Stroszek

Apparently Ian Curtis (of Joy Division) watched this film just before his suicide. I can believe that. Not that Stroszek is depressing: it's just very far from life-affirming.

Plot: Bruno Stroszek is released from a German prison and counselled to reform his drinking. He befriends a prostitute, Eva, who has been beaten by her pimps. Bruno and Eva travel with his neighbour to Wisconsin where they buy into a large mortgage and live on the open prairie. The promise of a new life for Bruno goes up in flames as the bills mount and Eva becomes distant.

Werner Herzog gets a good performance out of Klaus Kinski (Nosferatu the Vampyre) in the title role and weaves a characteristically kooky tale of a man pushed to his limit. There's a brilliant final sequence that is both logical and surprising. Herzog is very good at what he does.

Freaky Fact: Herzog had planned on meeting up with Ed Morris and digging up the grave of Ed Gein's mum. Sadly, Morris never showed.

review by Simon Hansen.