Schultze Gets the Blues (2003/2005)
In the 70's Andy Warhol brought
forth the notion of ennui in the cinema to the mainstream.
It was a concept so antithetic to Hollywood that Warhol
could practically claim to have invented it. "Schultze
Gets the Blues" is the first film in what seems like
aeons to revert to this aesthetic. But filmmaker Michael
Schorr, making his feature debut here (he's made a
bunch of documentaries), is even more ballsy that
Warhol or the French New Wave aesthetes with this
film. Where Warhol and Godard and numerous others
at least gave us beautiful boys and girls to watch,
making boredom somewhat bearable, at least in the
visual sense, Schorr gives us only a chubby, quiet,
balding, aged, blue collar miner to look at for nearly
90 minutes. Now that is daring!
This is a gutsy movie, one that
takes its own sweet time in telling it's story. At
first we become a little bored, thinking Schorr' s
intent is to show us just how boring and small his
sleepy little German town is. But soon it becomes
obvious that this snail's pace is intended to be not
only the speed of this town, but the speed of life
itself for the titular protagonist. While expressing
this delicate listlessness, Schorr takes every opportunity
to show us beautiful shots and images. His film is
a series of tableaus and slow fragments of life that
reflect not only ennui but the powerful beauty of
a life slowed to a speed where it can be observed
and reflected upon. This film is the most artistically
and beautifully shot film I've seen since "The
Mother."
Schultze is a great character, as
brought forth on the page by Schorr and on celluloid
by Horst Krause. Quiet, introverted and typical, Schultze
reminds us of many blue collar workers we may have
known in real life. There's a gentle love of the common
man here, one that makes us thoroughly respect and
like the main character. And then Schorr takes us
on a journey of discovery and wanderlust that is unlike
any we have ever seen on film.
The marketing for this film leads
us to believe that it is about a German accordion
player who discovers Cajun Zydeco music and immerses
himself in discovering more about the culture and
the music. And, in fact, this is indeed the plot of
the movie at a very basic level. That being said,
you have to throw away all your expectations about
the film based on this brief synopsis. "Schultze Gets
the Blues" takes us on a journey we do not remotely
anticipate. And while at times a few things happen
that seem odd, implausible and even contrived, we
still love the journey as we travel with this amusing,
loveable and unique protagonist. This is a rare and
magical film, one that can be enjoyed by old and young
alike. In fact, if you've ever wanted to take your
father to a foreign film, so he might understand why
you love art films so much, then this is the film
you've been looking for. Don't wait for the American
remake starring Wilford Brimley. (Note: This is a
joke.)
"Schultze Gets the Blues" explores
the ennui and boredom of Warhol, the charm and amusements
of Jacques Tati (I continually thought of "Mr. Hulot's
Holiday" while watching the film) and the maudlin
sentimentality of the German cinema in an amalgam
that works perfectly. It is the freshest, loveliest,
most delightful and poignant film Germany has produced
in ages. And it ends in a perfect and touching climax
and epilogue that reminds us of just how fragile and
important the outsider is to community and how we
often wait much too late to celebrate and accept those
whose curiosity and inquisitiveness in the unusual
bring us both knowledge and delight.
Dylan Thomas told us to "rage against
the dying of the light." The quiet and wonderful raging
of Krause's Schultze is simply one of the most beautiful
and lovely stories of the tender struggle of life
to be seen on the silver screen. But this isn't a
film about anger and rage in as much as it is about
fulfillment of the heart and mind. It's a story that
reminds us of the nagging suspicion that we have every
moment of our lives that there is something better,
something exciting, something more fulfilling just
out of grasp. Who knows what might happen if we were
like Schultze and had the determination and conviction
to try and reach for it.
Notes:
In German with subtitles and English.
Filmed in German, Texas and Louisiana.
The film has been nominated for
and won several awards abroad.
The film debuted at the Venice Film
Festival in September 2003. It opened officially in
German in April 2004. The film screened in Austin
at the Austin Film Festival in 2004, but I missed
it. It began a arthouse run in the U.S. in February
of 2005.
Viewed at a press sneak at the Arbor
theater in March of 2005. Yet again the staff at this
theater interrupted the film three times during the
middle of the screening - about five minutes apart
in the middle of the film - by walking around the
theater and in front of the screen wildly waving a
flashlight about. This is so out of control at the
Arbor that I am about ready to find a city that has
an arthouse that isn't owned by Regal Cinemas and
relocate. It seems to be their policy now to interrupt
their movies and infuriate their patrons by walking
through the screening of movies at least three times
and waving a flashlight around. This is supposedly
done for my safety and convenience. What a fucking
crock. This has fucking ruined seeing art movies in
Austin. So many art films that play here play exclusively
at the Arbor that there is no choice but to see them
there. What a frustrating and infuriating situation.
I have written a nasty letter to the Arbor only to
be told that they would fix the problem - that they
would tell the employees to be discreet. Well they
fucking haven't and it is pissing me off. If you live
in a city where you have a choice of what theaters
to go to, please consider telling Regal that you will
go to another theater unless they change this ludicrous
policy. And if you would, please go to their website
and write them an e-mail and tell them how much you
hate this policy.
