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Fraulein
R1 - America - Film Movement Review written by and copyright: James Teitelbaum (25th July 2008). |
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The Film
 Film Movement is a very cool subscription service that sends a new DVD out every month, each containing a complete indie film as well as a short film that often compliments the main feature in some way. "Fraulein" is the fifty-sixth film in the series (it is year 5, film 8). "Fraulein" tells the story of Ruza (Mirjana Karanovic), a middle-aged woman who fled Belgrade twenty-five years before the film begins, and who now lives in Switzerland. Ruza runs a grim and soulless cafeteria that is as bland and joyless as she is. No one smiles, the workers are automatons, Ruza is a stern boss. This is not a happy woman, and her disdain for life is infects everyone in her sphere. And then Ana (Marija Skaricic) blows into town. A much younger woman running away from her life In Sarajevo, Ana is a tramp who hitchhikes around Europe crashing at strangers pads, sleeping with them as the urge takes her, and scraping by financially however she must. Her needs are few, but there is one thing that she has to have: drugs. No, Ana is not a smackhead - she needs the drugs because she is dying of Leukemia. Her wanderings around Europe make it difficult for her to get regular medical attention, but as long as her cancer is in remission, she keeps a cheerful attitude and is able to live her Bohemian life on her own terms. After hiring Ana to work in the cafeteria, Ruza is (of course) resistant to Ana's charms. Ana tries to melt Ruza's cold exterior by throwing her a birthday party. Ruza actually drinks and dances, and both women end up getting laid - for Ana this is a nightly occurrence, but we suspect that Ruza hasn't enjoyed any affection in decades. This does not stop Ruza from scolding Ana for being just a few minutes late to the cafeteria the next morning (Ruza herself just barley makes it to work on time). Eventually, Ruza's cold heart begins to thaw. With a new young friend, and maybe even a boyfriend, Ruza finally allows herself to remember her younger, happier years, and perhaps to find a way back to happiness in her life. There is a box of photos high on a shelf in her home that she refuses to look into. One day, she takes it down, and finds something within that makes her laugh. A parallel story in the film deal with another woman who works at the cafeteria, and her marital troubles. Her husband wants to go back to Croatia, but she does not. The story of "Fraulein" has been told many times before: the happy young person with a tragic secret helps the bitter old person to enjoy life again. In this case, the familiar story is presented in a simple but well-crafted package. Karanovic and Skaricic are both good in their roles, as are the rest of the cast. Economical camerawork and tight editing tell the story in a succinct manner. Each character is well-defined and explored exactly as much as is needed, but never is there a wasted moment or unimportant scene padding out the running time.
Video
The film is presented in the original aspect ratio of 1.78:1 and is anamorphically enhanced. Igor Martinovic's cinematography is a bit murky with a lot of blues and greens keeing the film from ever feeling cheerful. I did like how Ruza's face is flooded with light during the scene of her dancing on her birthday. All of this is preserved on the DVD in a clean transfer that seems a bit soft at times, but this again may have been part of Martinovic's artistic choice. Running time is 1:15:19, divided into 12 chapters.
Audio
"Fraulein" is presented in the original multi-lingual German, Swiss-German, Bosnian, Croatian, and Serbian Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo with English subtitles. This is a dialogue-driven movie, but a sparse and atmospheric score by Daniel Jakob, Peter von Siebenthal, and Till Wyler is used effectively.
Extras
Film Movement has released this film along with a few extras that includes a short film, a promo spot, a series of text biographies and some bonus trailers. Below is a closer look at these supplements. "Happiness" runs for 10 minutes 54 seconds and is this month's short film. An elderly Polish woman works in a condom testing lab. She covets her boss lady's fancy shoes. After buying a box of happiness at a store, the woman takes it home, contemplates it, and then returns it to the store, unopened. She buys a pair of fancy shoes instead. When she shows up for work the next day, her feet hurt, and her boss has an even fancier pair than before. The roller-rink organ score and whimsical performances make this one a bit funny even as it makes its point about the futility of trying to make ourselves happier by buying things. Next is Stella Artois Presents: "Train" a promo spot which runs for 1 minute. This feature is presented as being sort of an additional short film, but it is really just a beer commercial. If corporate sponsorship is what is keeping this series going, then so be it; at least they are being tasteful about it. The disc also includes text bios of director Andrea Staka and stars Mirjana Karanovic, Marija Skaricic, and Ljubica Jovic. Plus there's the following bonus trailers for: - "He Died with Falafel in His Hand" which runs for 2 minutes 17 seconds. - "Life, Happiness, and Prosperity" which runs for 2 minutes 13 seconds.
Overall
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