Recommend me some German films!

[Deleted User] · 26/09/10 - 15:53

I really like German films it seems. I think it's because I have a basic grasp of the language but can't understand it completely. So, I can't tell if acting is cheesy or excellent so there's a barrier which has been removed (a lot of the time in British and American films I am put off by the acting, usually the cheesy voice and the way things are said).

I have watched quite a few but my favourites are:

- The Princess and the Warrior
- Goodbye Lenin!
- Run Lola Run
- The Wave
- The Edukators

(I seem to like Franka Potente and Daniel Brühl, ey!)

Basically, semi-pretentious, simple films are the best for me I think.

I do like films from other places, but I am currently on some kind of weird German film living trip.

Any ideas?

CLL Dodge · 26/09/10 - 16:18

I just watched Sophie Scholl: The Final Days, which is recommended, as is Downfall. 2 German films about their Nazi past. Also The Baader Meinhof Complex about more recent history.

Fairly grim viewing, though.

[Deleted User] · 26/09/10 - 16:33

The Lives of Others. A brilliant film about a Stasi agent in East Berlin who is tasked with spying on a group of actors. It's not your usual spy thriller, though... it's much more subtle than that.

[Deleted User] · 26/09/10 - 16:53

Hitler

SecretLifeoBees · 26/09/10 - 17:03

The Tin Drum.... although it did freak me out a little

BenBenBenBen · 26/09/10 - 17:15

I've just watched a German language film on BBCi (with English subtitles) 'The Counterfeiters' is set in the war: A man convicted for forgery is placed, with others, in a concentration camp where they forged millions of British pounds for the nazis to use to undermine our economy. It is quite heavy in places. It's only available on BBCi for one more day (from Sunday 26th) but might be available from DVD libraries.

It won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film in 2008.

[Deleted User] · 26/09/10 - 17:16

Don't get much better than "Downfall".

[Deleted User] · 26/09/10 - 17:27

Cheers... keep them coming (I'm looking them up

). I forgot to mention I'm not a big fan of the Hitler and war thing, in terms of on film I mean.

RebelScum · 26/09/10 - 17:40

Probably not what youre after but...Metropolis.

stud u like · 26/09/10 - 17:46

The Lost Honour Of Katharina Blum
The Girl From Zoo Station
Der Blaue Engel

ruddiger · 26/09/10 - 17:49

Das Boot http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0082096/

Brilliant film:D

Eraserhead · 26/09/10 - 17:50

Funny Games
Wings of Desire
Tin Drum
Aguirre, Wrath of God
Das Boot
Fear Eats the Soul

[Deleted User] · 27/09/10 - 16:48

German films don't get any better that Heimat (The first one) if you've got 15 hours and £45 to spare (bargain)

also Tin Drum and Das Boot

The Miracle of Bern is supposed to be good, after that i'm in Metropolis territory........

cmq2 · 27/09/10 - 19:16

Carmen Queasy wrote: »

Basically, semi-pretentious, simple films are the best for me I think.

That rules out The White Ribbon: http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi2136737049/ that is complicated and has a proto-Nazi theme.

Gegen die Wand: http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi2175533337/ is more dynamic but is a Turkish immigrants view of Germany.

Requiem: http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi2374172953/ is simple, profound, and unpretentious.

CLL Dodge · 27/09/10 - 19:36

Atomised.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0430051/

Aerick · 28/09/10 - 10:02

Zentropa
Europa,Europa
Christiane F.
Fitzcarraldo
A Love in Germany
Nowhere in Africa
Im Juli

Conall Cearnach · 28/09/10 - 11:29

SecretLifeoBees wrote: »

The Tin Drum.... although it did freak me out a little

I think I remember that one. Wasn't there a scene where someone tried to shove the drum up someone elses arse? Or am I thinking of a totally different genre of German film making?

Anyway:

Das Boot
Downfall
Stalingrad (one of the best war movies ever)

doffer · 28/09/10 - 11:53

bugloss wrote: »

German films don't get any better that Heimat (The first one) if you've got 15 hours and £45 to spare (bargain)

I'll definitely second that. I'm sure you wouldn't be disappointed.

Also the previously mentioned Europa, Europa

[Deleted User] · 28/09/10 - 19:51

oh I had a good old cry watching Heimat.......and then when I watched it again, I had another good old cry, only in different places, cus I knew what was going to happen

Sniff

[Deleted User] · 29/09/10 - 19:04

Requiem - this is actually Hungarian but it's in German, made by a German and set in Germany. I say it's German.

[Deleted User] · 29/09/10 - 19:36

Cheers everyone.

Requiem looks good, so I'll give that a go.

I'm not too fond of all the Nazi and "what came next" Nazi German films (although Goodbye Lenin! is similar, but from communism of course).

Gort · 29/09/10 - 20:01

Carmen Queasy wrote: »

Cheers... keep them coming (I'm looking them up ). I forgot to mention I'm not a big fan of the Hitler and war thing, in terms of on film I mean.

You might not be, but Downfall isn't just your ordinary Hitler or war film, it's much more than that. It's well worth watching if you do manage to find the time.

Other films:

M
The Cabinet of Dr Caligari
Triumph of the Will (only joking... don't get that unless you literally want a Hitler film, and I mean literally)

[Deleted User] · 29/09/10 - 21:05

I'd recommend North Face, about a famous attempt to climb the north wall of the Eiger in the 1930s.

[Deleted User] · 29/09/10 - 22:27

The Baeder Meinhof complex.....gritty and complex but great acting and an intelligent storyline.

Edit : See someone beat me to it....

U96 · 01/10/10 - 19:37

CLL Dodge wrote: »

I just watched Sophie Scholl: The Final Days, which is recommended, as is Downfall. 2 German films about their Nazi past. Also The Baader Meinhof Complex about more recent history.

Fairly grim viewing, though.

I agree.Sophie Scholl has only been shown on tv once(C4 i think).I thought i wouldn't like it,but it was a riveting film.

Das Boot,another fine German film.Best war film ever made in my opinion.

Downfall too.On tonight at 9pm More 4.Best thing on the tv this week.Excelllent acting.Bruno Ganz as Hitler is mesmerising.:eek:.Excellent soundtrack as well..

[Deleted User] · 01/10/10 - 21:14

I highly recommend Cherry Blossoms (2008) - it's a collaborative German/Japanese film but the cast is mostly German.

Aya Irizuki is one to watch out for in this film. She's a lovely actress.

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Recommend me some German films!

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