Berlin Calling (2008)

A man tours clubs around the globe with his manager and girlfriend. On the eve of their largest album release he is admitted to a psychiatric clinic after overdosing at a gig.

Director:

Hannes Stöhr

Writer:

Hannes Stöhr

Stars:

Paul Kalkbrenner, Rita Lengyel, Corinna Harfouch

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Paul Kalkbrenner	...	Martin 'DJ Ickarus' Karow
Rita Lengyel	...	Mathilde
Corinna Harfouch	...	Prof. Dr. Petra Paul
Araba Walton	...	Corinna
Peter Schneider	...	Crystal Pete
Rolf Peter Kahl	...	Erbse (as RP Kahl)
Henriette Müller	...	Jenny
Udo Kroschwald	...	Karow - Martins Vater
Megan Gay	...	Labelchefin Alice
Max Mauff	...	Zivi Alex (as Maximilian Mauff)
Peter Moltzen	...	Heinrich Karow - MartinsBruder
Dirk Borchardt	...	Clubchef Tom
Erdal Yildiz	...	Hotelangestellter
Ernest Hausmann	...	Pfleger Ernesto (as Ernest Allan Hausmann)
André Hoffmann	...	Franz

Storyline

A man tours clubs around the globe with his manager and girlfriend. On the eve of their largest album release he is admitted to a psychiatric clinic after overdosing at a gig.

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Plot Keywords:

party | mental hospital | nervous breakdown | record company | rave | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Music

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Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

Germany

Language:

German

Release Date:

2 October 2008 (Germany)

Also Known As:

Berlin atesi

Filming Locations:

Berlin, Germany

Company Credits

Production Co:

Sabotage Films GmbH, Stoehrfilm

Technical Specs

Runtime:

105 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital Dolby SR

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

User Reviews

A missed opportunity to inject some morality into the scene

I have to be honest, this film is realistic but for all the wrong reasons. Yes, the music is fantastic; yes, the venues are authentic (or appear that way). But I have met and befriended about half a dozen DJs whose behaviour fell within the spectrum of Icka's selfish, arrogant, immature world-view and I can tell you that their behaviour did not lead to the simplistically realised 'happy ending' (such as it is) which is portrayed in Berlin Calling.

The ending scenes in particular left me feeling that the makers of this movie actually believe in the same gloriously-decadent vision that they condemn Ickarus for having. They really seem to be saying that minimal techno is an end unto itself;that all the drug addiction and relationship failures that play a part in its production are just a means to an end, a drop in the ocean of 'immortality' that comes from having one's name etched on a piece of wax. Ickarus' family, best friends, lovers and admirers are all portrayed as mere accessories to his dream; willing slaves to his quest for fortune and fame. Berlin Calling would have been a much better film if its makers had dared to question the greed (both emotional and material) which bound to it in the first place.

Near the end of the film, Icka's Dad blames his son's behaviour on the fall of the Berlin wall. Personally, I found this to be a lame attempt to tack some sort of logic onto the pointlessly infantile behaviour displayed by Ickarus - who for all the world comes across as a spoilt brat. If only there was some proper character development in this film

• either in Icka or his supporting (and tellingly, largely-female)

cast, then his selfish behaviour may have made sense. But as it is, you come away thinking, this is a guy with too much money and too little brains to appreciate it. In other words, he's about as political as a silk Gucci scarf!