Christiane F. - Noi, i ragazzi dello zoo di Berlino

"Christiane F." is a bleak, harrowing look at drug abuse among Berlin youth in the 1970s.

It is perhaps the grittiest look at addiction I've ever seen on film.

The only problem is that you never really get close to the characters. You get close to what they do - and what the people around them do - but you never feel like you know the main character that well.

Part of the power of the movie comes from the casting of an actress who looks every bit as young as the character she's playing. You see her come precariously close to danger so many times, but the movie would be much more gripping if we were able to get closer to her.

The movie has many nauseating scenes of drug use and the sickness that results from it. I couldn't help thinking that this would be a good movie to show to kids to turn them off drugs. I actually felt physically ill while watching parts of it.

If you search for a document telling you the truth about falling into drug addiction in the 70s, this is the right film for you. But this is not a mere documentary; it's got artistic value, as well as great acting by the young and cute Nadja Brunckhorst and Thomas Haupstein. The scene where Christiane, after her first heroin sniffing, gets through a long gallery in a car with her friends is a wonderful metaphore of her first step into addiction. Great locations and a beautiful, functional photography complete this very good film, which represents an isolated case in director Ulrich Edels's career.

I've seen many films portraying drug addiction but none with such terrifying authenitcity as this film. It's funny. I haven't really thought about this film in years and what made me suddenly think of it now was I was thinking about movies on my DVD wish list. CHRISTIANE F was on that list. So for s***s and giggles I ran a routine search in the Internet Movie Database (this site is GOD!!!) and low and behold, it was out!!! Naturally, I placed my order for it. As much as I wished it was the subtitled version (which is only available in PAL), I have the German version as well as the dubbed so that's not that bad. To those who have seen REQUIEM FOR A DREAM and thought that it was the most disturbing film they've seen about drug addiction, I have news for ya: you haven't seen anything yet! CHRISTIANE F., makes REQUIEM look like a Disney film in comparison. Although the English dubbing is really cheesy and bad, still it doesn't detract from Ulrich Edel's images of the dark, seedy, and depressing world of heroin addicts.

Subtitled, "Image of a Generation", CHRISTIANE F is the true story of a lonely, bored teenager in the '70's who gets into the drug scene at 12, hooked on heroin at 13 and becomes a prostitute at 14 to support her habit. There are a couple of things about this that struck me. First, was that Edel used all unknowns for the main parts, especially the kids. They acted so naturally, that even Edel makes the comment that "it's a wonder they haven't been actors or junkies their whole lives." Also the kids who played the main characters, were as close to the age as the real people they were portraying. Nadja Brunckhorst, who plays Christiane, was fourteen at the time and does a remarkable job. In fact, this movie pretty much made her a star in Germany and to this day has had a prolific acting career, mainly on German TV as well as some film work. The second was the use of David Bowie's music in the soundtrack. Now, I'm biased. I'm a huge fan of Bowie but even if I wasn't, his music was used to staggering effect. Truly memorable was the scene toward the end of the film as Bowie's song 'Sense of Doubt' is played in the background as Edel's camera pans across the sad, ghostly faces of people at the subway platform. The music captures the despair of the scene very well, almost too well for comfort. The music serves, as any great film music should, as another character in the film, helping to portray the despair, loneliness, bravado, confusion of adolescence. I feel I can identify with Christiane and her life when I was her age. I was lonely, alienated, and sad. Where as she escaped her pain with drugs, I escaped mine through my writing. I can sympathize completely. You want to fit in with a group so badly that you'll do things that you know you shouldn't just to "be cool". Well, I really wish more teenagers would be shown this film. Would it change a life? Maybe. I do know one thing for me: after reading her book, from which this film is based, I've found a kindred soul. From what I know, she is clean and has been since the film's original release. I hope she continues to have the strength to remain so. Because once a junkie, always a junkie. "We can be heroes, just for one day."-David Bowie, 'Heroes' This song becomes a very understated theme for this film, a song about hope in a film where there's very little hope to be found.

Christiane F - We The Children Of Bahnhof Zoo is a 1981 film directed by Ulrich Edel based on the torrid accounts of a young girl living in West Berlin during the 1970's and her addiction to heroin and subsequent descent into prostitution.

Based on the accounts of her non-fiction book of the same name the film details the period in which she began experimenting with drugs, such as cannabis and L.S.D, to her initial foray into heroin use and ending with her complete abasement.

Shot with a low budget and employing a large number of first time actors, many of whom chose never to further a career in film, as well as a large number of extras sourced by the production team who were in fact real life junkies and down and outs. These factors alone contribute to the films startling sense of realism and authenticity.

Also, many of the films locations such as the club where Christiane hung out and the nefarious "Zoo" station where young addicts would prostitute themselves are the original locations in which the characters experiences are based, adding further to the films genuine portrayal of the seedy drug scene of West Berlin in the 70's.

The cinematography is bleak and unforgiving and brilliantly captures the barbarous nature of the scene and subject matter. Edels sparse and careful approach gives the piece an almost documentary style and no doubt this unflinching depiction, along with the graphic, perfunctory portrayal of teenage drug abuse contributed to its controversy.

Natja Brunckhorst provides the role of Chritiane and turns an astonishing debut as the heart breaking girl whose life debases to unimaginable depths within such a short space of time. Showing many audiences across Europe that the looming Heroin epidemic was not just confined to older people but also its ruthless and savage affects and how immediate its ravages take place.

This film pulls no punches. Its gritty, no nonsense representation of heroin, and its consequences, are shocking and tragic. The director also manages to take these dissolute children and allow us to view them free of judgement and witness first hand the terrible conditions in which some youths find themselves living within the confines of a so called civilised society. Many a question will arise when watching this film; how, why etc. But its principal aim is to simply allow us a front row seat to a window into a world most of us are hitherto unaccustomed - the nefarious, cruel and grievous life of a teenage addict who ambulates the inevitable path toward prostitution and ultimately burnout.

A great film with fantastic performances and above else, a great soundtrack provided by David Bowie. If you thought Trainspotting back in the late 90's was a shocking film about heroin abuse then this piece will hit you hard because despite its cult status this film is as real and as heart breaking as it gets.

I recently saw the original version of this film. Although i dont speak fluent german i found it easy enough to understand the plot through the amazing actors. Its not a story that gives away the end before its time. I reccomend it to anyone of any age but be warned there are some graphic scenes which may upset some people. It has totaly put in perspective of drugs and the real nasty and harsh side. This film is not seen through rose coloured glasses. It is a true story and allows us to have a deeper insight into the desperation of addicts and the lengths and detriments they go to for the amzing feeling.