Rainer Werner Fassbinder : More like 'Despair'?

I just tried to watch Fox and his Friends, and lost interest and gave up half-way through, as neither the characters nor the realist style of the film grabbed me in any way. Switched to Querelle, being maybe as its more bizarre and stylized, perhaps more to my taste, but I couldn't follow it and found it totally devoid of character.

The last Fassbinder film I watched was Merchant of Four Seasons, which I also didn't much care for. The same with the first Fassbinder film I watched, Marriage of Maria Braun.

However, I really really like the other three Fassbinder films I've seen. I like Fear Eats the Soul; those characters are just really wonderful. Berlin Alexanderplatz is very compelling, and though I wasn't crazy about most of it, I think the final episode is masterful, and probably the best Fassbinder's filmed.

But my favourite movie overall of his is Despair: what a fascinating and enigmatic film. And it has this fantastic, dark, absurdist sense of humour that's exactly the sort I like. It's full of character, and the visuals, the acting, great. I recognize my favourite movie-subject-matter is madness, which is a big theme of both Despair and the last Berlin Alexanderplatz episode

Anyways, I'm finding Fassbinder's filmography to be such a mixed bag, and my tastes don't really line up with the popular opinion, or anyone else's that I can find Can any 'seasoned vets' of Fassbinder's work maybe advise me on which films, for my tastes, I might still find interesting (and which I should probably avoid)?


grethiwha My Favourite Films16d0:
http://www.imdb.com/list/Bw65XZIpkH8/

"Satan's Brew" for sure. Also "In a Year of 13 Moons."

I'd also recommend "Beware of a Holy Whore" and "World on a Wire." I think, based on what you wrote, that these 4 would appeal to you.

But you seriously didn't like "Maria Braun"? What's up with that?

According to IMDb I gave Maria Braun a 6/10 when I watched it 5 years ago I honestly don't remember anything about that movie now. I think it was about a german lounge singer during WWII? Maybe?

Anyways, thanks a bunch for the recommendations! Sorry I didn't see your posts until now; I don't think IMDb notified me like it usually does for replies on my posts

I'll definitely make Satan's Brew or one of those my next Fassbinder watch. I forgot to mention in my first post I have seen World on a Wire. It's probably my 4th favourite Fassbinder film. It might've felt long at times but I found it a really interesting exploration of Philip K. Dick-esque science fiction concepts that really appealed to me; great film. Anyway I'd say you're on the right track with these recommendations. Thanks again!


grethiwha My Favourite Films:
http://www.imdb.com/list/Bw65XZIpkH8/

It's my pleasure! Fassbinder is my favorite director, and I know it's difficult to crack his filmography (unless you attend a 2-part retrospective, as I did at Lincoln Center in New York).

I think "Satan's Brew" will certainly appeal to you based on what you wrote. Its portrait of madness is even more extreme than that in "Despair," as is the absurdist humor.

I like pt.1 of "World on a Wire" more than pt. 2, but I recommended that for its dark tone and surrealist flourishes.

"Beware of a Holy Whore" isn't one of my favorites but I think it meets your guidelines. And a lot of people like that film much more than I do. "In a Year of 13 Moons" is Fassbinder's most personal and anguished film not for the faint of heart. I imagine you'll like that one as well.

I hope you'll write back when you've seen some more Fassbinder and let me know what you thought!

I am also interested but also am hesitant to watch most of Fassbinders films cause I like audio-visually appealing films, ecstatic, transcendent experiences and weird stuff.

Any recommendations?

That's all fairly vague, but I think "Despair" and "World on a Wire" would fit the bill.