User reviews

The movie is dynamic, full of emotions and wonderful electronic music. It is definitely not a movie about Berlin party scene, Berlin is the backdrop of the movie.

Club scene is associated with drugs, but it is not a movie about drugs either. Yes the main character is a drug addict DJ who has mental issues but the movie is not Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, neither One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest.

The movie explores the life of an artist, his choices, his abysmal loneliness, creativity and above all his relations to other people.

Even though there are some occasional character zigzags, the movie wanders in our emotions in a beautiful way.

I have seen the movie during If Film Festival in Istanbul and regretted that I had missed the performance of DJ Paul Kalkbrenner ten days ago.

Saw this movie on the 7th of September 2008 in Toronto at the exclusive North American screening of the film. The film was not chosen to be a part of the Toronto International Film Festival; very surprised as to why (extensive use of drugs?).

The story line was not incredible complex but the acting was absolutely magnificent. Further if you have been a clubber in a hardcore sense of the word you would be able to relate to the movie in a much stronger way. Up till now my top clubbing movie was "It's All Gone Pete Tong"; this movie is a 100 times stronger in a dramatic sense and much more interesting to follow.

The crowed loved the movie and had applauded it and the director at the end of the film.

I am very picky when it comes to movies, but this one for me was definitely a hit! I would go as far as stating that this is one of my favorite movies of the year! This movie is reminiscent of "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest."

I found this film inspiring and despite its age, i felt it does well to come off even today in 2020 as relevant. there is a contagion about it which makes you want to keep going. if you are a recovering drug addict, suggest you don't watch this as this may want you to do those pills and sundry. otherwise rock on.

This movie deals with 2 topics I don't care much about: DJs and drug rehab. It does it so well that at the end I came out wanting to listen to the only electronic music CD I've got, and I read on a famous Psychiatry manual about amphetamines.

Music is great. So is the way it's interspersed with the story. The contrast between his "interior world" and the outside. Like when he made the psychiatrist listen to his music: it was a bit loud for her, consequently to us, so that we notice. Then when he took out his perpetual headphones, the music was gone. Music transmitted I's subjectivity, his mental states so to speak.

Characters: Ickarus is fine as a narcissistic and shallow "being" with just a gift for something. When the shrink asks him if he ever read about Buddhism (given he mentioned "reincarnation") or when he saw she wrote a book about famous artist who were also drug addicts, he just didn't care). Mathilde was barely there. I wonder if her mouth is "natural", but she's sexy enough even with that stupid Adidas outfit. Her role just lacks "something" (transmitting any feelings?), but is nevertheless believable at least. She's "his woman", but is not exactly crazy about him at all. In fact, at his first act of violence, she outright leaves. And I, as a Latin American perhaps, was surprised at how little emotions do they show to each other. She is shown crying when he had a relapse, but when sitting on a bench, she is distant, talking about her girlfriend as if she changed shoes. Then when he's out and in again at the clinic, she's not even there. Finally they're together. She dropped gorgeous Corinna. There it goes, she changed shoes again :). Beautiful Alice is right on track. His psychiatric hospital mates are fine, specially Crystal Pete. Prof. Dr. Petra Paul is gelid and coolly detached, but in her context, that's probably what they are like. She swallows insults from I. & M. like we'd take a diet Coke. We only see her really communicate with I. once, the "fly trapped on the glass" scene. Not much for somebody who's supposed to help, but her "directive" scenes, like when she is leading the "movement therapy", or when she appears in the middle of the night with the guards during I's induced mayhem are fine. She is just "efficient" at putting limits . Social Psychology: I've realized in this film I saw no feelings whatsoever. Neither family, love, friendship, nothing. Not even good sex. Yes, the menage a trois is well, but even that doesn't satisfy I. (at all). I wonder what would. Or how would he be when older. "Living of social security", like the only sound phrase he ever uttered (threw at his brother): you study at your 20s, work in your 30s and live off the state from your 40s on. I's family structure is also weird coming from a Latin American like me. His Bach loving Vater is concerned but only shows up once at the hospital, talks with the shrink after he relapsed twice in the film. He never offers him to live with him, SOMETHING, besides a "moving" hug. Same or even worse for his brother. Definitely, Germans are colder than most of us! His "social explanation" on how "the fall of the Berlin wall did harm to people" is OK for a dad but poor for a movie. If things were like that, half of Eastern Germany would be junkies :)! Philosophy: Morally, "Hungarian" Mathilde is the only "straight" character of this parallel world, without any "bad" attitude. Maybe the director/ writer's favourite? Like when Alice proposes her to be the manager of another DJ and she, predictably, and showing remarkable bad acting stills, starts to recite: "It's about Ikarus, I don't care for a job!". Surprisingly enough, a bit later she ends up working at the door of the club. Economics: Which takes me to how poor this world is. The (big) club owner asks her: "what do you want, "door or bar?". These are the only 2 jobs available, besides the DJ. How sad. The hospital, even with means and personnel that one would only dream of here in the 3rd world, is nevertheless shown like a sad barren place to be. Again, a cautionary tale, specially because it just doesn't mean to. Sociologically interesting, specially living in other parts of the world where both that and the fact that the state covered most of I. expensive treatment in private, clean cells, with only about 5 inmates in the whole facility makes me brood: even in a lunatic asylum you live better than most Third World dweller.

