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The Deathmaker

Der Totmacher

Germany

1995

110 Min
Color
German
  • Currently 3.7/5 Stars.
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DIR Romuald Karmakar

EXEC Peter Herrmann

PROD Romuald Karmakar, Thomas Schühly

SCR Romuald Karmakar, Michael Farin

DP Fred Schuler

CAST Götz George, Jürgen Hentsch, Pierre Franckh, Hans-Michael Rehberg, Matthias Fuchs

ED Peter Przygodda

PROD DES Toni Lüdi

SOUND Robi Güver

Venice (In Competition): Best Actor (Götz George), Berlinale (New German Films)

Synopsis

Writer-director Romuald Karmaker made a stunning impact with this riveting and gruesome historical drama based on the case of a 1920s German serial killer. Fritz Haarmann (Gotz George) has finally been caught after years of preying on boys and young men. His methods included sodomizing his victims, biting their necks like a vampire, then killing them and cutting their bodies into little pieces. Before Haarmann can stand trial, it must be determined whether or not he is sane. A psychiatrist is assigned to the case. He interviews the killer in a small room at an insane asylum where Haarmann has been temporarily placed. The film’s dialogue is taken directly from the original transcripts of the actual interview. During the course of the interview, Haarmann details his murderous methods and gradually reveals his motivation.

Director

Original

Romuald Karmakar

Born in Wiesbaden on 15.2.1965 of French- Persian parents, Romuald Karmakar lived in Athens from 1977-82. He graduated from high school Munich in 1984 and has been working as an independent filmmaker since 1985, first making shorts and documentaries. He directed his first feature film, “The Deathmaker”, in 1995. This drama received three German Film Awards in Gold; Götz George was also awarded a Silver Lion in Venice Best Actor for his performance in this film. Karmakar’s feature film “Manila” received Silver Leopard in Locarno in the year 2000. —filmportal.de 

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W184

The Boundaries of Psychiatry and Cinema: Romuald Karmakar’s "The Deathmaker"

By Carson Lund on March 25, 2013

Thoughts on The Deathmaker (1995), the most widely seen film by the heavily neglected German director Romuald Karmakar.

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W184

Jürgen Hentsch, 1936 - 2011

By David Hudson on December 21, 2011

The German character actor will probably be best remembered for his portrayal of the psychiatrist in Karmakar’s The Deathmaker.

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W184

Peter Przygodda, 1941 - 2011

By David Hudson on October 4, 2011

The renowned editor worked with Wenders, Syberberg, Schlöndorff, Lemke and Karmakar.

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