411 Berlin Alexanderplatz

[tavernier]

I usually recommend reading any great novel before seeing the film adaptation, and if you can get your hands on a copy, by all means, read it first. But Fassbinder's film is so all-encompassing--its very length allows it to tackle most, if not all, of the narrative strands and characters from the novel--that if you don't read the book first, it's no great loss.

[denti alligator]

Though it might be a good idea to read it, if not for the fact that it's one of the most important German novels of the 20th century (which isn't to say it's one of the best...), but also because it was such an influence on Fassbinder. Live inside the book for a few weeks to see why he was obsessed with it--and then see how his obsession became film. Fascinating!

[jbeall]

I think it has been already confirmed elsewhere that Criterion will release Alexanderplatz in R1 territories.

Good to know--thanks!

I'd like to second (or third) the notion that it's worthwhile to read Doblin's novel. It's wildly experimental, and although I would probably rank Mann and Kafka as the two undisputed giants of 20th century German prose, Doblin is certainly in one of the upper tiers. I think that the expressionistic elements in Berlin Alexanderplatz alone rank him as the best Expressionist after Kafka.

[denti alligator]

I think it has been already confirmed elsewhere that Criterion will release Alexanderplatz in R1 territories.

I'd like to second (or third) the notion that it's worthwhile to read Doblin's novel. It's wildly experimental, and although I would probably rank Mann and Kafka as the two undisputed giants of 20th century German prose, Doblin is certainly in one of the upper tiers. I think that the expressionistic elements in Berlin Alexanderplatz alone rank him as the best Expressionist after Kafka.

BA is not really an expressionist work. Doeblin actually saw himself as jettisoning the expressionist aspects of his prose with this novel. It marks a turning point in his career. As for "giants of 20th century German prose," Kafka, yes, but in place of Mann you have a pretty big handful of contenders: Broch, Bernhard, Musil, Sebald, Handke, R. Walser are just a few that come to mind whom I prefer to Mann.

[arsonfilms]

I'm going to wait to read the novel until Criterion releases it with the box set.

Hear that Criterion? I said I'm waiting on the novel until YOU release it with the box set. So you need to make sure you do that. Release it, that is. With the box set. Don't worry, I'll wait. For the box set.

[blindside8zao]

That'd be funny if they released this on Eclipse.

[Mental Mike]

Excuse Me? Mann is not a giant of German prose? The guy did Death in Venice! No single novella caused more of an influence in subsequent world litterature than this work. The only reason it may not seem as powerful to some today is due to the fact that it has been imitated if not copied by almost every novella writer since!

as an aside, I would like to see the film version of Mann's short story "Tonio Kroeger" be released by Criterion. A beautiful film that is not yet available in any home viewing format. Interestingly, it was co-written by Mann's daughter and a frequent script collaborator of Fellini's! I know this is asking for a lot from the folks at Criterion but I would like to see it on the schedule...

[tartarlamb]

I think he's saying, and the point is well made, that there are a number of German language contemporaries of Mann that are at least of his calibre. Musil and Broch, for instance, whose standing in English speaking countries probably suffers only because of a lack of popular readership (which Mann deservedly had and continues to have).

I've never read Doblin's novel, nor seen Fassbinder's film. I picked the novel up today, so hopefully reading it will excite me about this release.

[jbeall]

I agree that Doblin's novel is not, properly speaking, Expressionist, but I would argue that it contains expressionist elements. Also, because I find the vast majority of expressionist prose and drama to be mediocre at best, Doblin exceeds the majority of it in a novel that isn't even expressionist!!

I didn't mean to suggest that Broch, Musil, et al. are lesser figures; I was just speaking from my own experience of the authors I've read (and I've read a bit of Expressionism). Kundera ranks Broch very highly in his own pantheon, but while The Death of Virgil is sitting on my bookshelf, I haven't gotten around to reading it just yet.

It was, however, silly of me to forget Musil, especially since I'm writing a dissertation chapter on him!! I find Musil's style more felicitous than Mann's, and for my money he's every bit the author Mann is, but at least Mann can actually finish a novel! (And yes, I know that criterion released the dvd adaptation of Musil's 'finished' novel; I'm just being facetious.)

Anyway, given the number of discs that a 15-hour miniseries would take up, I imagine it would be prohibitively expensive to include Doblin's novel in the boxset, but you can get it for just under $15 on amazon.com.

[Note: the version with the red cover, which is $20, contains stills from Fassbinder's miniseries, while the 'Continuum Impacts' edition does not.]

[kekid]

I personally do not like books included in the DVD boxes. If I lam intrigued about the source of a film, I buy the book separately. However, since suggestions have been made here to include the Doblin novel with the set, I hope the set would be designed to easily separate them. Shelf space is scarce, and this is a rather bulky book.

[tryavna]

The guy did Death in Venice! No single novella caused more of an influence in subsequent world litterature than this work.

