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The TV guide described the two leads in _KoHD_ as terminally ill gangsters, so when I came to watch it I discovered something quite different from what I had expected.

_KoHD_ is an excellent film that blends facets of gangster, buddy, road movie, comedy and drama genres together into a seamless whole. Initially, Martin and Rudi are, of course, hopelessly mismatched. As they travel towards the sea (their ultimate goal), the relationship between the two men begins to change. The nervous Rudi finds strength and confidence; Martin, on the other hand, who is initially by far the stronger of the pair, comes to rely more upon Rudi for strength and assistance.

Much have been made of the comedy in _KoHD_, and this is a major component - it is the humour that makes the film (which could have been utterly bleak) ultimately an uplifting experience. That being said, however, just when you forget that both men are dying you are reminded forcefully that they are both, as the title suggests, knocking on heaven's door. These two forces - the pathos and the comedy - provide a wonderful balance. Thumbs up.

"Knocking On Heaven's Door" has been a big German box office hit in the winter of 1996/97 and is still considered one of the best German movies of that decade next to the international success "Lola rennt". This is a breath-taking comedy about two losers (Til Schweiger and Jan-Josef Liefers) dying of cancer and getting anything they want during their last days on earth. They are robbing a bank and nicking a car containing a gangster's suitcase with a million marks in it. Of course the gangsters and the police hunting the guys who just want to reach the sea to die somewhere at the shore.

Although this road-movie story itself isn't very new and has been filmed many times in Hollywood movies, it stands on its own. The story has dozens of quotes and references from American movies and film genres, but it also knows how to add a local, German and European style to it. You see two henchmen, a Turk and a Belgian, dressed in black suits and with sunglasses like taken from a Tarantino film. You see Hannes Jaenicke dressed as a fatally-looking leather cop U.S.A. style, drinking Jaegermeister (a popular German spice liquor). You see popular fifties girlie actress Conny Froboess playing Til Schweiger's mum, an Elvis Presley adoring fan.

There are plenty of funny scenes in this movie, many witty dialogues, absurd situations and brilliant performances by all actors featuring Corinna Harfouch as a doctor, "Sexluder" Jenny Elvers as a nurse, Dutch movie stars Huub Stapel and Rutger Hauer as gangster bosses, Ralf Herforth as dumb police officer, etc. Schweiger and Liefers are giving the best performances of their career, adding pain, sadness and tragedy to the all-action-comedy style. The photography, editing and the surf-rock-like sound track by Selig are also outstanding. Take a look at this example of best German nineties cinema!!!

After watching the movie for 11th time i decided to share what i think of it.

It is simply great. By great i mean the idea that is (supposedly) very deep inside. Perhaps it's about the ultimate goal, that everyone has and hasn't got time to fulfill it, and when the moment comes that makes one understand 'now is the right time'. Sometimes it's too late, sometimes one never understands it is time to change something, but for those two, life was a success. Quoting matrix (kill me), it's the "free your mind" style, when all problems go away and you can do whatever you want to do. It's actually a very thrilling experience, and hope this movie can inspire someone to change something in the rhythm of life they're currently living. I like movies that make you think different of things, and this surely is one that does so.

European movies do have this feature: they combine drama and comedy and make you smile because it is too sad to cry.

Moreover, this particular film has a perfectly selected crew and the screenplay is flawless.

To have a dream. This masterpiece is all about it.

Two men, trapped by cancer unconsciously recognizing the sea as the symbol of freedom and eternity are making their last 500 km to the Baltic Sea.

Acting at its best the crew is offering us this warm feeling of sad happiness while singing Guns&Roses "Knock, knock, knockin' on the heaven's doors" and understanding, that such moments do make life.

First of all, WHY HAS THIS FILM NOT BEEN RELEASED IN ENGLISH SPEAKING COUNTRIES??!! Is it because Hollywood is afraid of German films that are actually as good as theirs? Is it because this is a foreign film that isn't "foreign" enough (e.g. Bergmanesque symbolism or Wender's "poetic imagery") or is it because neither America nor Britain have the nerve to properly dub this film into English? In any case, the world is missing out. This is a highly entertaining film with a simple plot, lots of humor, plenty of action, and two terrific leads. The plot, regardless of how many people will compare it to "pulp fiction" (a comparrison, by the way, which I simply cannot understand,)is a straight-forward buddy flick about two terminally ill men in their early thirties. Like all buddy movies, (Lethal Weapan, 48 hours, Nothing to lose) the characters couldn't be more different at the beginning, and find a way to get along by the films end. Nothing new here, except for the fact that both men know they will be dead by the film's end, thus eliminating (thank goodness) any chance of a sequel. Anyway, our heroes meet in the hospital, and quickly decide that they want to really "live" their final days on earth, and see the ocean before they pass away. They steal a car which happens to belong to a dutch gangster (brief cameo by rutger hauer). Thus begins the chase across Germany and Holland, a chase which combines road-movie laughs a-la Dumb and Dumber (there is a VERY similiar scene where the two men find the suitcase filled with money, and check into a rediculously fancy hotel) with genuine character development and bonding, a-la Thelma and Louise.

