O Assassino

This is a quite spartan film. The only location is a sparse-funitured room, no special-effects, no score, just a few actors. - But what for actors! Götz George is supposed to be one of the best German actors, and after this movie the viewer knows why. Here he really shows what he is able to. I rarely (never?) saw such an intense, brilliant and convincing performance before. The sparse environment has the effect that the viewer can concentrate himself on the acting - and and this is what makes this film worth seeing.

But it's not only Götz George. The other actors (esp. Jürgen Hentsch as the psychiatrist and Pierre Franckh as the stenographer) are performing impressive and convincing. They are a well contrast and counterpart for George alias Haarmann. This prevents this movie from becoming a Götz-George-One-Man-Show.

I rated this with 8 because I think. a film for a 9 or even 10 should make more use of the diverse capabilities of the medium. After all a good film, but an absolute excellent play.

In "Der Totmacher" Götz George basically just plays a murderer during a cross examination. Several sessions are shown. I am certainly not George's biggest fan on the planet, but what he did in this movie is what I have to call the greatest performance ever as he does not have any virtual assistance by effects or anything, it is just him. People who like to see movies where it is the actors who create the atmosphere must not miss this incredible performance of George.

I really think that in this movie Gotz deserved an academy award. When you watch the movie you really think: "This guy is a fuc...g psychopath!" Especially when he talks about how he chopped a corpse and then laughs, like it was fun! He says that he made sausages out of it... And yet somehow... you see this man, who in reality is still a boy. He hasn't got a clear idea of what a crime is, or how he should feel about it. Creepy stuff and for this performance Gotz deserved an Oscar.

The mood is very creepy also. Like a true European film it focuses on feelings rather than special effects where you can see how arms and legs were chopped of. This is not a movie about the act of killing but a movie about the psyche of a mass murderer.

Somehow it's even better than the Silence of the lambs. :)

See it! It's a must!

IF you want to know how Fritz Haarmann was thinking George as Fritz Haarmann is just amazing ... he plays his role absolutely amazing ! IF you are interested in this subject (Fritz Haarmann and his crimes) you need to watch this movie. Very much adapted to the interviews with Fritz Haarmann in the 1920ies. Disturbing ... of course .. but if you want to understand his mental understanding you need to watch this movie or read one of those interview books. Götz George manages to play this role without doubt ... Please watch it if you hace the possibility ... Great movie (more documentary like) ... Not to be missed !

this film can be enjoyed, but it's nothing too special. much-praised acting is no better nor worse than one would expect from professional performers. as for direction, maybe i missed it... there didn't seem to be any at all. this is by no means a film to be watched in the cinema. on tv, on a snowy winter evening, okay. better still, watch it performed onstage in a small, intimate theatre, where it belongs... the dearth of good german movies is highlighted by the fact that this very unexceptional effort garnered so much attention and praise in that country, which produces so much, but so little of note. keen to see "manila," though what i've heard thus far is anything but encouraging...