Genre: Drama
Runtime: 150 minutes
Year: 1979
Starring: David Bennent, Mario Adorf, Angela Winkler, Daniel Olbrychski, Katharina Thalbach, Berta Drews, Charles Aznavour, Tina Engel, Roland Teubner, Tadeusz Kunikowski, Andréa Ferréol, Heinz Bennent, Ilse Pagé, Werner Rehm, Käte Jaenicke, Helmut Brasch
Description: Danzig in the 1920s/1930s. Oskar Matzerath, son of a local dealer, is a most unusual boy. Equipped with full intellect right from his birth he decides at his third birthday not to grow up as he sees the crazy world around him at the eve of World War II. So he refuses the society and his tin drum symbolizes his protest against the middle-class mentality of his family and neighborhood, which stand for all passive people in Nazi Germany at that time. However, (almost) nobody listens to him, so the catastrophe goes on...
Review: “Die Blechtrommel” is an adaptation of the novel by Günter Grass. The film follows the life of Oskar Matzerath. Born in the late 20s in Danzig and he had an adult intelligence. When Oscar is three and the national socialist decide to take over under the leadership of Hitler, Oscar decides to stop growing and stay a child. This is also the age when he gets his tin drum (blechtrommel in German).
The film is filled with symbolism. The sub theme is de rise of the national socialism in Germany. according to the writer, Oskar is the personification of the infantile German society in the early thirties. His drumming symbolizes the protest against the passive attitude the German citizens had.
The story is bizarre yet humoristic. Just like the characters. The theme might be heavy, but the film isn’t. “Die Blechtrommel” is not a film for everyone.
Rating: 3,5/ 5
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