Five Picks for Oktoberfest

What better way to celebrate October — and an impending Halloween — than to (re)visit a peek at German cinema?

With the exception of the first one, these picks were all set and shot in Germany, and just as conveniently serve the geeky set, with sci-fi, horror, and action in abundance.

There are certifiable classics here, newer favourites, and even a revisiting of an Expressionist landmark:  the recent expansion of Metropolis with new-found footage.

So grab yourself a bratwurst and brew, and prepare for a ‘fest-ful of thrills.

Frankenstein (1931)

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“Sequestered in a German castle, Dr. Henry Frankenstein and his unstable assistant Fritz reanimate the monster they have assembled from parts of other corpses. Using a lightning-powered ray even higher in the colour spectrum than ultraviolet — you lunatics! — they effect a godlike power of endowing the dead with life.”

Metropolis (1927)

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“Having seen Metropolis once before, I wasn’t expecting much from the recent “complete” version than simply more of the same. Regardless, my experience was far more positive. I saw more than just breadth, but new depth. Its style and content have aged very well, and its messages continue to ring true.”

Nosferatu (1922)

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“This movie still amazes me — that I could feel more for these characters who can’t speak than for the characters of some more modern films with vast reserves of audio-visual wizardry at their disposal. Through flashing eyes, flailing hands and clutching breasts, these actors communicated more terror than many modern horror films manage with CGI effects and massive budgets.”

Run Lola Run (1998)

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“Tom Tykwer’s indie German film, Lola Rennt, literally “Lola Runs”. An instant art, cult, and mainstream success, it’s as critically acclaimed as it is popular with the masses, at least with those who have been fortunate enough to experience it.”

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Unknown (2011)

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“Unknown was an action-packed puzzle, delivering on a promising concept. The twist ending made sense and was fair, given the clues at hand. With the benefit of hindsight, I look forward to seeing it again.”

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