Christiane F. - We Children of Bahnhof Zoo

Director: Uli Edel

Year: 1981

Running Time: 135 Minutes

Rated: R 18+

Genre: Biography, Drama
Rating: 4.5/5

Plot

Released in 1981 Christiane F. is the true story of 13 year old Christiane Felscherinow who lives with her mother and younger sister in a concert high rise apartment building in a dull and undesirable neighborhood on the outskirts of West Berlin during the late 1970s. She is an avid fan of David Bowie but is also board with nothing to do and is unsatisfied with her home life. She learns of a new disco night club called ‘Sound’ that is located in the city’s centre. Legally she is too young to go so she dresses herself up and goes with a girl in her class who is a couple of years older. 

This is there where she meets a group of teens who experiment with various drugs. Desperate to fit in and to be accepted she starts by only taking pills and LSD, but by the time she is 14 she has started using heroin, which draws her deeper into the terrifying abyss of drug addiction and as a result resorting to prostitution in order to maintain her habit. Much of this takes place at Berlin’s largest railway station known as Bahnhof Zoo.

My Thoughts

I’m not easily shocked but this incredible film managed to do so a number of times. Films like this appeal greatly to me as I value and appreciate realism. I like to see things how they truly are, as graphic as it may be; which this film accomplishes.

Other films that strongly cover drug addiction such as Requiem for a Dream and Trainspotting are very stylized from a cinematic standpoint, were as Christiane F. is horrifically raw. Director Uli Edel holds nothing back; the film is shot in a way that gives a real feeling of authenticity, presenting a very graphic and confronting depiction of the drug culture of that era. And capturing to great effect the bleakness and despair these young people go thorough on a daily basis trying to get their fix at whatever cost.

I’ve read many posts at IMDB from people who talk about whether or not this film glamorizes drug use. I don’t think it does, not intentionally anyway. But I can understand how teenagers perhaps now but especially from that era may find that culture appealing. For example, the scenes that take place in the Sound night club and at the David Bowie concert. There’s the style of dress, the music, joints being passed around the audience, the atmosphere and of course David Bowie performing live in all his glory. Tell me that wouldn’t be appealing to many teenagers.

Natja Brunckhorst who plays Christiane gives a very convincing performance in her first ever film role. She does appear to be a little awkward in some scene but it’s understandable given the subject matter. The young cast consists of mainly unknown actors who give fine performances which is a huge credit to them all.

One of the film’s most appealing qualities is the amazing soundtrack provided by musical icon David Bowie, who also makes a special guest appearance. It’s kind of ironic that Bowie provided the soundtrack to this film being that during the late 70s he was at the lowest point of his cocaine addiction and decided to move to Berlin kick the habit a revitalize his career, which he did with great success.

Christiane F. is such an intense and powerful film. At just over two hours long I was at no point board with the plot, I found it captivating unable to look away. This is the type of film that should be shown in high schools as part of anti-drug programs, as it’s an in depth look into a dehumanizing world that most of us can’t imagine being a part of. 

Bloodlust

Director: Ralph Brooke

Year: 1961

Running Time: 68 Minutes

Rated: M 15+

Genre: Horror

Starring:

Wilton Graff

Robert Reed

June Kenney

Eugene Persson

Joan Lora

Plot

Released in 1961 the plot of this Z-grade horror movie begins with four young adults, Johnny, Pete, Betty and Jeanne who are all out together on a boating trip when they come across an uncharted island. The four decide to explore the island for a bit of harmless fun. When Johnny, played by Robert Reed who we all know and love as Mike Brady from the Brady Bunch falls into what appears to be a trap set to catch large animals. As the others try to rescue him, out of nowhere appears Dr. Albert Balleau, played by Wilton Graff. 

Now inside Balleau’s house he explains to his four new guests why he chooses to live out on this island. Turns out he simply wants to live freely and detached from the outside world, and that he has developed a passion of hunting animals or ‘collecting trophies’ as he puts it. Balleau then briefly introduces his wife Sandra who doesn’t appear to be the happiest person in the world; once she leaves Ballea insists that the four spend the night before returning to their boat. 

