Tag: new German cinema

Ali: Fear Eats the Soul

Ali: Fear Eats the Soul is a 1974 movie written and directed by Rainer Werner Fassbinder.

Ali: Fear Eats the Soul tells the story of Emmi, a widowed house cleaner and Ali, a Morrocan immigrant mechanic, who meet and fall in love. Both characters are essentially isolated, lonely people who form an unusual bond. They find comfort in each other, but quickly realize that their family, friends and neighbors are hostile towards their intentions. These external pressures begin to crater the relationship.

The legend of Fassbinder is that he lived a fast life, died young and created an unparalleled body of work. The volume of movies he directed – some 40 over the span of 15 years – is astonishing. In Ali: Fear Eats the Soul, it’s easy to grasp how he accomplished such a feat. This a precise, effective story about loneliness and perception. The scenes are simple, but contain a density of emotion: the settings are sparse and dialogue purposeful, which effectively illustrates his characters’ anxiety.

There’s little wasted motion as Fassbinder introduces his leads and propels them into a meaningful union. Emmi enters a bar to get out of the rain – she’s aged and carries a worn appearance. Ali is presented as a hulking, stoic figure – he’s drinking with his “Arab buddies”, something he does every night. The clash of backgrounds creates a striking mood of suspicion, something Fassbinder expertly frames with his long, meditative shots.

Ali asks Emmi to dance with her, then offers to walk her home. The scene in her apartment lobby is fascinating. She is both afraid of Ali and endlessly intrigued by him. She comments on his clothes, suggesting that “dark clothes look sad.” Her own sadness is apparent – “it’s good to talk to somebody. I’m so lonely. All the time, really.” He is invited up for brandy and later spends the night. Ali’s own anxiety – a central theme of the movie – is apparent as he cannot sleep and comes to Emmi’s bedroom.

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Aguirre, the Wrath of God

Aguirre, the Wrath of God is a 1972 movie directed by Werner Herzog and starring Klaus Kinski.

Aguirre, the Wrath of God tells the story of Spanish conquistadores searching for the mythical El Dorado in Peru. Crossing the Amazon, the expedition struggles to survive against brutal conditions and hostile natives. Klaus Kinski plays Don Lope de Aguirre, who seizes control of the expedition and leads the group into chaos.

There’s a great chance Kinski is completely miscast as a 16th century Spanish conquistador. He’s slight, wobbly kneed and his kettle helmet barely conceals cascading dirty blonde hair. He’s an art school German out of place in the jungle playing a Spaniard.

Yet, in a Werner Herzog production – one that cannot help blurring the line between fiction and documentary – Kinski is the perfect choice to play Aguirre, a man bent on capturing the illusion of greatness regardless of the human cost.

Further, it takes a performance as outlandish as Kinski gives to honor the spectacle of Herzog’s vision.

The opening scene is majestic. Drifting clouds settle to reveal the enormity of the Andes Mountains before tiny specks come into surface. Herzog’s troupe are trekking down a dangerous slope into the Amazon jungle, hauling along a horse, pigs, chickens, and a cannon. Struggle marks the actors’ eyes as they have become fully immersed outsiders – even the natives are hesitant to find their footing in the treacherous terrain.

Herzog’s crew are essentially conquistadors. We have scripted dialogue to remind us otherwise, but the first portion of the movie feels more like a documentary. A basket of chickens tumbles from a cliff, a rider almost gets hung up on a crooked branch, actors swat away bugs. It’s a dangerous and brutally unfair journey.

The plot develops around the expedition’s leader Pizarro deciding to divide the group and find resources before going further into the unknown. He leaves the nobleman Ursua as his second in command. One of the rafts gets stuck in the eddy and the men are ambushed. Suddenly, the ranks are thin and plotting begins. It doesn’t take long for Aguirre to overthrow the rule of Ursua.

As Aguirre becomes the defacto fictional leader of the expedition, Kinski begins to personify the character. He’s going to battle with his cast mates. As the natives struggle to steady the sedan carrying Ursua’s mistress and Aguirre’s daughter, Kinski manhandles them, grabbing and prodding – berating them for their stumbles. Moments before Ursua is overthrown, Aguirre winds among the soldiers, clutching and pulling them into him – urging them to join his treason.

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