The Berlin Bride

I didn't think that I would like this movie but it had me hooked from the first minute. There wasn't much said in this movie and that is why it stood out. It makes you think about what is going on and the images are stunning. Strange characters, strange occurrences and even more bizarre of an ending. This was on par with Kung Fu Hustle and should be a film added to everyone's collection. You won't have another one like! I guarantee it-

The Berlin Bride comes across like a German Expressionist episode from The Twilight Zone; and that's good thing. The tension and unusualness of this film kept me enthralled from the first frame to the last. Kudos to the filmmaker for doing so much with so little, proving once again that you don't need a grand budget to tell a story remarkably.

In Michael Bartlett's haunting feature, "The Berlin Bride" we enter a strange new world, not unlike the one David Lynch brought us to in "Eraserhead," some 40 years ago. The visual aesthetic that inhabits the film, truly makes it feel out of time, like we're watching a long-lost 70's film that has just been unearthed. The art direction and set design was also very impressive - so many rich details to pour over, like a single egg in the refrigerator or a stack of VHS tapes next to a naked Barbie doll. There were even moments where "Stalker" came to mind, when the characters were walking outside, and the outside world (trees, old apartment buildings) had a sort of unwordly feel to them. Definitely for fans of the occult and strange, but also for anyone looking for something a little bit different.

This charming and beautiful fairytale of a movie tells its story in an unusual fashion. Our attention gets drawn to every day sights and sounds that are put together in a way that lets us rethink our own perception. This works out particularly well because there is hardly any dialogue. The contrast between the unique subject matter and the quiet dramaturgy is quite compelling and the music very much adds to the dreamlike quality. Let this film take you on a wild journey and within the strange Berlin city life you will find the beauty of a fairy tale.

Read on FB that this is a movie the director started sometime in the 80's before film schooling and went back to finish just now in 2019. If that isn't strange enough, wait until you see this weirdly wonderful movie. The music, the extraordinary visual interplay between the two misfit characters and the obvious references to the silent film era and the French surreal master Cocteau and even Bunuel make this a true delight and a really fantastic little discovery.