Analysis of Herr Lehman 2003 and the Music Played in the Film

German movie called Herr Lehman, which debuted in 2003 and won the Deutscher Filmpreis, was based on a book written by Sven Regener two years earlier. The film’s central narrative concerns Frank Lehmann, a specific person, and how he lived in 1989. (Haubmann 2003). The book is the first in a series that will continue Frank’s life narrative appropriately in sequels published later in 2004 and 2008, respectively. The author describes Frank’s time spent in Berlin and his service in the Bundeswehr, the German military. The story continues of two days that Frank had spent looking for his elder brother who was an artist in Kreuzberg which is still in Berlin during 1980 from which he goes through a metamorphosis and is no longer known as the younger brother. To gain more audience, there was a translation of the story into English and a new title, ‘Berlin Blues’ by John Brownjohn and published in Europe. This paper will go into great detail and analyze the film while looking into the music played in it also for comprehension of the story.

The main character, Frank Lehmann is in his late 20s which makes him the point of reference in all his friends’ jokes resulting with them constantly referring to him only by his last name, Herr Lehman thus the title of the film. He is a bartender and could be viewed as an alcoholic (Haubmann 2003). The film brings the audience into his life and what he does on a daily basis in Kreuzberg while highlighting significant moments in it such as the visit he received from his parents who came to Berlin and his romantic interest in a wonderful cook by the name Katrin. Frank presents as a caring individual who gives comfort and cares for his friend, Karl who seems to be losing his senses and slowly getting psychotic. Frank’s response and coping with the destruction of the Berlin Wall is also depicted.

It is essential to first understand the political and social situation of Berlin during Frank’s time for clearer understanding of the importance of this film. The Berlin Wall was a significant structure in Germany during the 1900s, and its construction saw to the isolation of some cities (Carretero 220). Specifically, the isolated wall Kreuzberg also referred to as SO 36 which was West of Berlin for close to 30 years. This isolation resulted in the formation of a languid and often bored semi culture mainly composed of individuals in the arts, bohemian, Barfly and education sectors who seek to exist in ruins. Frank is also part of this subculture and is himself isolated and sees no need of knowing what lies beyond the high wall. However, this complacency is shaken by the sudden visit of his parents and the political uproar on the other side of the wall. Everyone suddenly appeared to behave in a different way from what was familiar.

Is the book always better than the movie or vice versa? This is a question that is commonly asked by movie lovers and book lovers since each group prefers something different. The problem is a viable point of concern especially since books and films are various exhibitions of art each making use of different stylistic devices. The novel Herr Lehmann can be considered cynical and humorous. Moreover, the film is not transparent on the cynicism despite its attempt to appear ironical which leaves viewers who have already read the book unsatisfied. However, this is a common occurrence in any transformation of a book into the film. Herr Lehmann has attempted to remain authentic to the original work which was the book in the movie as well as in its interpretation; Berlin Blues which was a good attempt since the film maintains the humor and captures the attention of the audience just as good as other films without novels.

The film Herr Lehmann presents its characters with a lot of clarity which is notable from the cinematography applied despite it being a film cast about an earlier period where the quality of pictures was not guaranteed. The photography is also commendable with clarity and accurateness being maintained in the conveying of what life would be like for people living in Berlin at that time especially the experience of the Boheme individuals in the late 1980s in or around West Berlin. The work of Frank Griebe in photography of the film was therefore worth noting and appreciating.

The casting of the film seems well thought off mostly because it was vital to maintain the authenticity of the novel thus the pressure to have actors and actresses who understood their roles. The leading character of Frank is acted out by Christian Ulmen who does excellent justice to it by being exactly what is required. He projects the lazy, lethargic performance with exceptional ease making his audience believe in him. His best friend Karl, played by Detlev Buck is also well represented, and the viewer can relate to the friendship that is full of humor remaining memorable even after the film is over.

While looking at the other characters such as that of Katrin, one is presented with the real scenario connecting a great deal with the challenges and emotions that each has to go through during uncertain times (Fuchs, James & Linda 82). They play their roles so well such that it is easy to forget that the film is set in a politically volatile era since they choose not to dwell on what is beyond the wall surrounding them.