Huh? Depending on how you define novella, Heart of Darkness comes to mind as an equally, if not more, influential novella -- as does Notes from the Underground, Turn of the Screw, The Dead, The Metamorphosis, and even (in some quarters) Carmilla.

I see your point, and I like Mann and Death in Venice, too. But I'm just not sure how one can be so certain of one's measurement of this sort of "influence." (BTW, I don't mean to derail this thread or be unnecessarily antagonistic. I'm just kind of curious why Mike would place Death in Venice as the supreme novella, so to speak.)

[sevenarts]

I think including rare or unavailable books in DVD box sets is great -- I really appreciate the ones with the Rohmer box set and Burden of Dreams -- but there's not much need to include a 600+ page book that's readily in-print. I'll be happy with the 15-hour film and a few interviews or docs.

[skuhn8]

From the CC website
Jirí Menzel, Steven Soderbergh, Paul Schrader Make Berlin Lineup

The final lineup for the 57th Berlin International Film Festival was announced this week. Among the twenty-six filmmakers competing in the festival's main program will be the Czech Jirí Menzel , with his new film I Served the King of England, and Americans Steven Soderbergh and Paul Schrader, with, respectively, The Good German and The Walker. Additionally, Rainer Werner Fassbinder's thirteen-part masterwork Berlin Alexanderplatz will be shown in a new digitally restored print. The festival will premiere on February 8.

Hmmmmm....

[kekid]

Slightly off-topic but continuing the references to Thomas Mann, I saw a Thomas Mann Collection coming out in April, including Buddenbrooks, The Magic Mountain and Doctor Faustus. Do not have any details. Does anyone know more about this issue? Moderators, please feel free to direct this to a better place if this is not the right one. Thank you.

[Lino]

Additionally, Rainer Werner Fassbinder's thirteen-part masterwork Berlin Alexanderplatz

Actually, it's a fourteen-part masterwork.

[jbeall]

I think including rare or unavailable books in DVD box sets is great -- I really appreciate the ones with the Rohmer box set and Burden of Dreams -- but there's not much need to include a 600+ page book that's readily in-print. I'll be happy with the 15-hour film and a few interviews or docs.

Great point sevenarts; you've changed my mind. And like kekid, my shelf space is pretty scarce. Still, the novel is definitely worth reading, and a fast read at that.

BTW, Bohumil Hrabel's I Served the King of England is another great novel, far better than his Closely Watched Trains. If Menzel's directing, I'll be keeping an eye out for theatrical/R1dvd release.

[mbowmanh]

According to Cinefacts, The Sueddeutsche Zeitung is releasing "Berlin Alexanderplatz" in Feb. 5 DVDs with the 14 part film and then 1 DVD of bonus material. There are NO subtitles and it is only in German, but it is the restored version in cooperation with Bavaria Media GmbH. On the Sueddeutsche Zeitung Internet site, it is already listed as available for €49.90. Could be good news for Criterion watchers.

[davida2]

BTW, Bohumil Hrabel's I Served the King of England is another great novel, far better than his Closely Watched Trains. If Menzel's directing, I'll be keeping an eye out for theatrical/R1dvd release.

It's been a favorite novel of mine for quite a while. It was a pleasant shock to learn of the film - and Menzel did direct.

[Gofter]

Berlin Alexanderplatz Soundtrack (Digitally Remastered): Amazon, SZ-Mediathek, Soundtrack + DVD Box

[Anonymous]

According to Cinefacts, The Sueddeutsche Zeitung is releasing "Berlin Alexanderplatz" in Feb. 5 DVDs with the 14 part film and then 1 DVD of bonus material. There are NO subtitles and it is only in German, but it is the restored version in cooperation with Bavaria Media GmbH. On the Sueddeutsche Zeitung Internet site, it is already listed as available for €49.90. Could be good news for Criterion watchers.

Now that makes me happy to live in Germany and speak the language!

[Dr. Mabuse]

It's coming...

[Brianruns10]

Yep, the Criterion definitely moots that one. I have to say, that is one of their most straightforward hints. Either they are slipping, or they've decided to take mercy upon all us poor saps who read too much into their clues (myself included!). Thanks Criterion!
PS: I wonder how much Berlin Alexanderplatz will be! Yikes.

[jmj713]

Biggest Criterion set? It's a pretty big pig.

[jbeall]

Yep, the Criterion definitely moots that one. I have to say, that is one of their most straightforward hints. Either they are slipping, or they've decided to take mercy upon all us poor saps who read too much into their clues (myself included!). Thanks Criterion!
PS: I wonder how much Berlin Alexanderplatz will be! Yikes.

Well, how many discs will that be? Eight? Nine? How many extras?? Yikes indeed. I'm already scared about the hit my bank account is going to take, because I will buy this one. Time to start saving up!!!!

[domino harvey]

I would guess six discs, the film spread across five discs, and the sixth housing special features. It probably won't look any different than any of their other boxed sets.