The real star of the film is not the plot, but the little moments of genuine humor and tenderness between the leads. Director Thomas Jahn's balance between over-the-top action-comedy and emotional "cancer drama" is amazingly played out by the two actors (til schweiger and jan josef liefers)

I would recommend this film to ANYBODY who likes to be entertained. The music is great, the jokes (most of them, at least) fly, and the relationships are genuine. The only problem is probably that at this point, you have to speak German fluently to understand most of what's going on. BUT BE PATIENT! Someday Hollywood will discover this film and at least SUBTITLE it like they did the equally terrific(er) "lola rennt". My only hope is that they don't simply ruin the film by remaking it with american stars. That would be a great letdown, because this film is already perfect. I doubt that most people would even think it's foreign, if they simply forget the subtitles and get into it.

I really love this movie. This is sad, funny and surprising in one. The only good German movie after that was the live of the others (2008) and now there are just bad RomComs or TV-Dramas... This is very sad because Til Schweiger shows in this movie that he is able to performe a good character. Jan Josef Liefers is a actor who can be awesome if he want. In this movie he show it, in the movies after this not any more... One of the best things in this movie is that it never become ridiculous and don't get to sadly. At least I want say that the age of the good German movies is definitely over, and I find that really sadly because with that movies the Germans had shown that they have the chance to do good Movies. So all in all is this in my opinion the best movie since the tin drum.

Incredibly interesting and clever movie!

This movie is very popular in Russia. Why? I don't know. May be because of its excellent philosophical meaning. But it's a fact that this film is close to the Russian spectators (it's enough to see ratings and lists of favorite films). This film is a parable about the main aim of human's life. What's really the main thing in our life? What will you do if you remained to live only several days? These are very interesting questions. And the heroes of this movie trying to answer this questions...

It's not so difficult to see the sea, as it seems.

2 men who were sentenced to death by their doctors spent their precious remaining time together to experience something they never had chance to do before when they occasionally found a lot of money two stupid gangsters left.

This is a crazy comedy with good entertainment, and because we know the tragical end, so the highly contrast of the hilarious story really make me have a bittersweet feeling which is wonderful.

Their last wish is to see sea with their own eyes, a quite common wish but they never did before. We always think we have a lot of time to do things we want to do, but nobody knows what will happen tomorrow. We never have the courage to do something derailed from our normal track of life, and gradually lost the aim and fun of it, living numbly and waiting to the final destination.

The cast is good and I Love Til Schweiger so much, really a charming role! Moritz Bleibtreu is outstanding as one of the moron gangster too.

I rarely watch Germany comedic films, "Knockin' On Heaven's Door" is an exception even it might be too crazy for some people, still need a good recommendation.

This movie is great, it should have been translated into English. It's often compared to Pulp Fiction by Quentin Tarantino. I can understand that to a certain point because it contains witty dialogues like Pulp Fiction but it combines them with tragic and still has it's funny moments.

And because of it's tragedy it makes you think, unlike Pulp Fiction (now don't get me wrong folks, I just LOVE that movie). The effect holds on and you wonder: what would I do, if I knew I'll die within a week or a month,... (some very short time period)

One of the movies, that you can't just put in one genre, it's more than that. Brilliant.

This movie is not as good as it seems. The story is catchy maybe for 12-year-olds. I watched it in the movie theater at that very age and liked it. Just a few weeks ago i tried to watch it again and it was so terrible, i couldn't even finish it. Knocking on heavens door is full of stereotypes. The two goons, who are hired to get the car back act terribly and fulfill every cliché in the book. Til Schweiger really sucks at trying to be a sensitive macho. And all that talk about getting to the sea sounds like it's part of some low-level chick-flick.

I really didn't enjoy a minute of this movie (the second time i watched it).

I don't mean to offend anybody who actually watched this movie and liked it i just think that it doesn't deserve a rating 7.6. That would make it as watchable as 'Carlito's Way' (the older one), 'High Fidelity', 'Kontroll' (very good Hungarian movie), just slightly worse than House of the flying daggers' and even better than 'Chasing Amy'. Not that those movies are the best ones ever made. But i think all those movies are better than 'Knocking on Heaven's Door' and don't deserve the same rating. That's why i would give it a 4. Also i don't think that Quentin Tarantino would appreciate this movie to be compared with Pulp Fiction.

