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Hotel Lux

  • 20112011
  • 1h 42m
IMDb RATING
6.0/10
1.2K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • IMDbPro
Hotel Lux (2011)
  • Comedy
In 1938 Hans Zeisig, an apolitical comedian, impersonator and cabaret actor, flees with a Russian passport (instead of American, which he would have preferred) from Nazi-Berlin, and finds hi... Read allIn 1938 Hans Zeisig, an apolitical comedian, impersonator and cabaret actor, flees with a Russian passport (instead of American, which he would have preferred) from Nazi-Berlin, and finds himself in the legendary Hotel Lux, the 'lost paradise' of the Comintern, in Moscow. Everyon... Read allIn 1938 Hans Zeisig, an apolitical comedian, impersonator and cabaret actor, flees with a Russian passport (instead of American, which he would have preferred) from Nazi-Berlin, and finds himself in the legendary Hotel Lux, the 'lost paradise' of the Comintern, in Moscow. Everyone believes that Zeisig is a man named Hansen, Hitler's personal astrologer. But Zeisig qui... Read all
IMDb RATING
6.0/10
1.2K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Leander Haußmann
  • Writers
    • Leander Haußmann(screenplay)
    • Uwe Timm(based on motifs by)
    • Volker Einrauch(based on motifs by)
  • Stars
    • Michael Herbig
    • Jürgen Vogel
    • Thekla Reuten
Top credits
  • Director
    • Leander Haußmann
  • Writers
    • Leander Haußmann(screenplay)
    • Uwe Timm(based on motifs by)
    • Volker Einrauch(based on motifs by)
  • Stars
    • Michael Herbig
    • Jürgen Vogel
    • Thekla Reuten
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 3User reviews
    • 26Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 4 wins & 7 nominations

    Photos

    Alexander Senderovich in Hotel Lux (2011)
    Add photo

    Top cast

    Edit
    Michael Herbig
    Michael Herbig
    • Hans Zeisigas Hans Zeisig
    Jürgen Vogel
    Jürgen Vogel
    • Siegfried Meyeras Siegfried Meyer
    Thekla Reuten
    Thekla Reuten
    • Frida von Oortenas Frida von Oorten
    Valeriy Grishko
    Valeriy Grishko
    • Josef Stalinas Josef Stalin
    Alexander Senderovich
    • Jeschowas Jeschow
    Juraj Kukura
    Juraj Kukura
    • Wassili Ulrichas Wassili Ulrich
    Thomas Thieme
    • Georgi Dimitroffas Georgi Dimitroff
    Gennadi Vengerov
    Gennadi Vengerov
    • Upitas Upit
    Josef Ostendorf
    • Mamaas Mama
    Sebastian Blomberg
    Sebastian Blomberg
    • Karl-Heinz Mülleras Karl-Heinz Müller
    Sibylle Canonica
    Sibylle Canonica
    • Frau Plattenas Frau Platten
    Axel Wandtke
    • Walter Ulbrichtas Walter Ulbricht
    Steffi Kühnert
    Steffi Kühnert
    • Lotte Kühnas Lotte Kühn
    Robert Dölle
    Robert Dölle
    • Johannes R. Becheras Johannes R. Becher
    Daniel Wiemer
    • Herbert Wehneras Herbert Wehner
    Matthias Brenner
    Matthias Brenner
    • Wilhelm Pieckas Wilhelm Pieck
    Friedrich Karl Praetorius
    • Jan Hansenas Jan Hansen
    • (as Friedrich-Karl Praetorius)
    Johann Adam Oest
    Johann Adam Oest
    • Valettias Valetti
    • Director
      • Leander Haußmann
    • Writers
      • Leander Haußmann(screenplay)
      • Uwe Timm(based on motifs by)
      • Volker Einrauch(based on motifs by)
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit
    In 1938 Hans Zeisig, an apolitical comedian, impersonator and cabaret actor, flees with a Russian passport (instead of American, which he would have preferred) from Nazi-Berlin, and finds himself in the legendary Hotel Lux, the 'lost paradise' of the Comintern, in Moscow. Everyone believes that Zeisig is a man named Hansen, Hitler's personal astrologer. But Zeisig quickly realizes that he's gone from the frying pan into the fire. In the Hotel Lux he meets his friends Frida and later Meyer again, still passionate communists. For the three idealists an adventure between love and death begins to run its course. —Anonymous
    • comedian
    • reference to charlie chaplin
    • stalinism
    • holocaust
    • nazi germany
    • 4 more
    • Plot summary
    • Plot synopsis
    • Genre
      • Comedy
    • Parents guide
      • Add content advisory

