Films/DVD Asylum

"The American Friend." Immensely enjoyable thriller from

71.220.203.2

tinear

Wim Wenders.
Superb acting, as usual, from Bruno Ganz and an unusually understated and excellent performance from Dennis Hopper, playing Ripley.
Intelligent, edgy, drama about a man seemingly diagnosed with a terminal disease who is enlisted to murder-for-profit, thereby allowing his wife and son to weather his premature death.
I'm pretty bad, usually, at figuring out complex films and this one is no different. Unlike the complex "Tell No One," this small masterwork actually creates two fully fleshed out characters, who may or may not be at cross purposes, and makes the love relationship of Ganz and his wife and child believable, as well. When something bad is about to happen, or actually does, you care.

Follow Ups:

Has this place thoroughly gone Hollywood? No Wim Wenders commentary? No - tinear 21:07:51 08/29/08 (7)
current French film curiosity, even though it may not be very good?
When "Pineapple" generates far more interested responses than any other topic, you know you've entered a very strange place.
- Calm down, I am here to save you! - Victor Khomenko 13:51:01 08/30/08 (2)
  I remember liking it, but don't remember it well enough to comment intelligently.
  Found this, though:
  http://db.audioasylum.com/cgi/m.mpl?forum=films&n=4126&highlight=american+friend&r=&session=
  
  Edits: 08/30/08
  - Thanks, Vic. I wonder when in the hell, "Alice in the Cities," and other early - tinear 18:12:16 08/30/08 (1)
    masterpieces of Wenders will be released on DVD?
    - Most likely never. - Victor Khomenko 19:12:50 08/30/08 (0)
      Slow, black and white films from the director most people never heard of?
      
      But I saw part of Independence Day the other night... I guess that one IS available in verity of formats.
- I did look up reviews upon your recommendation... - mpathus 01:23:41 08/30/08 (3)
  ...and "The American Friend" looks like a film I'd enjoy.
  
  Saw "Wings of Desire" in '87 and "Buena Vista Social Club" more recently.
  
  In "Wings..." I remember liking Peter Falk very much, and felt that Wenders was arty and epic at once.
  
  I don't know enough about Wenders' work and will look more closely for his films, if available on DVD locally.
  
  Thanks
  - Much of his best work, his earliest films, is unavailable on DVD. - tinear 18:13:50 08/30/08 (2)
    Check with your local VHS store, if it still exists, or your library to see if any of them are available there. He's a giant of modern film, along with Herzog, Pasolini, and Fassbinder.
    - Library had it, on DVD no less (in German)... - mpathus 11:03:30 09/05/08 (0)
      ...Anchor Bay entertainment (2002), "The Wim Wenders collection"!
      
      Really enjoyed it, especially for the use of environmental framing, pacing, details, and Bruno Ganz.
      
      It hooked me from the first moment. Is it a Wenders thing to build to a climactic point of absurdity? It somewhat reminded me of a "Guare moment", like in film: "Atlantic City", or play: "Landscape of the Body".
      
      Something about Ganz remins me of Javier Bardem.
      
      My favorite Wim Wenders' so far...great cinema.
    - Off to the Library it is; thanks! ~t - mpathus 09:29:40 08/31/08 (0)
      .

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