MovieChat Forums > Chinesisches Roulette (1977) Discussion > Such a cruel film

Such a cruel film

posted 10 years ago by PoppyTransfusion
11 replies | jump to latest

I think it's great but it played havoc with my head and heart. The mother's reaction to her daughter throughout was so painful.

Who is who in the painting descriptions?

Bomb ruins with a half burnt doll. Kast?
A carnivorous plant devouring a dragonfly. Kolbe?
A face of costly materials. Marble, alabaster and gold. Ariane or Mlle Castise?
A worm-eaten apple. ?

It's a brilliant film and the choreography and arrangement of mirrors, glass and windows was superb.

Movement ends, intent continues;
Intent ends, spirit continues

[–] Morbius_Fitzgerald 10 years ago

I know what you mean. If someone was to tell me that they hated this film, I'd understand perfectly. Fan of arthouse or not, you aren't going to sell much people on the premise that is "a crippled little girl tries to push her parents over the edge in the hopes that her mother will shoot her". I also liked this film also but I also see why someone would hate it.

"I have always valued my lifelessness."

[–] PoppyTransfusion 10 years ago

If someone was to tell me that they hated this film, I'd understand perfectly.

I agree. Pretty though it is, it has a cold heart and an ambivalent (?) morality. But these are some of the reasons I thought it superb.

I give my respect to those who have earned it; to everyone else, I'm civil.

[–] Morbius_Fitzgerald 10 years ago

I agree with your opinion of it.

However I actually got this movie off a 3 movie DVD pack of Rainer Werner Fassbinder films and I just saw Satan's Brew which, in terms of morality, makes Chinese Roulette look like Ghandi. All I can say is if this guy made a movie any more *beep* up than Satan's Brew, I'd hate to see it.

"I have always valued my lifelessness."

[–] PoppyTransfusion 10 years ago

I look forward to Satan's Brew!!

I give my respect to those who have earned it; to everyone else, I'm civil.

[–] Morbius_Fitzgerald 10 years ago

Although, the strange thing is that its actually a comedy. Yeah, the movie that has a woman raped and at one point on her deathbed is a comedy. Look, I'm all for dark humor but that's just insane.

"I have always valued my lifelessness."

[–] gargarie 9 years ago

I hated this movie... After it was finished I just groaned with relief and stopped thinking about it, because I "hated" it. In retrospect (having decided to give it a rating, and having read some comments at this board), I can't think why I should hate it... Because, as I recall it, I think it showed Fassbinder in top form in many ways. And I have enjoyed some terribly cruel Fassbinder films... I could appreciate "Fox and his Friends" and even "In a Year of Thirteen Moons", despite the unrelenting misery of that latter film. This one just really pushes it... If I find myself in a sufficiently masochistic mood, I may watch it again and see if I can't enjoy it in spite of the pain.

[–] Tin_ear 8 years ago

Fan of arthouse or not, you aren't going to sell much people on the premise that is "a crippled little girl tries to push her parents over the edge in the hopes that her mother will shoot her?

I'm a complete weirdo, but I think this is one of the most interesting antagonists in all of cinema, all the way near the top with Charlotte Rampling's psychopathic mother from Georgy Girl or that creepy man servant from the The Servant. I think that could probably be a selling point to people who are fed up with predictable, unbelievable characters and trivial, disposable films. This is arthouse, but it is not that irritatingly confusing, overy-stylized, pedantic, or obnoxiously philosophical or political kind that was chic at the time--yes, I am talking about Godard. I'm more suprised it isn't more popular. One of my favorites from Fassbinder.

[–] Morbius_Fitzgerald 8 years ago

I agree that, regardless of how the movie makes you feel, its an interesting watch. I knew I was in for an interesting movie as soon as I saw the couple discover they were both having an affair at the same time. The rest of the movie, despite what happens in the scenes, all have this air of being awkward as *beep* because despite being rather accepting of having an affair (that should tell you all but I'll continue), you know that something is going to erupt with this.

[–] Tin_ear 8 years ago

I gotta add this since you reminded me of it: You almost want to feel sorry for the girl (the parents are completely nonchalant about their own failings, but presumably not about the disability of their own kid that is well beyond her control)...until you realize her plan was to humiliate her parents, and then failing that, to drive her mother to kill her own child and have to live with the guilt and shame. It isn't even clear whether the daughter was born a nutcase or became that way by years of neglect. Pretty brilliant but twisted ending.

[–] zcid47 8 years ago

irritatingly confusing, overy-stylized, pedantic, or obnoxiously philosophical or political

this is exactly how i'd describe this film..
.

[–] Tin_ear 8 years ago

How so? There is no deep philosophy or politics whatsoever in this movie, as far as I can remember. Maybe I missed something. This is a fairly minimalist psycho drama. The ending is left unexplained, but that is supposed to be open-ended. It's probably one of his most accessible movies.