Everybody who is at the club is on drugs (even the owner, and, of course, the dealer). The blonde who is after Ikarus looks fine on the dance floor, but yawning in the morning when she pops up at I's home right before his big album presentation... she is the image of despair. The dealer and her look like people without anything to say, a ruin even when young. This is a nice film to show to people who think drugs are or could ever be "cool", by the way. Without being "didactic", in the sense that, for instance, he does throw away his pills and still "perform like if nothing has happened". When somebody offers you drugs, think: Do I want to be wandering inside the subway's rail, perpetually giving my money to some idiot just to be "high", then be very depressed out of nothing, and even when treated, so sleepy that I cant' tie my shoes or (untreated) think that standing up on the subway is a "trip", something that deserves a rotating camera/ "whew" feeling.

Great film! Watch it on a theatre with good sound, it surely delivers punch after punch. And I don't mean only the music.

I was fortunate enough to view the screening of this movie in Toronto on September 7th. I too have to agree that this movie should have been selected for the Toronto International Film Festival.

The movie portrays the life of techno dj as it really is including: gigs, relationships, record deals, touring and drug use. This is the closest you will get to real life. As one of the above users stated anyone who is from the Hardcore/Underground can tell you that this movie will bring quivers up your spine as to how real it portrays.

From beginning to end this film is non stop action. An extremely talented cast mixed with a great direction and an incredible soundtrack made for probably of my favourite films related to e-music to date.

Does a movie need to provide answers or is some room for interpretation sometimes the better choice? Berlin Calling does not take the bait to occupy the moral high ground. Instead it is an authentic movie about the music and party scene in Berlin, including its „dark side": drugs.

In a way this movie does not have a beginning and no end, it is an ultimate extract of life – life in the electronic music scene in Berlin.

The pace of the story is fast, almost like the rhythm of the electronic beats - an awesome soundtrack. Berlin Calling is authentic and entertaining movie with great acting and fantastic directing.

The movie feels „(a)live" and to followers of electronic music this is a definite must-see. The only criticism that Berlin Calling may have to accept is that self-experiencing the Berlin party scene may still be better.

I reckon this is not really my scene, my "hood" to put it that way. But whoever wrote this and whoever did this, they seem to know what they are trying to convey. With movies like these, it is easy to fall back onto cliches and make it easy for oneself. But this feels as authentic as it can be. The performances help too, which is not always a given with low budget movies.

Intense scenes may require you to take a moment to really digest them. But it's not just drama, there is comedy and humor in this too. Although strange humor of course. I had heard of this movie from friends before and if you are into the music especially this will elevate the whole thing even further I reckon. And of course it will deplete completely if you don't like the music too

"Berlin Calling" is not a documentary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, that would be "Berlin Falling". Nor is it a documentary on the 80's New Wave extraordinaire band Berlin (smell a severe case of "biasism" since it is my all-time favorite band), that would be "Berlin Hailing". The "Berlin Calling" I am referring to is the powerful independent German film "Berlin Calling". Professional Trance Music Disc Jockey Paul Kalkbrenner stars as D.J. Ickarus, a passionate & talented German trance spinning musician who also spins too many methamphetamines, hallucinogens, and narcotics in his daily social tunes. D.J. Ickarus drug-addiction downfall lands him in a Berlin psychiatric center, which Ickarus finds too icky for his taste. Ickarus does cause havoc in the psychiatric center a la Jack Nicholson's character in "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest". Rita Lengyel effectively plays Mathilde, Ickarus' devoted but gradually frustrated girlfriend who tries excessively to help Ick get out of the icky ills of his drug addiction while at the same trying to salvage his career. Corinna Harfouch psyches up her acting portraying Professor Dr. Detra Paul, the authoritative psychiatric center director who is a cross between Nurse Hatchett and Dr. Phil. She feels that Ickarus is a danger to others and possibly himself so therefore she pulls her own mental control spins on him. Kalkbrenner's performance as Ickarus was mind-boggling and put me in a trance of acting endowment. Moreover, the multi-talented Kalkbrenner's musical trance mixes caused me to want to get on "The Metro" and go "Dancing In Berlin" in Kalkbrenner's Tranceylvannia village! Writer-Director Hannes Stohr has many compelling and masterful plot lines & visuals stored for you in his imaginative film-making orchestration of "Berlin Calling". An innovative narrative of the music trance environment captured in film-making has been long overdue. I was elated that Hannes had the upper hand in its origination! "Berlin Calling" also called to my attention its chart-topping cinematography, art direction, and of course musical score. Hannes' "Berlin Calling" screenplay was also quite a comedic but yet gripping one that did not need "No More Words" to be regarded wordy adequate. I did have the pleasure to experience "Berlin Calling" at The Miami International Film Festival in March 2009. Hopefully, a film studio distributor will sign up the film so everyone could be in the mix to the surreal cinematic art form of the brilliant "Berlin Calling". ***** Excellent

This will have flown under the radar for most of its intended audience being such a small film. While there are a few UK based movies about clubbing such as Beats, Human Traffic etc, Berlin Calling seems to be relatively unknown within clubbing circles.

