Ali- Fear eats the soul
Sometimes I really love the Great movies project because I see something really great that I might have missed watching. This week, that movie is Ali: Fear eats the soul , a 1974 film directed by Rainer Werner Fassbinder. I had absolutely no idea what to expect from this film. It's the story of a German woman in her 50s who falls in love with a Moroccan man in his 30s. The bored and cold Emmi heads into a bar to have a drink one night and meets Ali, an auto worker who has been in the country for a while. He walks her home, and one things ends up leading to another.
They end up getting married after Emmi suggests it and are subjected to racist treatment from family, friends and strangers. It's really disturbing. Then Emmi herself begins to treat her good looking husband like an object, resulting in further problems.
This movie is realistic, and looks beautiful. I loved the shots and the framing and the acting was simply superb. While watching the film, I had an overarching sense of both dread and fear for the characters. I was convinced that something terrible was going to happen. I think this film is accurate and sadly, the issues raised in it are still current. I also liked how it wasn't a black and white issue or film, but one that was incredibly nuanced.
They end up getting married after Emmi suggests it and are subjected to racist treatment from family, friends and strangers. It's really disturbing. Then Emmi herself begins to treat her good looking husband like an object, resulting in further problems.
This movie is realistic, and looks beautiful. I loved the shots and the framing and the acting was simply superb. While watching the film, I had an overarching sense of both dread and fear for the characters. I was convinced that something terrible was going to happen. I think this film is accurate and sadly, the issues raised in it are still current. I also liked how it wasn't a black and white issue or film, but one that was incredibly nuanced.