Berlin alexanderplatz covers some eighteen months in the life of franz biberkopf, beginning with his release from tegel prison and ending with his release from the. Berlin alexanderplatz is a 1929 novel by alfred doblin, set in the weimar republic, with most of the action set in berlin. This book is published on the occasion of the exhibition fassbinder. The inspiration for rainer werner fassbinders epic film and that the guardian named one of the top 100 books of all time, berlin alexanderplatz is considered one of the most important works of the weimar republic and twentieth century literature. It is considered one of the most important and innovative works of the weimar republic. Mar 06, 2018 having first devoured berlin alexanderplatz as a sexually confused teenager, fassbinder located a sadomasochistic undercurrent to biberkopfs world, where brutality was merely another aspect of seduction. Presented in its remastered movie version at the 2007 berlin film festival to unanimous acclaim, it will be on view in an international travelling exhibition. Reinhold and mieze moving as if on a woodland proscenium, helplessly trying to avoid a violent, practically preordained confrontation. Berlin alexanderplatz, originally broadcast in 1980, is a 14part television film adapted and directed by rainer werner fassbinder from the alfred doblin novel of the same name, and stars gunter lamprecht, hanna schygulla, barbara sukowa, elisabeth trissenaar and gottfried john.
A lowlife for the ages a bold new translation reveals alfred doblins 1929 modernist masterpiece to english readers in new ways. Berlin alexanderplatz, the great novel of berlin and the doomed weimar republic. The most unique contribution of film director rainer werner fassbinder to alfred doblins novel berlin alexanderplatz. A region 2 edition of the fassbinder version was released in the uk by second sight in october that year. The new york theatrical premiere of rainer werner fassbinders berlin alexanderplatz, the late german directors masterly, 15 12hour television adaptation of alfred doblins epic 1929 novel.
The second adaptation, berlin alexanderplatz was directed by rainer werner fassbinder. Having first devoured berlin alexanderplatz as a sexually confused teenager, fassbinder located a sadomasochistic undercurrent to biberkopfs world, where brutality was merely another aspect of seduction. One of its greatest admirers was a brilliant young german director. Berlin alexanderplatz paperback mcnally jackson books.
The protagonist franz biberkopf is a world war i veteran turned pimp and lowlife. Buy a cheap copy of berlin alexanderplatz book by alfred doblin. Berlin alexanderplatz, the great novel of berlin and the doomed weimar republic, is one of the great books of the twentieth century. The first german novel to adopt the technique of james joyce, it tells the story of excon franz biberkopf. Berlin alexanderplatz by rainer werner fassbinder gunter. Rainer werner fassbinders sweeping 16hourlong drama berlin alexanderplatz is an adaptation of the novel by alfred doblin. Berlin alexanderplatz project gutenberg selfpublishing. The inspiration for rainer werner fassbinder s epic film and that the guardian named one of the top 100 books of all time, berlin alexanderplatz is considered one of the most important works of the weimar republic and twentieth century literature. Twentyeight essays by an international group of scholars consider this controversial directors contribution to german cinema, german history, gender studies, and auteurship.
Berlin alexanderplatz is a 1929 novel by alfred doblin. The third essay in the book fassbinders own the cities of man and his soul. Berlin alexanderplatz rainer werner fassbinder movies. It was published in 1929, just a year before the american john dos passos published the first volume of his trilogy usa, also considered a seminal work of experimental fiction.
Fassbinder, who died at age 36 before berlin alexanderplatz was released theatrically in america, found in doblin s story something akin to the running theme of despair in his own, prolific output of 40 movies. Berlin alexanderplatz klaus biesenbach, rainer w fassbinder, susan sontag isbn. Fassbinder recognizes this as berlin alexanderplatzs high point. Berlin alexanderplatzan exhibition, kw institute for contemporary art, berlin, march 18may, 2007. Berlin alexanderplatz, the great novel of berlin and the doomed weimar republic, is one of the great. Berlin alexanderplatz, the great novel of berlin and the doomed weimar republic, is one of the great books of the twentieth. Berlin alexanderplatz is usually described as a stream of consciousness novel, the first to reveal the influence of james joyces ulysses in the german language. While almost stoically ignoring all the demands of a plot, he sets out to circle around singular human conditions, to penetrate them, and to bring forth a reflexive referring back to the subject truthfulness that shows. Berlin alexanderplatz, based on the eponymous 1929 novel by alfred doblin, is in many ways a distillation of everything that fassbinder strove to express.
It tells the story of franz biberkopf, who, on being released from prison, is confronted with the poverty, unemployment, crime and burgeoning nazism of 1920s germany. Both films were released in november 2007 by the criterion collection in the us in a multidisc dvd set. Berlin alexanderplatz covers some eighteen months in the life of franz biberkopf, beginning with his release from tegel prison and ending with his release from the buch insane asylum. One of fassbinder s last projects was an impressive fifteenhour film version of berlin alexanderplatz. Laurie anderson white lily fassbinder berlin alexanderplatz duration.
