Stroszek *** (1977, Bruno S, Eva Mattes, Clemens Scheitz) – Classic Movie Review 9262

Writer/ producer/ director Werner Herzog’s offbeat 1977 comedy drama of cultural dislocation Stroszek has alcoholic ex-con Bruno Stroszek (Bruno S) moving from Berlin with his elderly eccentric neighbour friend Scheitz (Clemens Scheitz) and down on her luck prostitute Eva (Eva Mattes) to hopefully a better life in a cramped mobile home in Wisconsin.

While Bruno has a job as a mechanic, and Eva works as a waitress, but money is a problem and the bank threatens to repossess the mobile home. As they plot an ill-fated robbery and adapt to their isolated new home, the director’s detached view of Middle America gives a much-needed edge to the action.

Overall though, this thinly plotted work is not vintage Herzog and, with the exception of the excellent Mattes, the actors seem unable to sustain the claustrophobic tension the movie requires. It remains in the interesting category, though.

Also in the cast are Vaclav Vojta, Ralph Wade, Scott McKain, Ely Rodriguez and Alfred Edel.

In typical eccentric Herzog style, it is subtitled A Ballad.

Stroszek is directed by Werner Herzog, runs 115 minutes, is made by Werner Herzog Filmproduktion, Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen and Skellig Edition, is released by New Yorker Films (1977) (US) and Contemporary Films (1977) (UK), is written by Werner Herzog, is shot by Thomas Mauch, Stefano Guidi (camera assistant: US), Wolfgang Knigge (camera assistant: Berlin) and Edward Lachman (camera II), is produced by Werner Herzog and Willi Segler, and is scored by Tom Paxton, Chet Atkins and Sonny Terry.

Bruno S also stars in Herzog’s The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser (1974).

© Derek Winnert 2019 Classic Movie Review 9262

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