GERMAN ANGST

Highly anticipated horror anthology that marks the return of Jorg Buttgereit behind the camera, accompanied by Andress Marchall ("Tears of Kali", "Masks") and Michal Kosakowski ("Zero Killed"). "German Angst" is a film strongly rooted in its geographical origins and that winks at the socio-political condition of old Berlin but in a contemporary key. The three segments, although narratively independent, are linked by a common thread: violence, the main ingredient and recurring theme of the work. Opening the show is "Final Girl" by J. Buttgereit: a young girl lives in a dirty and run-down house with her inseparable guinea pig. In the bedroom, the father, tied and gagged, will suffer torture and mutilation at the hands of his daughter. The episode begins with the radio announcement of a brutal murder committed by a man against his wife, an event that actually occurred in Berlin and inspired Buttgereit. The German director concentrates in about ten minutes all the poetic and directorial grace – honed over time – that characterize his previous works, setting aside that rotten and surreal atmosphere that was felt in the days of "Nekromantik". In support of static and meticulous framing, accompanied by slow camera movements, a polished and elegant photography: a surprise (pleasant?) for the older fans. The impression is that Buttgereit has focused more on form at the expense of substance, giving life to what seems to be a sterile and irritating exercise in style, albeit visually appealing and up-to-date. A sort of rape&revenge; without soul that leaves a bitter taste in the mouth: from Buttgereit one certainly expected more; evidently the German director is too busy releasing edition after edition of his films. Next is "Make a Wish" by M. Kosakowski: a couple of Polish deaf-mutes isolate themselves in an abandoned building. Surprised by a group of neo-Nazis, they will suffer a fierce beating, but the ancient amulet in the woman's possession might save them. A personal experience of racial discrimination directly inspired the Polish director, who exploits the magical and fantastic imagination to stage a role reversal: probing the territories of the human psyche, Kosakowski plays on the possible scenario that might present itself when the victim becomes the perpetrator and vice versa. The classic opposition between good and evil is represented through a series of physical violence, of considerable visual impact, although the pivot of the story is of an ethical nature. A perspective that in reality seems little interesting (as well as the overused theme of xenophobic origin), and that soon falls into the most banal and boring rhetoric. To conclude the work is "Arlaune" by A. Marchall: a renowned photographer is left by his girlfriend (played by the Italian Désirée Giorgetti). In despair and desolation, he decides to meet a woman he knew on chat, but he will find himself, to his dismay, part of an exclusive club where members, under the influence of mandrake roots, live intense and monstrous sexual experiences. The episode is nothing more than a modern adaptation of the eponymous film, of which there are five versions (the first dates back to 1918). Thanks also to the longer runtime compared to the other episodes, the story has a better narrative development that allows for an effective portrayal of the characters, swallowed up by a dreamlike and delirious Berlin. The insistent search for pleasure, as an escape from an unhappy reality, takes on the traits of a morbid obsession that turns into a Cronenbergian-type addiction. The choice to renounce CGI proves to be spot on, giving the film a retro touch that will certainly please old-school fans. Warm and dark colors amplify the nightmare atmosphere that is felt from beginning to end and that accompanies the protagonists along their descent into urban abysses, where sex, drugs, and violence reign supreme. In my opinion, the best segment of the bunch (and not coincidentally also the most expensive). "German Angst" is an ambitious film that makes introspection its strong point, through the manipulation of "Angst" (anxiety): fear takes shape with different contours and nuances, in a cultural context characterized by repression and violence. An anthology that deserves a look but that disappoints clamorously the expectations. Review originally published on the blog M'illumino di Horror.