MovieChat Forums > Die bitteren Tränen der Petra von Kant (1972) Discussion > closest other film by fassbinder to this...

closest other film by fassbinder to this in style ?

posted 12 years ago by arkid77
10 replies | jump to latest

Hi all

I love the intensity and simplicity of the staging of this film from fassbinder. Its very clear that its origin as a play assist in its sparred down minimal approach to film adaptation.

anyhow, from the fassbinder films i've seen (at least 10 or so) this one is to my knowledge quite different and unique in style. Are any of his other films similar to this?

Also as I'm writing the question, what other films (by any director) does this remind people of ?

[–] 12 years ago

[deleted]

[–] illbeyourmirror 12 years ago

Fassbinder's closest film (I think) to this is his TV adaptation of the Clare Boothe Luce's play, The Women, titled Frauen in New York. Petra von Kant is a unique film for Fassbinder because it is a play realized as a film.

I would recommend Rope by Alfred Hitchcock because it is the same thing except with homosexuals instead of lesbians.

[–] arkid77 12 years ago

Thanks jecxjk! I will check out Frauen in New York. But hang on... I've seen Rope... now how is rope similar to PVK?!? ;)

[–] dengelke 12 years ago

Definitely Fox and His Friends.

While Fox, I'd say, is more dialogue heavy, notice the intensity in both films. Fassbinder went through a documentary phase(which includes Frauen)-notice the film stock during this era. He would later rehash this style in the BRD trilogy and ( though only slightly) in The Third Generation.

"Everyman is an island? I'd like to think I'm more of an archipelago."

[–] illbeyourmirror 11 years ago

The similarities become more obvious when you ignore the murder plot in Rope.

John Dall (Petra) hosts this lovely dinner party because he is infatuated with Jimmy Stewart (Karin). It turns out that Jimmy does not love John in return. John is also in a sadomasochistic relationship with Farley Granger (Marlene). Like Petra, John is presumably left all alone at the end. Jimmy is philosophically outraged with him and Farley no longer loves him because John is not so dominating after all. That is the parallel.

It would be more enlightening to simply watch one of the films while keeping the other in mind because I don't want to type a longer-winded summary and because both films are infinitely re-watch-able.

Also, both films are shot in a strikingly similar manner, although that is not so relevant.

[–] arkid77 11 years ago

illbeyourmirror thats a great post!!! thanks for the observation!

I loved rope. I've only seen once a decade ago on a very old print that got stuck and caught fire in the projection room.

I will have to get hold of a copy to watch again.

[–] srinath_r_htanirs 9 years ago

Marlene does not leave Petra because she's not dominating anymore. The clue is in the line 'Not this way', when Marlene kisses her. This implies that Petra is still dominating and Marlene loses all hope of having her own in the relationship (Some of her expressions were that of yearning) and hence leaves her.

There is the possibility that Marlene was Frank. There's also the possibility that Marlene was this hopeful lover during Petra's episode with Frank. We'd never know. But Marlene is shown to be the hopeful lover during Petra's episode with Karin.

[–] orchidclub 8 years ago

Wrong. Petra tells her "not this way" because she said things are going to be different, meaning she's going to start treating Marlene with respect. Marlene leaves because she actually wanted to be dominated all along.

[–] sunheadbowed 8 years ago

Exactly. That is the priceless twist of the film.

[–] eyebrowmorroco 8 years ago

Bremen Freedom.