It is hard to decide whether this film, Herr Lehmann, is a drama or even a comedy or maybe a political movie. It could be that the difficulty to place the film arises from the fact that the script was limiting or just because there were numerous themes intended to be presented. This ambiguity in genre determination could be a reason that puts off so many other people who prefer getting into something that they know other than getting surprised or confused by vague content.

Most movies done about Germany during that time are action films especially since that was a period of political strife. However, Herr Lehmann has no action in it, in fact as established earlier, it is filmed to show the life of individuals who were not part of the wars and who had no interest in participating in the battles at all. The producers, therefore, take a risk and make a movie that is humorous but not action filled, one that is ironical in an attempt to project the cynicism in its book. This effort was worth it since the storyline keeps the viewer entertained.

The film Herr Lehmann has different genres of music playing during its showing ranging from jazz to soft blues as is required of the various scenes and the soundtrack as was seen fit by Charlotte Goltermann who was in charge of music. The music played in the film includes I Will Survive and Sad Songs and Waltzes by Cake. Fad Gadget’s Collapsing New People, Novocaine for the Soul and The Sound of Fear by Eels is also included. Across the Universe by Laibach, Violent Femmes’ Blister in the Sun, Something’s Gotten Hold of my Heart by Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds is played. Moreover, more music from Lexy and K-Paul’s Oder Beides, Phantom and Ghosts by Phantom and Ghost, Nervous and Blue by Element of Crime appears in some scenes. The Jazz Butcher’s Soul Happy Hour, Anita Lane’s Bella Ciao, Frontera by Calexico and Buenas Tardes Amigo and The HIV Song by Ween as included in the film makes a total of sixteen songs (Schonfeld & Hermann 282).

The most significant task for any song in a film is to connect the audience with the characters and what is going on in the movie. For Herr Lehmann, it was a difficult task mainly since the film was based on the novel Herr Lehmann that had made use of various literary devices by the author (Rosenstone & Constantin 172). The movie had to depict what readers felt while reading the novel as well as what the author intends to pass across. Music is also used to enhance themes in the plot. The soundtrack chosen for the film seems to have heightened the irony in the story of Frank and his counterparts living at a slow pace during a period of political strife.

The choice of music in the film is not from one decade and seems to be mixed up which is risky especially if one wants to connect with the epoch during which the story is being told. In Charlotte’s defense, she does in different instances; state that the diversity of songs used was advantageous in the film since they were used more for setting the mood right depending on what the characters were experiencing (Schonfeld & Hermann 286). A perfect example of this is when the song I Will Survive by Cake is played towards the end of the film sometimes after the collapse of the Berlin Wall which seemed to shatter Frank’s life (Haubmann 2003). The song I Will Survive is a hopeful song which is what Frank may have been looking for in that scene despite the irony of the fact that this situation seems as if it is entirely hopeless. Another appropriate use of music in the film in an attempt to connect with the characters’ feelings is the when Bella Ciao by Anita Lane plays in the background after frank breaks up with Katrin (Regener, Gezeichner & Tim 431). Bella Ciao is a title that means goodbye beautiful that is full of despondent emotion that is similar to what Frank may have been feeling at that time.

One would expect nostalgia in the film which is present; however, there is an attempt to bring a connection between the Eastern and the Western parts of Germany. Tim Fischer, who is a musician, is cast as Sylvio who is from Western Germany and works for hand in hand with other actors and musicians who are from the other region of Germany. Furthermore, the use music from the different areas also shows an unbelievable concept of cohesion despite the fact that the time in the story was tense politically with a lot of division with individuals from diverse regions not interacting freely (Kettenacker 147). Thus, one could say that the music in the film played a unifying role where diversity was encouraged in the choice of songs performed in the film and the musicians involved to sing the same songs.

The choice of music from the 1980s such as those by Eels, Violent Femmes, Cake, The Bad Seeds, Calexico, Nick, and Cave, spiced up the film. The spicing helps capture the attention of the audience who are familiar with the time and place of the film and leading to a nostalgic feel for them (Hurley 64). For individuals who have visited or even lived in Berlin may connect to the scenes with the familiarity of locations which works in favor of the film maintaining the attention and appreciation of the audience. The producers play contemporary literary classics with ironic and witty lines which enhance the screenplay of the film. Contrary to popular belief, music in movies can be mixed up and borrowed from different eras and musical styles and genres which gives the film an original touch and connects with audiences from diverse backgrounds (Valerio 19).

