Der Bunker

I just finished Der Bunker and I'm still laughing about it a few hours later. It's F'd up and funny as hell. Great performances and direction all round. And definitely one I'll go back to.

Kudos.

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I had no idea what i was getting into when i watched The Bunker, but it all makes sense in the end. It's a very weird movie, and abstract. However one question about this movie is still unanswered: What was that thing on the mother's leg, the wound speaking demon?? What was that thing? Everything else works.

We got a story that is kinda slow, but it all makes sense as you go further. I enjoyed it. I saw people compare this to Dogtooth. Dogtooth had no reason to exist, this movie has a point.

SPOILER ALERT

This whole movie is a metaphor of two things. One, the parents separating from their children, the grief of that aspect, and two, that the two can change their positions. The most genius person can turn into not the most bright, and the not the most bright, can turn into someone. There's also a third metaphor and that's friendship. How the most intelligent character loves the most mentally unwell character, and wise-versa.

I have no clue where the comedy comes from this movie. Nothing here was funny. I do not think this movie was meant to be a comedy at all. Instead it's a psychological piece that pokes holes at multiple society aspects.

If you liked The One Flew Over The Cucco's Nest, and Lunacy, you might enjoy this. Frankly the two movies i just mentioned i totally love, so you might get to enjoy this as well.

Also, please do not insult this movie by comparing it to Dogtooth. Thanks.

I'm really quite shocked that no one besides myself has taken the trouble to spend a few minutes ranting about this wonderfully dark and weird comedy. If you are reading this review then I highly recommend you track down and watch this gem.

This film was on television a couple of days ago and being a German film about a bunker I had foregone the conclusion that this would certainly be something to do with the war- not even close. I was further enticed by the mention in the description of perversity because it was late at night and I'm a guy that had no plans that particular evening.

All that aside, there was no perversity. There were one or two comical sexual scenes but this film is a brilliantly awkward comedy based around the strange characters that make up this secluded family, the student who comes to stay with them and the mysterious "Heinrich", who I shall offer no further description of lest it somehow depreciate his mystery.

I cannot claim to have seem many funny German films, I'm sure they must exist but I can't think of any other ones that have made it as far as for me to find on English television. Usually anything in German on English television will in some way reference the war, something that this doesn't. So in that context it's special.

I almost missed this film, but I was unable to find it to download anywhere so stayed up and watched it and am very thankful I did. I'm not sure why it isn't more widely known because it's really great and stayed with me for quite some time. I think I saw it about a week or two ago and it keeps popping back into my mind. Anyway, enjoy it if you can find it.

THE BUNKER is a weird little German film for those who enjoy offbeat or obscure cinema like TAXIDERMIA or the films of Jan Svankmajer. It doesn't really have much of a plot or narrative arc, instead it's a slice of very-weird-life set in a rather bizarre family home. The protagonist is your usual young, upstanding teacher who takes on a home schooling job for a couple's son. Most of the time he's in the cellar, teaching the kid geography and the like, but after a time he gets drawn into the family's weird ways.

I'm not really sure how to describe THE BUNKER, other than to say it's not particularly enjoyable. Some parts reminded me of the films of Werner Herzog but lacking the artistry and the subtext. Pit Bukowski is weird as the grown up kid, but weird in a good way and I did warm to him a little as the story went on. He comes across as a mix of Kaspar Hauser and Peter Bark in BURIAL GROUND! The other characters aren't as memorable, but there's a smattering of sex and violence to keep viewers engaged. As I said, it didn't work out too well for me.

This is well worth catching; early on, it began to have a tone reminiscent of 'The Enigma Of Kaspar Hauser', but that was only because I love the latter film, and one actor's role resembles that of Bruno S.

Der Bunker (caught on its UK TV showing a few days ago) is totally original; the principal performers are, as they would have to be, excellent. Odd questions briefly emerged that relate more to, perhaps, traditional 'survivalist' themed films, but they become irrelevant, as this one is out on its own.

I also will look out for the performers elsewhere, based on this. Recommended for fans of the offbeat, or those bored with Hollywood!