Der Totmacher

19951995
1h 50min

Fritz Haarmann, who has killed at least 27 boys, is questioned by a psychology professor in order to find out whether he is sane and can be held responsible for his crimes. During this inter... Read allFritz Haarmann, who has killed at least 27 boys, is questioned by a psychology professor in order to find out whether he is sane and can be held responsible for his crimes. During this interrogation Haarmann reveals his motives and his killing methods.Fritz Haarmann, who has killed at least 27 boys, is questioned by a psychology professor in order to find out whether he is sane and can be held responsible for his crimes. During this interrogation Haarmann reveals his motives and his killing methods.

7.6/10

2.1K

Director
- Romuald Karmakar
Writers
- Romuald Karmakar
- Michael Farin
Stars

Top credits

See production, box office & company info

See more at IMDbPro

Awards
- 7 wins & 3 nominations

7.3

6.4

6.9

7.0

7.0

7.2

6.4

Tenderness of the Wolves

6.9

The Ogre

5.6

Manila

6.6

Between the Devil and the Wide Blue Sea

6.0

Solo for Clarinet

7.8

Mephisto

dialogue driven professor mental exam stenographer crying man 17 more

Genres
- Crime
- Drama
Parents guide
- Add content advisory

Trivia
The film was intirely based on the original interrogation protocols of the serial killer Fritz Haarmann. Of the 400 pages, 80 were used as script.

Quotes
Fritz Haarmann: The boys always asked me, "Fritz, what to you put in there?"
[opens the window, walks up close to the doctor]
Fritz Haarmann: And then I always said, "I'm feeding your FISHES!", that's the way I said it.

Connections
Featured in Auge in Auge - Eine deutsche Filmgeschichte (2008)

Soundtracks
Ich hatte einen Kameraden
Performed by Franz Baumann and Orchestra
Lyrics by Ludwig Uhland
Music by Friedrich Silcher

Top review

8/10

Pure excellent acting

This is a quite spartan film. The only location is a sparse-funitured room, no special-effects, no score, just a few actors. - But what for actors! Götz George is supposed to be one of the best German actors, and after this movie the viewer knows why. Here he really shows what he is able to. I rarely (never?) saw such an intense, brilliant and convincing performance before. The sparse environment has the effect that the viewer can concentrate himself on the acting - and and this is what makes this film worth seeing.

But it's not only Götz George. The other actors (esp. Jürgen Hentsch as the psychiatrist and Pierre Franckh as the stenographer) are performing impressive and convincing. They are a well contrast and counterpart for George alias Haarmann. This prevents this movie from becoming a Götz-George-One-Man-Show.

I rated this with 8 because I think. a film for a 9 or even 10 should make more use of the diverse capabilities of the medium. After all a good film, but an absolute excellent play.

helpful•10