Herr Lehmann may be a good film. However, it is not fast paced meaning that the audience’s attention which it captures is for individuals who have vested interests. The vested interests could range from a desire to connect with the epoch in which it is set, or the characters’ roles played in the film (Rosenstone & Constantin 167). It could also be possible that they are after learning something new that occurred in that era which would be for insight on how the war affected different citizens and how they interacted despite the looming chaos and anxiety. Such an audience is not similar to an audience requiring only entertainment; an audience that has no needs for information but merely to have a good time watching a film. The producers may have attempted to include such an audience but not as successfully as would have been expected. Thus the film can be considered boring and not exciting due to its slow pace.

An analysis of the plot in this movie leaves one wondering why the whole film leads up to the final scene of the collapse of the wall mostly because there is little mention of the wall throughout. The plot development does not prepare the viewer for a destruction of the only thing that seems to be maintaining the status quo in the film’s environment and characters (Ginsberg 118). However, this build up into the eventual collapse cannot be referred to as suspense in the manner in which it is used in film or book production. It is more of being caught completely off guard rather than anticipation thus eliminating the assumption that the film is full of suspense. In fact, most occurrences seem just to appear and happen so suddenly such that the audience is as surprised as the characters are when something new happens.

In conclusion, the film Herr Lehmann is an experimental film that attempts to be unique in the film industry. This attempt is both successful as well as not satisfactory. It is welcomed by viewers after insight much more than by viewers after entertainment. The audience reacts in different ways to the film with majority appreciating its uniqueness. The appreciation stems from the incorporation of various aspects of filming with the most evident being the music played in the movie. The music resonates with most of the audience who can connect to the characters and with the mood set in each scene. The mix-up and combination of various genres of music keep the film spiced up maintaining the audience’s attention. In the end, the producers, actors, actresses, and other individuals and professionals involved in the production of the film deserve acclaim and admiration for work well done not forgetting Sven Regener who is the whole idea behind the movie since he wrote the novel, Herr Lehmann (Twark 138). One may disapprove a lot of things in the film and how it is not similar to the book. However, the fact remains that the film was a somewhat accurate depiction of the events at Kreuzberg, in the Western region of Berlin among the Bohemia in the year 1989 just before the fall of Berlin Wall that had been considered as protective (Carretero 222). The film decided to show the simple lives of individuals who chose not to be soldiers and actively participate in the wars but merely enjoy the peace therein while leading their mundane lives. The surprise effect of the film keeps the audience on their toes with its unpredictable nature helping to capture the characters’ raw acting skills which means that future producers can make use of this film in an attempt to train others.

Work Cited

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Fuchs, Anne, Kathleen James-Chakraborty, and Linda Shortt. Debating German Cultural Identity since 1989. Columbia, MD: Camden House Inc, 2011. Print.

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Hurley, Andrew. Into The Groove: Popular Music and Contemporary German Fiction. New York: Boydell & Brewer, 2015. Print.

Kettenacker, Lothar. Germany 1989. [S.l.]: Routledge, 2017. Print.

Leander Haußmann, Leander. Herr Lehmann. Germany: Beta Film GmbH Delphi Filmverleih Produktion Universal Pictures Filmcoopi Zürich Filmladen, 2003. Film.

Regener, Sven, Gezeichnet Von., and Tim Dinter. Herr Lehmann. Berlin: Eichborn, 2014. Print.

Rosenstone, Robert A, and Constantin Parvulescu. A Companion to the Historical Film. Malden (MA): Wiley Blackwell, 2016. Print.

Schönfeld, Christiane, and Hermann Rasche. Processes of Transposition. Amsterdam: Rodopi, 2007. Print.

Twark, Jill E. Strategies of Humor in Post-Unification German Literature, Film, and Other Media. Newcastle upon Tyne: Cambridge Scholars Publ, 2011. Print.

Valerio Sbravatti. “Story-Music / Discourse-Music: Analyzing the Relationship between Placement and Function of Music in Films.” Music and the Moving Image 9.3 (2016): 19.