After being shown to their rooms they decide to spit up and find out what’s really going on inside the house as they don’t feel particular comfortable staying there. Shortly after doing so Johnny and Betty are secretly met my Sandra and her lover Dean who also reluctantly lives in the house. Dean tells them to go back to their room so that they can explain what’s going on. Meanwhile Pete and Jeanne find their way into a hidden room where they witness one of Balleau’s staff sorting a preparing human body parts for taxidermy. Once the coast is clear they both hurry back to their room to tell Johnny and Betty what Dean and Sandra have just explained to them. 

Now scared senseless they all form a plane to escape but are soon foiled by Balleau who kills Sandra and Dean in the process. His henchmen who are all dressed ridiculously like sailors take the rest back to the house where they all sit around calm and casually as Balleau explains that he is going to send Johnny and Pete along with Tony, the captain of the boat at the beginning of the movie, out into the dark forbidding jungle for Balleau to hunt down and kill, then add to his proud collection of human trophies. Now the fun really begins.

My Thoughts

Bloodlust is so bad it’s bloody hilarious. The plot greatly resembles that of The Most Dangerous Game, you could say that this is a poor man’s version of that film.

At a whopping 68 minutes long you’ve got all the elements of a bad horror movie. We’ve got the evil crazed doctor, a group of naïve young adults, stuffed corpses on display, leach infested quicksand, an insane man roaming about in the jungle screaming incoherently and mindless henchmen who never talk, except for the one with the over the top laugh and the one who melts in the acid bath.

The acting is pretty much what you would expect in a movie like this, except for Robert Reed who manages to give a passable performance along with Wilton Graff who is just perfectly cast as Dr. Balleau. I just love how he delivers his lines, so deliciously evil.

Bloodlust is now public domain and probably has been for a long time, so it can be downloaded completely free and legally which is how I came to watch it. They obviously kept the worse possible copy of downloading because it looks terrible, the sound drops out in a few spots and the picture looks old and worn, but when you’re watching it in bed late on a Saturday night while drinking instant coffee it’s not so bad.

In spite of all it’s flat out awfulness I actually had fun watching Bloodlust, it’s a barrel of laughs and requires almost zero mental ability to watch, so do yourself a favour and download this excrement covered gem and pay a visit to Dr. Balleau’s island of terror. 

2.5. out of 5

Throw Momma from the Train

Director: Danny DeVito

Year: 1987

Running Time: 88 Minutes

Rated: M 15+

Genre: Comedy

Starring:

Billy Crystal

Danny DeVito

Anne Ramsey

Kate Mulgrew

Kim Greist

Plot

Billy Crystal is Larry Donner, an author suffering from a bad case of writers block and is consumed with rage and bitterness towards his Ex-wife Margaret who published a book under her name that Larry wrote and as a result becoming rich a famous.  Larry is also a writing professor at a community college where he tutors people who want to become authors themselves.

Owen Lift, played by Danny DeVito is a student in Larry’s class. A peculiar but kind hearted man child who lives alone with his horrible demanding mother who is played to perfection by Anne Ramsey.

Owen is struggling with writing a crime tale and desperately wants Larry’s advice on how to improve it. Larry suggests that he should try watching Hitchcock movies for ideas and structure of a suspenseful story. Owen watches Strangers on a Train but instead of finding inspiration he thinks it was Larry’s way of asking him to murder his Ex-wife Margaret and in return Larry killing his mother.

Days later Larry gets a call from Owen who is in Hawaii where Margaret happens to be. Owen tells Larry that “it’s done”. Larry thinks it’s all a big joke but soon discovers it’s true and with no alibi is now a prime suspect, while Owen is pressuring him to keep his end of the supposed deal.

My Thoughts

Throw Momma from the Train marks Danny DeVito’s directorial début, and a great début it was. He has created a clever and hilarious dark comedy which I personally think is quite underrated.

The plot is outlandish and very easy to follow. It’s almost like a plot you would find in an episode of a situation comedy or of course a Hitchcock film, minus most of the humorous elements.  

There’s a kind of quirkiness to this film that I really like. It’s not consistent through out the film but there are moments that are deliberating silly, kind of making fun of the old black and white crime suspense genre. A good example is when Owen randomly changes locations in an impossibly short time when on the phone to Larry from Hawaii.

