Liebe ist kälter als der Tod (1969)
25KLiebe ist kälter als der Tod: Directed by Rainer Werner Fassbinder. With Ulli Lommel, Hanna Schygulla, Katrin Schaake, Liz Söllner. Unusual gangster story, in which a small-time pimp Franz, who is torn between his mistress and Bruno the gangster sent after him by the syndicate that he has refused to join. Things are turned on their head when Franz and Bruno become friends, to the point that they even share Franz’s girlfriend Joanna. But Joanna soon becomes bored of Bruno.
“Robotic, detached, static…this exercise in style holds fascination for the patient cinema goer. The influence of early Godard is evident, along with a Warholian aesthetic of minimalism in both plot and action.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe black and white cinematography is beautiful to look at, while the blank stares of the cast exude a frigid, mannequin-like quality. The atmosphere is Teutonic and bleak, while the glacial pace and extended pauses in both action and dialogue bring to mind the Iranian school of slow cinema. Film noir elements add a flavour of low-rent glamour.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eFor serious cinema buffs and Fassbinder enthusiasts only.”
