Rainer Werner Fassbinder ♥

The Marriage of Maria Braun is a deeply affecting, poised drama set in Germany during WWII, and its aftermath. The first 40 minutes or so moved uncharacteristically fast for a Fassbinder film. Once he stopped focusing on Maria Braun's surroundings, and more on her actual character, this film was finally able to capture my undivided attention, and became truly hypnotic, like only a Fassbinder film can. There was no need for extensive, drawn-out combat sequences in order to achieve the film's significance. Through Maria Braun and her relationships, you gain a strong insight into what life was like back in post WWII Germany.

I've heard some critics refer to his films as "cold" and "emotionless". Rainer Werner Fassbinder has the remarkable ability to allow the audience to feel exceptionally close to his characters, whilst also keeping us at a safe distance. I suppose I can see how this aspect of his filmmaking style could be misinterpreted as "cold" or "emotionless", but just because the characters are not continuously gushing with "emotion" in every single frame, doesn't mean it's not possible for you to feel anything from them.

Though I did love The Marriage of Maria Braun, I don't think I can say it is Fassbinder's "masterpiece", as I've heard so many others refer to it. Nevertheless, the story is truly bold and the film itself is definitely stunning! In addition to its greatness, Hanna Schygulla's flawless performance as Maria Braun is quite possibly the finest of her career!

A lesser-known work by Fassbinder, but it is equally as brilliant as his more popular films. The story centers on a woman who suffers from postpartum depression after giving birth to her second child. She begins to get these intense feelings of fear, and eventually resorts to Valium and Cognac to numb these feelings. Her hostile mother-in-law and sister-in-law do not help her situation, and her husband may very well not exist. She seeks solace in the doctor across the street, but even he does not have the capability to help her for very long. Fassbinder's films tend to end in tragedy, and by the way this film moves, from the very beginning you suspect that it will. Fear of Fear is perfectly paced, and the characters are all very captivating. Thrown in are a few Fassbinder regulars, which is always a treat! Any true Fassbinder fan is sure to enjoy this film.