Fassbinder s immersive epic follows the hulking, childlike exconvict franz biberkopf gunter lamprecht as he attempts to become an honest soul. Brash, operatic and deeply entertaining, burhan qurbanis berlin alexanderplatz offers a fresh vision for german cinema. Released from jail, franz biberkopf tries to live an honest life, but fate is against him as he enters the world of gangsters, thieves, and young nazis in 1920s. Rainer werner fassbinder was a filmmaker prolific to the point of being a workaholic. Rainer werner fassbinder s controversial, fifteenhour berlin alexanderplatz, based on alfred doblins great modernist novel, was the crowning achievement of a prolific director who, at age thirtyfour, had already made over thirty films. Berlin alexanderplatz, the great novel of berlin and the doomed weimar republic, is one of the great books of the twentieth century, gruesome. Nov 15, 20 fassbinder handles such moments throughout the second half of berlin alexanderplatz with the skills of a master dramatist. Download pdf berlin alexanderplatz free online new books. Many of fassbinders works are now considered classics of international film and cultural history. The story of franz biberkopf 1929 was his interpretation of the relationship between franz biberkopf and reinhold as a love story. At the start of the story, hes released from tegel prison for the crime of murdering his former girlfriend ida in a fit of rage. Franz biberkopf gunter lamprecht is released from prison as the film opens. Download pdf berlin alexanderplatz free online new. Large, central square in the east central part of germanys capital city, berlin.
Fassbinder handles such moments throughout the second half of berlin alexanderplatz with the skills of a master dramatist. Alfred doblins 1929 berlin alexanderplatz is a masterpiece of mo. It stars gunter lamprecht, hanna schygulla, barbara sukowa, elisabeth trissenaar and gottfried john. Some random thoughts about alfred doblins novel berlin alexanderplatz 1980is his personal history of rereading the novel throughout his life. In a 2002 poll of 100 noted writers the book was named among the top 100 books of all time. Apr 08, 2007 the first episode of berlin alexanderplatz, rainer werner fassbinders part plus epilogue, 15 12hour adaptation of alfred doblins 1929 novel, is called the punishment begins. From 1969 to 1982 he directed over 40 productions, most of them feature films, a few tv specials and one huge 931minute tv miniseries berlin alexanderplatz 197980. With this fassbinder establishes a method that marks berlin alexanderplatz to a greater degree than any of his other works. In late1920s berlin, franz biberkopf is released from prison and vows to go straight. Struggling to survive among the poverty, unemployment, crime, and burgeoning nazism of 1920s germany, fate teases him with a little pleasure before cruelly turning him in. This book features over 500 color film stills from the series, the complete script, and essays by rainer werner fassbinder, susan sontag, and exhibition curator klaus biesenbach. Berlin alexanderplatz by alfred doblin nook book ebook. Mieze gottfried john reinhold franz buchrieser meck claus holm max, wirt. Apr 01, 2007 fassbinder recognizes this as berlin alexanderplatzs high point.
Berlin alexanderplatz is considered by many to be fassbinder s magnum opus. Rainer fassbinder saw in the novel a huge part of myself, decisive into determining the course of my life. Franz biberkopf, pimp and petty thief, has just finished serving a term in prison for murdering his girlfriend. Fassbinders immersive epic follows the hulking, childlike exconvict franz biberkopf gunter. With gunter lamprecht, claus holm, hanna schygulla, franz buchrieser. Berlin alexanderplatz 1980 directed by rainer werner. Aug 21, 2008 laurie anderson white lily fassbinder berlin alexanderplatz duration. Director burhan qurbani updates alfred doblins classic novel as a modernday gangster story starring guineabissau actor welket bungue and albrecht schuch in.
Jun 24, 2017 berlin alexanderplatz, originally broadcast in 1980, is a 14part west german television miniseries, adapted and directed by rainer werner fassbinder from the alfred doblin novel of the berlin. When it comes, its awkward, messy, yet possessed of a cosmic significance, an act at once unintentional and inevitable. When berlin alexanderplatz was shown at the venice film festival in 1980 it received a rapturous reception from the critics in attendance, but it was a different story when the series made its debut on german television. Berlin alexanderplatz download ebook pdf, epub, tuebl, mobi. A companion to rainer werner fassbinder wiley online books. However, he soon finds himself embroiled in the citys criminal underworld.
Berlin alexanderplatz is one of the masterpieces of modern european literature and the first german novel to adopt the technique of james joyce. Berlin alexanderplatz catalog of the exhibition edited by klaus biesenbach an exhibition and screening of the restored film at the kw institute for contemporary art, berlin, march 18may, 2007, and at p. It deals with the aimless, doomed life of franz biberkopf, a petty criminal who emerges from jail. The films claustrophobic apartments and bars, suffused with a grainy, particlerich light, depict berlin as a kind of pen wherein the. Among his several masterpieces, berlin alexanderplatz is in a league of its own, not to be missed. Its events occur in 1928, so the book was a dispatch from the front lines. Produced for and shown on german television in 1980, it has. Berlin alexanderplatz is a screen adaptation of one of the most innovative german novels ever written, and the one most closely associated with the nations capital, penned by alfred doblin in 1929. Embracing excess, exaggeration and exuberance, its an exciting update. Berlin alexanderplatz 1980 the criterion collection. Berlin alexanderplatz 197980 rainer werner fassbinder. Berlin alexanderplatz is considered by many to be fassbinders magnum opus.
Feb 28, 2020 director burhan qurbani updates alfred doblins classic novel as a modernday gangster story starring guineabissau actor welket bungue and albrecht schuch in berlin alexanderplatz. Tv miniseries rainer werner fassbinder directed this 16hour film that follows franz biberkopf gunter lamprecht after his release from prison in 1920s germany. Rainer werner fassbinders controversial, fifteenhour berlin alexanderplatz, based on alfred doblins great modernist novel, was the crowning achievement of a prolific director who, at age thirtyfour, had already made over thirty films. Berlin alexanderplatz, the great novel of berlin and the doomed weimar republic, is one of the. A companion to rainer werner fassbinder is the first of its kind to engage with this important figure.
1621 108 1236 895 315 1151 1236 92 464 1050 1155 1625 1345 1195 420 54 1377 788 1251 1617 731 928 660 636 968 151 702 1178 762 497 761 399 1606 980 1419 285 260 776 874 981 752 74 636 159 360 911