Katzelmacher

Play trailer

Katzelmacher

1969,

1h 30m,

Drama

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

100%

11 Reviews

Tomatometer

70%

500+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

100%

Tomatometer

11 Reviews

70%

Popcornmeter

500+ Ratings

In this unflinching German drama by Rainer Werner Fassbinder, a group of young slackers, including the couple Erich (Hans Hirschmuller) and Marie (Hanna Schygulla), spend most of their time hanging out in front of a Munich apartment building. When a Greek immigrant named Jorgos (played by Fassbinder) moves in, however, their aimless lives are shaken up. Soon new tensions arise both within the group and with Jorgos, particularly when Marie threatens to leave Erich for the outsider.

Noel Murray

The Dissolve

Sep 4, 2013

3.5/5

That's what Katzelmacher is: a punishment, via art, leveled at all the ignorant, egotistical racists Fassbinder had known.

Go to Full Review

Vincent Canby

New York Times

May 9, 2005

4/5

I've described the style of the film in some detail because it is so hypnotic and eventually so comic.

Go to Full Review

Jonathan Rosenbaum

Chicago Reader

Nov 19, 2002

There's less plot than usual, but the portraiture already seems firmly in place.

Go to Full Review

Mark Seneviratne

Vague Visages

Mar 26, 2024

Fassbinder’s choice to cage them in such dreary settings is effective, with fancy camerawork and lavish production designs disposed of in the name of a style that is perfectly aligned with his thematic intentions.

Go to Full Review

Christopher Long

Movie Metropolis

Sep 9, 2013

9/10

Shot in just over a week and provides the writer-director with a larger collection of personalities to send careening against each other.

Go to Full Review

Jeffrey M. Anderson

Combustible Celluloid

Aug 21, 2008

Fassbinder's second film feels rarely moves, but simmers with a kind of rancid, unnamable anger.

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

Rainer Werner Fassbinder

Director

Hanna Schygulla

Marie

Rudolf Waldemar Brem

Paul

Lilith Ungerer

Helga

Elga Sorbas

Rosy

Doris Mattes

Gunda

Going Upriver: The Long War of John Kerry

90%

69%

Going Upriver: The Long War of John Kerry

Watchlist

The Devil, Probably

85%

77%

The Devil, Probably

Watchlist

Habana Blues

88%

Habana Blues

Watchlist

King Corn

96%

78%

King Corn

Watchlist

Amandla! A Revolution in Four-Part Harmony

82%

88%

Amandla! A Revolution in Four-Part Harmony

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

View more photos

Synopsis

In this unflinching German drama by Rainer Werner Fassbinder, a group of young slackers, including the couple Erich (Hans Hirschmuller) and Marie (Hanna Schygulla), spend most of their time hanging out in front of a Munich apartment building. When a Greek immigrant named Jorgos (played by Fassbinder) moves in, however, their aimless lives are shaken up. Soon new tensions arise both within the group and with Jorgos, particularly when Marie threatens to leave Erich for the outsider.

Director: Rainer Werner Fassbinder
Producer: Peer Raben
Screenwriter: Rainer Werner Fassbinder
Distributor: New Yorker Films
Production Co: Antiteater-X-Film
Genre: Drama
Original Language: German
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 8, 1969, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 2, 2017
Runtime: 1h 30m
Sound Mix: Mono
Aspect Ratio: 35mm

Join The Newsletter

Join The Newsletter

Cookie Settings