matalo

I have seen this film in early 2023, just that you know the context of my review. This also applies to Der Kandidat which can not be seen (or appreciated) without its historic context as it's (like its predecessor Deutschland im Herbst) an interesting insight into the division of West German post war society (that's still visible in the unified Germany of the 2020s with the divisions caused by official Covid policies or the discussions around the Russian Invasion of Ukraine or the still extremely differing views on NATO or the German Green Party. So, although obviously dated, this film still bears some relevance for those interested in German post war history and society. The other two existing user reviews do not acknowledge that (with aliensexgods review being remarkably awkward).

If you are not familiar with West German post war history/politics and the huge divisions in Germany's post war society this film will be a rather tedious watch (Volker Schlöndorff or Alexander Kluge completists may be warned). It might also be important to do your own research on Franz Josef Strauss (the Candidate) and his postion (in politics as well as in public opinion) in West German post war society, because Der Kandidat is not non opinionated documentary. This film is (like Deutschland im Herbst) an attempt to create a counter public opinion that's not been displayed in the established West German Media (newspapers, TV, radio) of that time period. Today you would find similar approaches on YouTube.

This film takes you deeply into the West German left wing angst of the 1970s/1980s: the resurgence of a nationalist/conservative as well as fundamentally capitalist and corrupt movement in West Germany (that's also an alternative continuation of naziculture), the angst of a nuclear war (Germany would have been the main battlefield of tactical nuclear weapons), the manipulative character of German main stream media, that only publishes established (mostly moderate conservative) opinions and within all that the demonization of more left wing (not even radical) alternative policies (like the Green Party).

Apart from the now dated discussion on the possibility of FJS, who was kind of the Antichrist of the West German Left, to be able to build and lead a strongly anticommunist and antisocialist West German government, this film gives you a glimpse into German Cold War culture and you will be able to see scenes from the founding Congress of the German Green Party in 1979 in Karlsruhe (an important event in German History/Politics).

The film also displays a rather naive view on soviet politics (we are talking Breshnev here) fueled by a strong anti NATO, anti US sentiment, which is still visible in todays Germany, where the same opinions (by the same people?) are applied, with a very tame and uncritical, nearly understanding, approach to Wladimir Putin and an overly critical opinion regarding NATO and the US. And again this is paired with a mistrusting view an mainstream media.

Please excuse the long review. After all, i would recommend the film to everyone interested in as well as already informed about West German Post War Culture.

The wave of West German sex comedies of the 1970s began to run out of steam towards the end of the decade. This film is a perfect example why this was the case. Even by the low standards of that subgenre it's not sexy at all. And adding to that it's also particularly unfunny (also compared Toten even lower standards of that subgenre). It must have felt dated at the time of its release.

It tries to dock on the very popular West German Spessart (a forest in the south west of Germany) comedies of the 1950s, in particular the film Das Spukschloss Im Spessart (The Spessart Haunted Castle), where ghosts of the 1600s haunt a castle in present, 1950s, time), a great film with satirical nods on German post war politics and the still existing shadows of Nazi Germany.

So here we also have a kind of nostalgic theme (with early 20th century costumes, silent film era comedy and even a ghost subplot), but it seems forced and out of place. The sex scenes are scarce and tame (compared to other soft sex films of the same era) and also appear very dated.

The film is episodic and is never more than a sum of these unfunny parts. There's the story with the ghost couple sharing time with their current doppelganger couple, there's the story about two businessmen going on their secret adventures and their young wives doing the same in the Spessart sex spa, and there's other couples/newlyweds making funny and erotic adventures.

Sounds entertaining? It isn't. Even at an 80 Minute run time it drags. The film still feels too deeply rooted in early 1970s, when in 1978 times already went on and the disco era with its new sexuality was in full swing.

There were still sex comedies produced in West Germany until the early 80s (then adapting a more modern style) but with contending vhs (and stronger sexual contents) the demand for that kind of cinema sank.

This film is a prime testimonial for that.

It all revolves around a slightly sleazy Munich night club called Moulin Rouge. Several stories are told intertwining, but they all are connected to the protagonists of the before mentioned night club and all the story lines show different aspects (drug pushing/drug addiction, family dramas, double lives, true love and fake love between customers and sex workers, lesbian relationships, promiscuity, sexual violence, gangsters, murder).

It starts with the under age (meaning under 21) daughter of West German industrial from Dusseldorf who gets dumped by her lover and is looking for places to stay because she's out of money (she ran away from home) and it ends with a couple finding love by chance (under tragic circumstances). There's really a lot happening. Sometimes it's lighthearted and funny, sometimes it's serious and very dramatic.

It kind of has a heart for all the characters involved (even the bad ones) and you get a picture, more a glimpse, of the night club life during this now long gone time.

I was totally surprised by this kind of Robert Altman approach of storytelling. Apart from that the look and feel of that era in West Germany, the sense of place and time, are a definitive plus. There are many good and familiar German actresses and actors of the time involved and the actresses are beautiful (thematically there's nudity involved). Also the songs on the soundtrack add to that nostalgia.

With a running time of under 90 minutes it's pretty fast paced and never drags or gets boring. Just the ending feels a little bit rushed, too abrupt for my taste. All in all a welcome surprise and a definitive recommendation for anyone who is interested in West German post war exploitation of the 1960s and 1970s.