Kamikaze 1989
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In a totalitarian society of the future, in which the government controls all facets of the media, a homicide detective investigates a string of bombings, and finds out more than he bargained for.

Reviews
Exoticalot

People are voting emotionally.

Acensbart

Excellent but underrated film

Janae Milner

Easily the biggest piece of Right wing non sense propaganda I ever saw.

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Wyatt

There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

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Horst in Translation (filmreviews@web.de)

"Kamikaze 1989" is a German movie from 1982, so this one has its 35th anniversary this year. The director is Wolf Gremm and he is also among the writers who adapted the novel for the screen here. The outcome is a 105-minute movie in the German language. The lead actor is famous German filmmaker Rainer Werner Fassbinder and this is actually his last performance of an actor before his untimely death. Fittingly, the cast also includes many actors who have appeared on several occasions in Fassbinder's films, such as Mira or Kaufmann. I already wrote that this movie is from 1982 and the events it depicts are actually a vision of the future of what the year 1989 may look like. A touch of "Clockwork Orange" you will find in here for sure, even if the focus is on the "good" side of the law this time. Fassbinder's character is a police officer dealing with a bomb threat that may be legit or just a prank. It all has to do with the governing institution that is apparently very powerful and has their very own ways to make sure things stay the way they are. You could certainly characterize this film as shrill here. The sets, but even more so the costumes are really extremely over the top, but it feels all intended and it adds a decent little atmosphere to the entire project.But unfortunately, the story cannot deliver beyond all the bright and colorful characters in here. The story about the crime becomes ultimately forgettable in the face of it being just one absurd scene chasing the next. And sadly, these aforementioned characters rarely have more than two scenes, which results in them becoming ultimately mostly forgettable as the moment they may have depth they are recycled for the next wave of characters. Except Fassbinder of course, who is in this for every scene from start to finish. As a consequence, the film also feels very Fassbinder, for example during the scene when the woman invites him to her place and also the entire scene at her place then. Anyway, I personally was relatively underwhelmed and I would call this a piece of style over substance. I still think Fassbinder is at least as good of an actor as he is of a writer and director and he shows it here. There are moments when his line delivery comes off a bit wooden, but it still works somehow. He is the least of problems this film has, even if I found it pretty sad to see him like this. His looks make clear that something is very wrong with him and his health and it was a bit of a depressing watch because of this, even if his acting was certainly one of the very few okay aspects about this movie. But overall, it is just not enough, especially in terms of the script which sacrifices coherency in its desperate and unsuccessful attempts to be as bold and mesmerizing as possible. Don't watch.

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paul vincent zecchino

Highly recommend Fassbinder's brilliant meisterstuck. Evil commie-rat empire was a ravening beast bearing down upon the planet when they shot chunk of celluloid prophecy. Had any the prescience to suggest the events of our squalid doomstruck post-90s era, they'd have been carted off to the booby hatch. Or would Fassbinder have made a film about them?No further comments from undersigned needed. This film serves as prequel to our era. With but a little thought, can one 'project the lines' to our short term destiny? "Avoid unnecessary thoughts."Dr. Paul Vincent ZecchinoManasota Key, Florida29 December, 2006"Truth leads a wretched life -and always survives the lie."

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Itchload

First off, yes, you're right, this is a godawful movie.Being a big Fassbinder fan, I rented this with excitement. Fassbinder stars, and he's always fun to watch. It's one of those punk-future-dystopian movies that popped out a bit in the early '80s, always good for some cult fun. It came out at the end of Fassbinder's career, and Fassbinder's whole 12 year filmmaking period only got better and better until his end.So half way through I thought "what the hell happened? This movie is an atrocity exhibition."Then I glanced at the cover, and in horror noticed this movie was NOT directed by Fassbinder. He just starred in it in a coked up narcisstic haze. I read he actually wore that leopard outfit he was giving in this movie on and off again in the last few weeks of his life. Fassbinder was proud of this movie, somehow, and that gives it an odd charm. It's horrendous, but I haven't regretted watching it. There's a scene where Fassbinder climbs to a roof of a building, odd buzzing music is playing and the wind is blowing his hair and he has this perverse smile on his face as he gazes out across the city. There's also the ending where Fassbinder, bloated, in a robe, girates his body against a photo of an astronaut (I'm guessing this is Fassbinder's input, as the exact same ending pretty much is used in Stationmaster's Wife). These two scenes made it worthwhile. Otherwise, mark it off as an awful "Alphaville" rippoff.

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Switcher1972

I'm sorry to say that, but i can hardly say it's a good film... The cinematography is dull, the photography is so cheapo that you could think you're in a "Derrick" episode. The scenario losses some parts during the timeline... Even the music (composed by the professional Edgar Froese) is - uhm... Outdated? No 80s revival will save this film from the brink of extinction. The only advantage for its producers is that you CAN'T forget it after a vision. Uhmm... Not for the good, i'm afraid..

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