This is likely down to this being a German language film with a limited release, the other issue however is that it deals with the consequences of drug use in the clubbing scene. This will likely put alot of clubbers off as many who engage with the drug side of thing either do not wish to be reminded of the risks of they simply dismiss them as being establishment lies. Unfortunately for that section of the clubbing and drugs scene the risks and consequences are impossible to ignore in this movie.

The plot is quite straightforward, DJ Ikarus (a pretty unsubtle name considering the plot, but there you go), is also a producer who has completed his new album. However due to his indulgences he experiences a psychotic episode and ends up under supervision in a psychiatric ward. This puts a strain on his relationships with his partner and the record label boss funding his release. Its basically a German One Flew Over The Cuckoos Next for the techno generation.

It actually has alot to say about the risks of permanent mental health outcomes related to drug use in the clubbing scene. The depiction of the drugs casualties is pretty accurate, as is the psychiatric ward and the patients response to psychiatric medication (they are happy to take recreational drugs just not actual medication).

Its engaging and well shot as well as being fairly realistic of the music scene. Apart from the very small circle the DJ seems to have, as the business is basically built on relationships.

The music was also quite a let down, its very bland and any producer can tell you its underproduced and sparse.

The other elephant in the room is why there doesn't seem to be any real life DJs in the movie? That is pretty much a requirement, also having real scene people involved may have improved the score/soundtrack.

This is quite a serious film about music, drugs and mental health which is maybe not what clubbers wish to see. The overall tone is also quite low or depressing as the DJ veers from one self inflicted crisis to the next. So dont pick this as a party vibe movie, its message is quite clear even if its not one many are not willing to hear.

Nothing special about the scenario or the story in this film... But the music is something else!!! One of the best soundtracks ever!

If you are a techno music consumer or a musician you would probably enjoy it, other way wouldn't recommend it.

It's a well know story of somebody who make serious mistakes and hurts himself and the one who loves him, in this case selfishness, big ego and drugs abuse The character is played by a real dj who also makes the music of the film, that's great , and the music it's good also. But never the less the character it's kind of superficial approach. For acting, script and direction. Much more the other characters The photography of the movie it's kinda of light for me also, doesn't add much.

"Berlin Calling" is an ambitious film that looks into the dark side of the German electronic music but doesn't seem to know what to say about it. Director Hannes Stohr makes a wise move in casting real life electronic musician Paul Kalkbrenner in the lead role of (the overbearingly metaphorically named) DJ Ikarus.

On the cusp of releasing his greatest record Ikarus succumbs to the effects of his longtime drug use and is admitted into a psych ward. From here, the film veers wildly in tone recalling the excesses of "Trainspotting" and the tension of "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest" without ever find a middleground. Subplots involving a teenage fan who works at the hospital; his on again/off again bisexual girlfriend and his dealer never really develop into anything substantial. Worse, Stohr doesn't seem to know what he wants to say about drug use. Is it necessary for creative artists? Is it an evil? Is it OK in small doses? He offers middling cases for each scenario but doesn't make any unique observations.

That said, the music in the film is fantastic. Written by Kalkbrenner himself, it casts a great light on the contemporary German electronic scene and if there is any reason to see the film, it's for the music. He manages to make the subtle shifts in tone and mood accessible for even the casual music fan which is a feat in itself.

Berlin Calling is one of the best movies about the genre of Berlin Techno.

The movie is at the beginning more like a documentary, but gets more and more dense over the time.

I would personally say that this is one of the best german movies!

I didn't expect this to be such a good movie. Although I found this movie searching for club/rave movies, this is much more than that. At some points one could find similarities with the themes of "One flew over the cuckoo's nest": sanity and psychiatric institutions is defiantly one narrative theme.

This film has great music too and I never got bored. I guess I should have rated it with an 8/10; but I was surprised by the quality of it. If you compare it of course with movies of Tarkovsky, Kubrick or Bergman of course it does not stand a chance, but for sure it is better than most mainstream American made movies.

It starts ou interesting and slows down in the end comming to a feel-good nothing sort of a movie at some points, but overall it's not a bad movie, maybe the idea has some merit to it but the execution leaves much to be desired. Bad pasing, and moments bringing very little to the story are unfortunately a big part of what we see.

Besides that the name Berlin calling is bad and has nothing to do with anything.