As a german and former huge fan of actor til schweiger it was very important for me to see this movie when it was released in 1997. I wasn't disappointed at all, because this is probably one of the best movies ever. It is so entertaining because it is including a lot of humor (probably a lot of german humor), action and drama. Also very good is the performance of Moritz Bleibtreu, who became well-known, because of his great play of a turkish-german gangster. But this is ,as far as Im concerned, only funny for people who understand german very well.It would be quite nice for american people to watch a REALLY good german movie, that is better as some hollywood movies counted together. If you have the opinion to see it , use your chance!

This movie is a whole phenomenon in Russia, it hits the first places of the local lists of "must-see-movies". Many persons aged from 14 to 80 don't stop enjoying it after watching it like 5 or 10 times. I tried to analyze what made this film so popular in this country and had a couple of ideas:

First of all, this movie was shown in 1999 (or something) by a nationwide TV channel in prime time (and with a good translation!). This was a really respectful move from our TV makers which provided a solid audience for the film.

The second (and the most important) factor is that the plot is a total fiction (bullets don't hurt, mafia can be nice, etc...) but still extremely sincere. This is what appeals to the Russian spectator. If becoming wiser will deprive me of believing in fairy tales - then down with the wisdom!

I don't want to repeat all these things so I just say that this is one of the best movies I have ever watched in my life. I recommend it everyone! It should be translated into other languages, too! On the one hand it is very funny and on the other hand very serious and sad! This movie includes two of the best German actors.

This is a great movie. I have seen a Russian translation of it, and it is now one of my two ever favourite movies. It is a great piece of art. I would watch it thousands of times if I could...

It is a great story and has a great plot, which makes this movie perfect.

This is a definite must see before you die! :)

Unfortunate that it is not translated into English, for I would gladly see it again. The trouble is, it is insanely difficult to find it for purchase.

I suggest this movie to all, even if there might be some sensuality, it is still a wonderful German production. Again, I recommend to all, and rate 10 out of 10.

:)

This movie has been subtitled into English in 1999 by the Special Broadcasting Service in Australia, and done very well I might add.

A really entertaining film and well worth looking out for. Who ever said good comedy doesn't come out of Germany?

A kind of parody to famous Pulp Fiction. Lots of dark humor, gangster plot, and even some music remixed. But there is one big difference. Many gunfights - almost no blood. That makes movie more offensive. It has some very bright scenes and the whole idea of two men, having nothing to loose and trying to get to the sea at all costs is awesome. Despite sad moments it is optimistic. And it is funny - even in the grave man can laugh.

I do not agree at all with the enthusiastic comments listed before. Knockin' on heaven's door maybe conceived as the ultimate new German comedy (actor Til Schweiger participates as producer) - what came out is in my eyes a quite embarrassing product.

The fulfilment of adolescent dreams of uninhibited consume (cars, girls, champagne - highly original) forms the base of the plot. Inserted are all types of clichés (from respected actor Moritz Bleibtreu as a dumb Arab mumbling in bad German, to the sentimental ending in the North-Sea-sunset). What really annoyed me is the dull kind of humor blank of every subtlety, which the movie celebrates from the beginning to the end. To say something positive, the camera word is fresh and at times inventive. As an example for a well-done and funny German comedy, see "Frau Rettich, die Czerni und ich" from 1998. Or else, stick to Laurel and Hardy.

This is easily one of the best films that I have seen in a long time and certainly the best of its modern gangster genre. The plot is maybe a touch formulaic but that fits well as the whole film pokes fun of many of the clichees that Hollywood pictures like Pulp Fiction take a little too seriously. Actually, I have heard many people compare it to Pulp Fiction, but the only real similarity I found is in its frenetic style and odd sense of humor. As for humor, the subtitles are well done, so you don't lose much in the translation.

Soulful and funny movie. Good casting. Great and memorable soundtracks.

This is a great example of Movie Making. Europeans are gr8 in Movie making.

All of us are talking about the Lead roles. But "Abdul- Moritz" was fantastic in the film. With his Arabic accent he was gem in the movie. Jokes he tells in the Movie and his body language is simply fantastic.

The lead roles are gr8.

The storyline is simple and it is made into a real good movie.

I saw this movie in Russia, but it was a gr8 experience. Hollywood where r you. don't remake it just dub it.

I would recommend someone to dub it in English with all accents and real jokes and fun. It will be a Super Hit..

why has nobody translated it yet..

Surprised...!!!

Nice movie to laugh and release tension.