Berlin — Alexanderplatz

[pieter]

I am watching Berlin — Alexanderplatz by Rainer Werner Fassbinder.(Released in 1980)
It fascinates me to have a view in the past, and the atmosphere of the twenties. Great actors and actresses. A piece of masterwork.

Pieter

Berlin Alexanderplatz

Berlin Alexanderplatz is a novel by Alfred Döblin, published in 1929. The story concerns a small-time criminal, Franz Biberkopf, fresh from prison, who is drawn into the underworld. When his criminal mentor murders the prostitute whom Biberkopf has been relying on as an anchor, he realizes that he will be unable to extricate himself from the underworld into which he has sunk. In a 2002 poll of 100 noted writers conducted by the Norwegian Book Clubs, the book was named among the top 100 books of all time.[1]

Style

The novel is set in the working class Alexanderplatz district of 1920s Berlin. Its narrative style is reminiscent of James Joyce. In fact, Döblin had already finished the work when he read Ulysses which inspired him to radically rewrite his own book. It is told from multiple points of view, and uses sound effects, newspaper articles, songs, speeches, and other books to propel the plot forward.

Film adaptions

The novel was adapted twice into a film, the first called Berlin — Alexanderplatz, in 1931. Döblin worked on the adaptation, along with Karl Heinz Martin and Hans Wilhelm. It was directed by Piel Jutzi, and starred Heinrich George, Maria Bard, Margarete Schlegel, Bernhard Minetti, Gerhard Bienert, Albert Florath and Paul Westermeier. It ran 85 minutes.
The second adaptation was by Rainer Werner Fassbinder. Released in 1980, it ran 15 1/2 hours in length and is considered, by many, to be his magnum opus. It was released on DVD for the U.S. in November 2007.

nl.youtube.com/watch?v=4UuG4IF2WK8&feature=related
nl.youtube.com/watch?v=OihmwDmoeoQ&feature=related

[rdywenur]

Pieter looks like a good movie. Too bad there are no English subtitiles.

[Atlantis5]

Pieter

I am sorry, I have not watched this at the Cinema. I think perhaps I have missed of that I should not have, sorry...

But, I do know that area. For at once, it was a cattle gathering/selling area. That is {Alexanderplatz}, I am not so sure at moment, but believe it was renamed for a Russian prince with that name.

To provide Berlin with so much credit is a pain to me, but non-the-less, Berlin has of then, and present, a leadership in culture/arts/decadence and how ever. Well, I must admit, a jewel to be admired. {It is their d**n flouting into the face with their Prussian haughty manners}.

I have dearly loved though, the 20s of Berlin music/Art and Culture, for they were and are, so much in advanced to ours {of that we have little} in the North.

At present, of that I play {in absence of my wife} some recorded music of the nasty 20s Berlin Operettas music. It is a combination of {Swing/Gusti/play/music}. If perchance I was given the opportunity life, I would have chosen the 20s for the decadence and fun of life, so for why not?

But seriously, those were very advanced time in the arts, that is until those weird national Socialist fellows took over.

But seriously, those were good times in Jazz/Josephine Baker {her Banana Dance} The Cabarets with their dancers/the acts of risque of near nude dancers-chorus singers/The Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra/ The nue DaDaists/The writers of:Vladimir-Nabokov and of course: Erich Maria Remarque.

And of course: The Kommunist that of:Piscator and his {Das Proletarische Theater}.

So,,what has happened to today? We have lost, that is what.....

For we have lost the people of kalber of that of artist: Hans Richter/ George Grosz/Raoul Hausmann?

For today, we have little, but extreme disappointment, for very few contain the excitement and drama that our former artist were to convert from a drunken paper sketch to that of reality as a delight to the senses.


Charles