Billy Crystal is great as Larry; delivering endless wise cracks and one liners in a style that’s truly his own. His character is that of a tortured man unable to get over the betrayal of his Ex-wife which is eating away at him. Danny DeVito was spot on in his decision to cast himself as Owen; his short stature combined with the character’s child like nature works perfectly, creating a likeable an sympathetic man trapped under his mother’s dominance.

And not to forget Anne Ramsey who is perfect as Owen’s mother. Her performance seems effortless to her, like she isn’t even acting. She received her first Academy Award nomination for this role but sadly passed away at the age of only 58 the following year.

Overall, I found this to be a very entertaining little comedy that can be watched time and time again. It’s unique in style with great characters and twisted humor. 

4 out of 5

[Review] Wait Until Dark

Upon returning home to New York City Sam Hendrix (Efrem Zimbalist Jr.) is given a doll by a strange woman named Lisa who was a passenger on his flight from Montreal, Canada. Some time later two small time criminals Mike Talman (Richard Crenna) and his partner Sergeant Carlino (Jack Weston) arrive at Sam’s apartment where he lives with his wife Susie (Audrey Hepburn) who was blinded in a car accident a year earlier. The two men are there expecting to meet Lisa but instead meet her husband Roat (Alan Arkin) who arrives shortly after. Roat reveals to Mike and Carlino that he has killed Lisa for betraying him and now wants the drug filled doll that he is convinced is somewhere in the apartment. Mike and Carlino want no part of it and decide to leave but are black mailed by Roat as he points out to them that they have carelessly left their finger prints all over the apartment while he has reframed from touching a single item. Talman and Carlino then agree but on the condition they both receive a sum of money for their efforts. All three leave and soon come up with an elaborate story that they decide to tell Susie who is now alone in the apartment in order to find the doll, completely unaware to Sam who is away at work.

Mike is first to return to the apartment; he tells Susie that he is an old friend of Sam’s who has stopped by in hopes to catch up with Sam for a drink before leaving town. Carlino and Roat soon follow each with their own parts of the story to play out.

This was a real treat, a suspense thriller in ever sense of the word. I was literally glued to my TV from start to finish. Just a couple of nights ago I had the DVD on while hanging some new posters in my study and ever time my eyes caught the screen I had to pry myself away. It took me two hours just to hang about 6 six posters.

The plot is so intriguing; watching the plan that our three bad guys have concocted unfold before us is one of the driving forces behind this film, is keeps it moving along nicely.

The characters are great; we don’t know all that much about them in terms of their background but it really doesn’t matter, all we know are the essentials. Sam is a photographer, Susie is blind, Mike and Carlino are both petty criminals and Roat is a psychopath. I surprisingly found Richard Crenna’s character Mike quite likeable yes is a villain but not to the same degree as Roat, he has a line that he won’t cross.

There is little music through out this movie but when there is it’s used to great effect, one part in particular makes it feel as if one of the characters is leaping at the screen. Credit really must go to the lighting department; the lighting really adds to the suspense and allows us the audience to experience the point of view of Hepburn’s character.

Performances are terrific all round. Audrey Hepburn is superb and incredibly convincing, earning herself her final Academy Award nomination for Best Actress. Richard Crenna whom I’m a fan of from the Rambo movies gives a very solid performance, I’m glad I finally got to see him in something different. But for me it was Alan Arkin. As I was watching this I’m thinking wow, this is character acting; the sound of his voice, the sunglasses, his clothes, that strange knife, basically telling you what kind of a character you’re dealing with. He’s the very essences of creepy and disturbed.

This film was released in 1967 but doesn’t feel all that dated, probably because 90% of the movie takes place in the apartment which is one of the many things I loved about it. I highly recommend this to anyone who is a fan of the genre; I absolutely loved it and cannot fault it.

By Kevin Bechaz

Credit Where Credit's Due

Director: Terence Young

Writer(s): Frederick Knott, Robert Carrington, Jane-Howard CarringtonStarring: Audrey Hepburn Richard Crenna, Alan Arkin

Runtime: 108 Minutes

Release Date(s): USA: October 26th, 1967