O Assassino

Most of my fellow reviewers around here dedicate their entire user- comment, or at least the largest part of it, to praising the formidable acting performance of Götz George. And don't get me wrong, I definitely concur. Götz George's depiction of the notorious and legendary despicable German serial killer Fritz Haarmann is absolutely stunning and mind-blowing! Jürgen Hentsch' performance as the shrink is terrific as well. Heck, even Pierre Franckh's performance as the silent stenographer is excellent! But a great film exists of more than just terrific acting performances from the lead characters, if you ask me. Thrillers, particularly when dealing with sensitive and socially relevant topics like real-life murderers, ought to have suspenseful scripts, moody atmospheres, authentic decors and filming locations and gripping action sequences. "Der Totmacher" isn't that type of film, clearly. The screenplay is based on Haarmann's profound and extended psychiatric evaluation, conducted by professor-doctor Ernst Schültze in between the serial killer's arrest and his inevitable execution. Fascinating material, for sure, but not suitable for a film. The long conversations between doctor and monster would make a compelling documentary and perhaps even mandatory viewing material for psychiatrist students, but it doesn't make a very interesting long-feature film. Despite the horrific content, "Der Totmacher" is tedious and monotonous. Fritz "The Vampire of Hanover" Haarmann previously formed the inspiration for another German thriller, the brilliant but sadly obscure "The Tenderness of Wolves" in 1973. That film features magnificent contemporary set pieces, numerous ultimately disturbing sequences and also fantastic lead performance (from Kurt Raab).

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!

Would a different translation have made it chillier or scarier? Are the subtitles too compact to convey the nuances of the original language? Does it even matter? You may have heard that great actors can make reading a phone book exciting. Well, this is an opportunity to judge for yourself.

If this isn't about homosexuality, murder, dismemberment, psychopaths, insanity, deviant psychology, then it is about acting - acting helped along with lots of dialog, So, enjoy the acting or muse about how titillating the dialog actually is.

For English speakers, "Twelve Angry Men" might be a better choice. There's a bit more interaction, and you can judge if the acting is consistent with the dialog. You don't have to wonder if you're missing something.

I would recommend Andy Warhol's "Empire" to those who like this film.

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.

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 !