Re: Berlin Calling
So I caught Berlin Calling last night and it was great, I think a lot of you guys on here will enjoy the film. Sound at the cinema was much better than I expected and took everyone by surprise when the bass kicked in.
Berlin Calling follows Ickarus as he tries to finish his album, took a pill with PMA which triggered a breakdown in him, his time in rehab, and recovery, and the completion of the album. It's as much a 'making of' and a descent into personal hell and subsequent recovery, his personal journey parralling the 'making of and completion' his album.
I didn't think it pandered to cliches or stereotypes associated with such a premise and scene (I'm thinking of Human Traffic and Go). There was no moral message about drugs being bad for you, etc; the film pretty much put the character in situations and told the story as is; it might just as well be some dude fucking up his life with alcohol. What was enjoyable and refreshing for a film like that was how close it was to the music, it's almost like a behind the scenes in the making of an album.
Most of the party scenes didn't feel set up, they looked like they had a lone camera man on stage filming as opposed to a scene in the movie that had multiple camera angles. So there was a slight documentary feel to it too. I did expect more club scenes because most of the scenes looked like big parties, open air parties, and one particular after hours scene looked great, it looked like some cabin in the middle of nowhere.
I think what really delivered in the film was Paul Kalkbrenner whose acting was seriously, surprisingly good (for a DJ!). A film like that, Kalkbrenner really imbued it with his passion for the music, and the shit he went through in the film didn't feel out of place or contrived, and he made it relatable for the audience (or me anyway, having been in the party scene and my own shit with drugs). The scenes that showed him flailing his limbs or closing his eyes with a beatific smile to the music, I don't think he had to act at all, and any of us would identify with those moments.
Hope I didn't raise expectations too high, but definitely recommend checking this out.