Stadt der verlorenen Seelen

Ach Du lieber Gott! How I wish this were available on video for the US market! I saw this film in 1985 while I was stationed in Germany and I had gone to Berlin to visit a friend and we nearly laughed ourselves to death! This is one of the best Rosa von Praunheim movies that he ever did! Truly a classic! And great performances by some funny as hell drag queens, plus a very comical script and good music. It's a quasi musical (kind of like Hedwig) about a bunch of Americans living in Berlin. These are not just ho-hum Americans, but people on the fringe, ie: various types of artists, drag queens, strippers, rock singers, etc. just your basic bohemians who have come to Berlin seeking social acceptance and a new life, as well as the chance to follow their dreams. One of them opens a restaurant called Hamburger Königin (Hamburger Queen) and a lot of the film takes place here, as this is where the characters hang out together and you get to know them...kind of like the old 50's Burger joint hangouts.

One thing to note: It really helps to know the German language and have an understanding of what it meant to live in cold-war divided Berlin (as well as living in a world under the threat of nuclear war in general). But apart from this, there are still a thousand laughs to be had! If you have the chance to see this, it's very highly recommended! Great cinematography and acting and you get to like each of the characters too! It's fun for everyone! I wouldn't recommend this for kids younger than around 15-16.