The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant [Blu-ray]

This movie is clausterphobicly filmed as it is described on cover. (We sit the entire movie in one room with the characters just feet away)It is believable and bittersweet and at times a bit slow and feels a lot like a stage play. Gay interest for Criterion and movie collectors.

The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant (1972) is an absorbing masterpiece of a film directed by written by Rainer Werner Fassbinder. In this thought-provoking film, we’re taken on an emotional journey into the mind of a narcissistic woman in her desperate quest for control over other women. Margit Carstensa plays the main character (Petra) to perfection, with each ‘act’ of the film depicting her state of mind through her appearance, mainly with the color and style of wigs. For example, the third act has her wearing a red wig, which suggests that she’s bitter and angry, and she hurls insults at Karin (Hanna Schygulla) throughout this sequence. In the fourth act, Petra is wearing a blond wig, suggesting her longing for Karin (who’s blond) who has recently left the country. In the final act, Petra has no wig, and her ‘natural’ look depicts a friendlier and softer tone for a woman who wants to be forgiven for her poor treatment of others. Irm Hermann plays Marlene, a servant who is mistreated by Petra throughout the film. It’s suggested that Marlene has her own desire to be controlled, so this film is really about control, as well as wanting to be controlled. What makes this film work so well is its absorbing dialogue; we really get to know the characters well, and the interesting subject matter of their respective lives. Director Fassbinder seems to have a lot of women characters that are liberated in his films, and this one probably depicts it best. The Criterion Collection blu ray is fantastic, with an excellent transfer in picture quality and sound. The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant is essential to your Fassbinder collection.

As other articulate(aussprechen) reviewers so graciously describe in fantastische means here Fassbinder really had it in the Old Days. Too bad he Burned Himself Out before the the last cigarette was snuffed or gallon of bourbon or swelling of his(anwachsend) puffing face receeded. As he lived his life taking extraordinary chances so did his creativity,his films, actually theatre with a lens,as The Bitter Tears here attests. One great shot, stilled, One Stage,Petra's old modernist studio, this forces concentration of this emotional feminist abbatoir, well Petra, who strikes one as a de Beauvoirian Feminist wanting simply the Man's world of privilege,power, market success and recognition. There is a wonderful subtexts here as well of Hegel's 'Master and Servant', from the 'Phenomenology of the Spirit', a work Hegel intended more for its pedagogical value, Petra treats her servant, (who is a speechless role, another working class metaphor Marx would have loved) like schiessen, smutz und Dreck."Another bourbon,(Petra shouts in hysteria) now", " keep typing, keep sketching, it is important. . .""Change my plane ticket" Yet she goes on, her life goes on with her obsessions for Karin,the hefty, "bleckadicta"(damaged) Hanna Schygulla,who simply betrays her(Petra) all along the route here.Not Good Sisterhood a 'Die Walkure', were no better they betrayed Brunnhilde as well, but that's Wagner's feminism. Fassbinder would have had more to think about had Julia Kristeva or Luce Irigaray had developed their impressive theories on feminine sexuality contra Lacan at the early Seventies.Karin at times fabricates her Other world, Petra wanted to know "Where were you last night, you didn't come home?", "I slept with a Black Man who had a Big Black Dicc". Petra is shattered for she beleives this tall tale.Virtuoso performances here, a depth of dialogic as Bahktin might say in that depth of focused theatre we really don't see again in Fassbinder, not even the mountainous Berlin Alexanderplatz, where the drama, the emotive dimensions get diluted with its oceanic lengths. Again Rainer taking chances,simply getting more from surfaces than theatrical depth, what happened to Brecht and Freud combined, and paying the price. Adorno said someplace, art must pay a price for itself, for its own integrity, so it can enter the real world.Margit Carstensen as Petra sort of reinvents herself as the work progresses, changing wigs,Cleopatra-like dress into her own line of fashion I presume. The tune "Smoke gets in your eyes" was a great choice here in the opening moments, transformative sickly nostalgia, Petra remembering her own rotten life. She seems to hate everything and everyone including at the conclusion here her mother, girlfriends all wishing her Happy Birthday! also her oefish daughter clad in bland school uniform. But no one seems to understand Petra(except her servant,which proves Hegel Marx) all she wants is Karin, the intimacy of this love. Yes that's reasonable, and the world didn't give in to it, at least not in the early Seventies.Petra mother was shocked. Perhaps in retrospect we find Petra's obsessions quite commonplace,but back then(and I assume here the film is partial autobiographical for Fassbinder,in the number of boyfriends that had betrayed him.)We tend to listen to everyone in this work,Don't know if Rainer knew of the sparce dramatic encrustations of Sam Beckett) everyone is heard, no matter how obsessed mundane,how ill-focused,and boring one's life, and its daily minutae(Mine u sha)we still listen. Rainer Werner compells us to. He was a virtuoso.

It would probably interest more those who are interested in lesbianism. The performances are great, the colors exceptionally bright, and the acting superb, as can be expected in a Fassbinder movie.

Prolific German director, "Das Wunderkind " Rainer Werner Fassbinder's brilliant, and perhaps most direct exploration of two of his most common themes: loneliness and the power struggle inherent in romantic relationships. The cynical melodramatic parable of a rich, needy fashion designer, her thankless servile assistant, and the seemingly naive young woman she takes under wing as a romantic interest. Very theatrical- basically a three woman play that takes place entirely in an ultra-chic 1970's apartment flat (you can't help but marvel at the white shag carpet and the huge baroque painting that dominate the scenery). This intelligent and cool film doesn't shy from the idea of a financially independent lesbian (bold for a film at it's time), and certainly does not shy from the unpleasant sniping and emotional breakdowns that lead to the poignant ending. The cast, direction, art design, costumes, and memorable use of symbolism (the numerous dolls and mannequins, wig changes, and the China tea set etc.) are all excellent. The real genius is in Michael Ballhaus' amazing cinematography. Lush with vivid colors, and having the camera float throughout the room and creates an atmosphere of claustrophobia without the camera ever feeling confined. This Criterion Blu ray looks great and contains several documentaries and interviews (one is dedicated to the photography). My favourite Fassbinder film (so far, anyway) and reminiscent of an Ingmar Bergman film meets Hollywood melodrama. Similar in theme to Fassbinder's superb, more cinematic, Fox and His Friends, and Ali- Fear Eats The Soul. For fans of the director the epic Berlin Alexanderplatz and the groundbreaking sci-fi saga World On A Wire are also highly recommended.