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Goofs
      When Hans is dating the girl in his flat in 1936 he puts on a record of "You Are My Sunshine" by Bing Crosby, Voctor Young and his Orchestra, a record that was released in 1941. Also the song was written in 1937 and the first release in 1939 by the Pine Ridge Boys.
    • Quotes

      Hans Zeisig: This is the starsky of 1939. This makes no difference for most people but for astrologers the stars are some kind of newspaper of tomorrow you can read today. If fthis newspaper would actually exist I would like to subscribe it because never my stars were standing so bad like today. When I was thinking of stars I was thinking of Hollywood, of good Cognac and of Hotels. About hotels they don't have to have 5 stars. There are many nice small hotels around the world with four or three stars, sometimes even only two stars. But this particular hotel has only one star and this should make you supsicious. Welcome to the Mecca of the Communism. Welcome in Moscow.

    • Crazy credits
      After the first closing credits we see a picture of the Stalin meeting with von Ribbentrop.
    • Connections
      References Three from the Filling Station (1930)
    • Soundtracks
      Ein Freund, ein guter Freund
      Music by Werner R. Heymann

      Lyrics by Robert Gilbert

      Performed by Michael Herbig and Jürgen Vogel

    User reviews3

    Review
    Top review
    A movie from the "apparat"
    Without the apparatchiks of Germany's film subsidy system movies like "Hotel Lux" would never come into existence. It has been financed by seven different subsidy bureaucracies. A lot of long, long corridors to walk along, a lot of forms to fill, a lot of functionaries to convince. They love to hear new ideas that they already know.

    The basic plot of "Hotel Lux" is from "To Be or Not to Be", with a bit of "Hitler--Dead or Alive" (both from 1942). But of course it starts with "Cabaret", which in 1972 established the fact that the Berlin of the early 1930s was basically a variety theater. It might be fun for some nerds to spot all the little details from the 1972-Cabaret incorporated in this 2011 version. But in this cabaret hindsight rules supreme. "Hitler" and "Stalin" dancing and singing as good friends in 1933 - and the audience giving this performance a standing ovation? This is gimmicky pulp fiction. And if you can enjoy the ludicrousness of self-righteousness, you might have a ball.

    Next stop: Moscow, or rather the long, long corridors of the Hotel Lux in Moscow, probably built and run by Franz Kafka. A lot of communist emigrants live here, under the permanent threat of being arrested and shot by other communists, when a denunciator has labeled them as "Trotskyists". Many of the apparatchiks behave like robots, a ghastly, alien breed. Some famous names join the party. Meet Mr. Walter Ulbricht, who in 1961 ordered the construction of the Berlin Wall, building a wall with sugar cubes. Meet Mr. Stalin, who is an old paranoiac, so scared of hidden microphones that he wouldn't talk without turning the faucet on. Poor Stalin, so very afraid of the "apparat", just like the average Joe.

    Life is very cheap at the Hotel Lux. It's the time of Stalin's Great Purge that did cost up to 1.2 million lives within two years. A strange backdrop for a comedy. Even stranger is the fact that we are still supposed to sympathize with two of the three main characters who are hardcore communists themselves.

    This is neither a comedy nor a thriller. It offers only a pulp version of history. What kind of target audience did the producers have in mind? It didn't find much of any. But that's the beauty of Germany's film subsidy system, I guess, things like that don't matter too much.

    Movie buffs might be entertained by the many quotes, some might appreciate the production and costume design. The specialists of the "apparat" will proudly consider "Hotel Lux" a well made piece of cinema. Except for historians, "Hotel Lux" is not really annoying, it's just boring. But if you are in a desperate situation where your only alternative would be to watch paint dry, I would recommend this movie. It's better than that. ("Bad German Movies"-Review No. 15)
    helpful•6
    6
    • Thom-Peters
    • Jul 9, 2015

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 27, 2011 (Germany)
    • Countries of origin
      • Germany
      • Liechtenstein
      • France
    • Official site
      • Official site (Germany)
    • Languages
      • German
      • Russian
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Готель Люкс
    • Filming locations
      • MMC Studios, Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
    • Production companies
      • Bavaria Pictures
      • Colonia Media Filmproduktionsgesellschaft
      • herbX Film
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $11,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross worldwide
      • $1,643,414
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 42 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
      • Black and White
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby

    Related news

    From Hitler's Germany To Stalin's Russia In Gorgeous German Comedy Hotel Lux
    Sep 2Screen Anarchy

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