Look Who’s Back (Er ist wieder da)

When I was recently in Berlin the publicity for the DVD release of the feature film Er ist wieder da (2015) was everywhere. Posters showing the figure of Adolf Hitler were posted in prominent positions all over the city.  This seemed very strange to a visitor, as I had always believed that since the end of the war Hitler was a taboo subject in Germany. In fact the movie had been a great hit on its release and now it looked like the DVD would also be well received.

 

Its really not 1945?

Based on a best selling satirical novel by Timur Vermes published in 2012 and directed by David Wnendt, this spoof movie is described as a comedy but many will find it quite disturbing. It attempts to put across its moral message about the resurgence and the increasing influence of the far right in Europe, and how it would appear that many have not learned the lessons from the Nazi era – clips are shown to prove this at the end of the film.

 

I'm certainly a hit with the media. 

Its 2011 and Adolf Hitler wakes up in a vacant lot in Berlin. He has no knowledge of anything that’s happened since his supposed suicide in 1945. He finds himself homeless and destitute quickly realising that the war is over, the Nazi Party is no more but still looks upon life from the Nazi perspective. Travelling around the city he is instantly recognised but the people he meets think he is comedic impersonator or a method actor practising his latest role.  His appearance is lapped up by the media and is invited to appear on the popular television show ‘Whoa dude’ were video’s of his angry rants go viral on social media. Achieving celebrity it’s not long before Adolf Hitler re-enters politics.

 

Is MyTV worthy of my presence? 

Although the movie is perhaps a little long winded with a running time of just less than two hours it’s a film that does manage to get its message across. As with many German movies the cast is outstanding especially Oliver Masucci who plays Hitler, Katja Riemann (Fack ju Gohte 2013) as the MyTV chairperson Katja Bellini and Fabian Busch as Fabian Sawatzi the film maker who first meets Hitler after his rebirth. Its certainly an interesting take on the subject of modern politics and the best bits are the unscripted moments where Hitler interacts with unsuspecting German citizens, especially those involving Asian tourists around the Brandenburg Arch.  If my wee ramble has made you inquisitive then the movie can at present still be seen on Netflix.

 

Your going to have to practice that salute young man! 

Fack Ju Gohte.

Europe seems to be a very emotive subject at present, discussed daily on UK news media – should we stay or should we go that is the question? But a far more important question to ask  ‘are European comedies funny’? Before I watched Bora Dagtekin’s award winning 2013 German comedy Fack Ju Gohte I would have been of the opinion that that humour would not necessary carry very well across continents, but how wrong could I be. 

 

Zeki's teaching methods are a touch unorthodox. 

Written and directed by Dagtekin, as was his first feature film Turkisch Fur Anfanger (2012) that was based on a successful TV series of the same name and run for three seasons between 2006 and 2008. This comic entertainment was shot in and around Munich and Berlin. Interestingly the prison scenes were shot in the former GDR prison in Keibelstrabe in Berlin.

 

First date in a Pole Dancing Club where Lisi meets Charlie - thats classy! 

The story involves bank robber Zeki Muller (Elyas M’Barek) who has just been released from jail. Upon his release he goes to see his pole-dancing girlfriend Charlie (Jana Pallaske Inglourious Basterds 2009) to retrieve the money he stole which he needs to repay a debt owing to a violent criminal, Charlie informs him that she buried the money on a construction site but during the time he spent in prison the construction project has been completed and his money is now buried beneath the new gymnasium at the Goethe Comprehensive School! But Zeki has a plan and applies for the vacant janitors at the school.  The headmistress (the brilliant Katja Riemann) mistakes Zeki’s job application for a substitute teachers position made vacant after one of her staff attempted suicide by throwing herself out of a school window following a particular stressful day teaching the undisciplined Class 10B and subsequently awards him the job. He spends his nights digging under the gym for the missing money and his days attempting to bring Class 10B into line. Meantime he meets a rather prim and proper teacher Lisi Schnabelstedt (played by Karoline Herfurth who you may have seen in Berlin 36 (2009) as Gretel Bergmann) who finds his method of teaching a little unorthodox but never the less begins to fall in love with him.   

 

Headteacher's don't always get it right!

The title we are informed is an intentional misspelling of Fuck you Goethe or if you believe IMDB the English title is Suck me Shakespeer. Either way it’s a great movie and one I can certainly recommend it to you for some welcome light hearted viewing. I can guarantee that it will actually make you laugh and that you will love the characters all played with great gusto by a very talented cast. This movie is the first of two, the sequel is called Fack Ju Gohte 2 and was released in 2015 with much the same line up and if its as funny and entertaining as the first film it too will be well worth seeing.