Berlin Alexanderplatz (1980)

I went through a bit of a quiet patch with film watching, mostly down tot he fact that my time was taken up with ths epic from Fassbinder. Clocking in at 15 and a half hours, 'Berlin Alexanderplatz' was made for television but is essentially the longest narrative film ever made.

An ambitious attempt to adapt Alfred Doblin's novel, which traces the trials and tribulations of one man, Franz Biberkopf, as he tries to survive the poverty of Berlin between the wars, taking in a variety of themes from crime to true love, a naive sense of good in all people to psychopathic neuroses and the rise of Nazism, the film is a remarkable achievement marking the highpoint of Fassbinder's prolific and innovative career.

The performances are universally superb, aided by the fact that most of the scenes are extended beyond their typical length, allowing events, emotions and themes to be fully expressed and explored, within the stylised framework of Fassbinder's staging. It's not unusual to suddenly realise that one conversation has lasted twenty minutes, without a huge amount being said - with the true extent of the characters' feelings expressed through their behaviour and the development of their relationships with the other protagonists within a single scene. This can become a little too much sometimes, and occasionally, particularly with the often-repeated memories, it can feel like the episodes are being plumped out, but on the whole the film's power increases with each minute.

Gunter Lamprecht, as Biberkopf, is particularly superb, appearing in almost every scene and going through a significant transformation at one point, but special mention should go to Gottfried John's subtle evocation of the terrifying and deadly Reinhold, whilst Barbara Sukowa gives a sweet and humorous early performance.

The film is also a wonderful human map of Berlin, even if the majority of the action occurs around Alexanderplatz. We encounter the various aspects of inter-war life including the variety of options open to those looking for work and the final dependence on crime to make money, the frequent role that bars and prostitutes play in maintaining good morale, and attitudes to sex and relationships. Throughout the film there are various readings from contemporary texts, often dealing with scientific developments in the understanding of sex and relationships, brilliantly recording the changing attitudes of the time and giving an insight into the psychology of the people at the time.

Beyond the thematic content, there's an intriguing and actively exciting narrative tracing Biberkopf's unwavering faith in his friends and lovers, as the pressures of society press down upon him harder and harder. The epilogue, which is basically a film in itself, is a major departure from the rest of the film as it becomes increasingly feverish, dreamlike and symbolic, taking place largely inside Biberkopf's mind. I personally didn't enjoy that element as much as the rest of the film but it's certainly ambitious and well executed.

Nothing I write will fully do justice to this series/film, simply because it includes so much. Unfortunately many people won't take the effort to watch something so lengthy but if you treat like a television series it's really not difficult. I recommend it to everyone but especially to any fans of Fassbinder as, for me, this is his crowning achievement.