired Lurz' corporate security force. On February 27, Carnival Tuesday, these young terrorists kidnap Peter Lenz.

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Plot Keywords:

years of lead | killed by police | cuckolded husband | kidnapped man | wife kills husband | 

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Genres:

Crime | Drama

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Did You Know?

Trivia

A film projectionist in Hamburg was beaten unconscious while screening this film and a theater in Frankfurt was besieged by youths attempting to use acid to destroy the print.

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Quotes

P. J. Lurz: You don't have much of a sense of humor, do you?
Gerhard Gast: On the contrary. The other day I had a dream where capitalists created terrorism in order to force the state to better protect the business community. That's funny, isn't it?

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Crazy Credits

Eine Komödie in 6 Teilen / um Gesellschaftsspiele / voll Spannung, Erregung und Logik / Grausamkeit und Wahnsinn / ähnlich den Märchen / die man Kindern erzählt / ihr Leben zum Tod ertragen zu helfen.

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Connections

References Solaris (1972)

User Reviews

Weird, Hermetic, Disconnected but Mesmerizing Film

In Berlin, a cell of terrorist composed by middle-class people is activated with the sentence "The World as Will and Idea", based on the central work of the German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer "The World as Will and Representation". They plan to abduct the businessman P. J. Lurz ( Eddie Constantine) that works with sales of computers, while they are chased by a persistent chief of police.

"Die Dritte Generation" a.k.a. "The Third Generation" is a weird, hermetic, disconnected but mesmerizing film of German director Rainer Werner Fassbinder, divided in six chapters and dedicated to those who truly love (meaning no one in the vision of the director). The plot explores the concept of terrorism and the contradictions of the middle- class and apparently the central idea is based on Schopenhauer's central work. Unfortunately I do not have knowledge in philosophy, sociology or political science to fully understand this inaccessible film. Fassbinder uses unusual angles with his camera and strange sounds to expose with irony the bourgeois values of each ridiculous terrorist of this generation that does not have ideology. In the end, I liked this collection of ideas in spite of I have not clearly understood the film as a whole. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "A Terceira Geração" ("The Third Generation")

Details

Country:

West Germany

Language:

German English French

Release Date:

9 September 1980 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Third Generation

Filming Locations:

Berlin, Germany

Box Office

Budget:

DEM800,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Filmverlag der Autoren, Pro-ject Filmproduktion, Tango Film

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1