Not really a well known movie from Switzerland. Even most Swiss people haven't heard about this film. Nevertheless, this is the deepest, most fascinating and for many cineasts, the best movie ever made in Switzerland.
Reviews
5 Reviews
World on a Wire
(1973)
This Masterpiece is now available on DVD (18.02.2010)!
24 January 2010
Warning: Spoilers
Yes!!!! Fassbinder and Ballhaus are at the top of their game, back in 1973! It's about the same subject, but in my opinion it's a much better movie than THE MATRIX (1999), at least it was 200 times cheaper! Very nice camera work by Michael Ballhaus and the wonderful "Albatross" by Fleetwood Mac at the end. Fassbinder is creating a very moody tone for the whole film. It's a shame this movie was never released on DVD. But now after 37 Years they finally came to the conclusion, that this TV-Movie, is not only one of the best Fassbinder films (altough there are quiet a lot best Fassbinder films), it's a brilliant example for a science-fiction movie, done without much money. Buy it!! Watch it!!
The Green Mile
(1999)
Top 250? Why?
25 June 2009
This movie is so pompous and cheesy, that i can't believe it's in the top 250. Although i'm only 30 years old, i'm wondering a lot about the general filmtaste nowadays. There was a time in cinema, i'd say from circa 1945 to 1975 when movies from all over the world had a chance to be seen in the main cinemas. But when the Blockbuster thing started at the end of the 70's and since then the only purpose of Hollywood is to promote a 200 or 300 Mio. movie so intensive that everybody believes this must be the peak of inventive cinema today, since then it is really hard for true filmmakers to get only a little space on the market. I'm not saying that all the Blockbusters are crap, but mostly it's just overblown action nonsense. Hollywood today is not a place for creative film-making, because the producers must be sure to get at least the amount of money back they are investing on it. But how can there be art, when money plays the central role???? And is it necessary that a film costs 200 or 300 Mio. dollars although there is definitely no need for that for making a brilliant and innovative film. For example "one flew over the cuckoo's nest 1975" = 4.4 mio. There are loads of movies the costs were uner 100000 dollars, but even then many of these films are uknownn masterpieces!
Bye-bye Bavaria!
(1978)
If you like Achternbusch, check this one out!
24 June 2009
"Servus Bayern" is not the best Achternbusch movie. (I prefer "Bierkampf" or "das letzte Loch") But still it is definitely worth watching if you like the uncompromising and anarchic works by the Bavarian director. Servus Bayern is about Achternbusch himself who is totally tired of living in the conservative Bavaria. So he is dreaming about moving to Greenland for starting a new life.
All of his films between 1974 and 1982 are of interest for the radical and peculiar note. In all his movies there aren't so called prof-essional actors, it's always a bunch of people of his wide circle of friends. (includin Achternbusch himself) Nevertheless the actings in all the films of the above mentioned period have a high quality standard. Herbert Achternbusch is not a fan of Hollywood nowadays, only Woody Allen is a director and actor he is really fond of.
All of his films between 1974 and 1982 are of interest for the radical and peculiar note. In all his movies there aren't so called prof-essional actors, it's always a bunch of people of his wide circle of friends. (includin Achternbusch himself) Nevertheless the actings in all the films of the above mentioned period have a high quality standard. Herbert Achternbusch is not a fan of Hollywood nowadays, only Woody Allen is a director and actor he is really fond of.
Vechir na Ivana Kupala
(1968)
Unknown Masterpiece!!!!!!!!!!!
22 June 2009
I was very lucky recording this movie on VHS in 2001 on the french / German Arte TV-Channel. It's in the same line as Sergei Parjanov's "shadows of forgotten ancestors" from 1964. Yuri Iljenko did most of the camera work for "Shadows". An everyone who nows the Parajanov movie is familiar with the brilliant camera techniques of Yuri Iljenko. Although the story of "Vecher nakanune Ivana Kupala", a Russian folklore-myth is interesting, i was a lot more impressed by the fantastic, unusual and hypnotic camera work of brother Vadim Iljenko. The film is throughout filled with all kinds of colors in a very consentaneous way, and there are scenes with slapstick-parts you'll probably see for the very first time in a movie. In one scene there are many fireballs made out of straw rolling down a hill at night. It's made very simple but the effect is so wonderful, you just sit there watching this stunning, natural beauty. It's definitely not a film for Hollywood buffs. But if you like something different you've never came across, therefore i would highly recommend this movie. As been said, it was, or maybe it is possible to buy this movie in Russia. But i've never seen a VHS or DVD on the internet. The only chance to see this film is probably to ask the ARTE TV-channel for a copy. In my opinion it would be worth it. 10/10 **********
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